The Relationship Between Emotion Regulation and Marital Satisfaction Using the Actor-partner Interdependence Model

Objectives:

 The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between total emotion regulation and the multiple emotion regulation dimensions with marital satisfaction. The study also attempted to assess the moderating role of gender. 

A group of 156 married couples located in Tehran were recruited by convenience sampling. Participants rated their emotion regulatory abilities and their marital satisfaction by responding to the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). In order to explore interpersonal effects, data were analyzed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). 

Both in men and women, the ability to regulate emotions was predictive of self and partner marital satisfaction. Women’s scores in all 6 aspects of emotion regulation and men’s scores in all aspects except from “awareness” was positively associated with their own satisfaction. Men’s acceptance of emotions, goal-directed behavior, impulse control, and access to regulation strategies predicted their wives’ satisfaction. Women’s impulse control, access to regulation strategies, and clarity of emotions predicted their husbands’ marital satisfaction. The analysis did not support a moderating role for gender. 

The findings highlight the interconnectedness between partners in the domain of emotions. It seems promising to focus on emotion regulation and its multiple dimensions in the assessment and treatment of couple problems. The use of dyadic methods of analysis is suggested in order to deepen the understanding of relationship phenomena.