Intimacy, attachment to the partner, and daily well-being in romantic relationships

Poucher, Jesse; Prager, Karen J.; Shirvani, Forouz; Parsons, Julie; Patel, Juhi

doi:10.1177/02654075211060392

Cited by 18Attachment and Relationship DynamicsMarriage and Sexual RelationshipsPsychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction

Intimacy, attachment to the partner, and daily well-being in romantic relationships

Poucher, Jesse, Prager, Karen J., Shirvani, Forouz, Parsons, Julie, Patel, Juhi·2022·Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

DOI 10.1177/02654075211060392

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Abstract

Self-disclosure ordinarily benefits individual well-being; however, if someone discloses with an unresponsive listener, self-disclosure may fail to enhance well-being. Because prior research has primarily studied the additive effects of disclosure and listener’s responsiveness on well-being, this study investigated their interactive effects on well-being in romantic relationships. Because attachment orientation is closely associated with needs for intimacy, we further inquired into moderating effects of attachment on associations between intimacy and well-being. One-hundred fifteen cohabiting couples completed 21 daily diaries in which they recorded their experiences interacting with their partners. High self-disclosure during interactions that lacked expressed understanding yielded negative rather than positive outcomes. Multiple interactions between participants’ and partners’ attachment insecurity and intimacy were especially associated with depressive symptoms and relationship satisfaction. Results highlight the importance of the relational context of self-disclosure and well-being.

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Authors: Poucher, J., Prager, K. J., Shirvani, F., Parsons, J., & Patel, J.
Affiliations: The University of Texas at Dallas (US)
Corresponding author: Prager, Karen J.
ORCID: Prager, Karen J.
Parsons, Julie
Venue: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2022-02-01
Volume: 39
Issue: 6
Pages: 1574-1601
ISSN: 0265-4075 (ISSN-L)
1460-3608
DOI: 10.1177/02654075211060392
OpenAlex: W4210658036
Cited by: 18
References: 49
Citations by year: 2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1
FWCI: 2.83
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (publishedVersion)
Funders: Jerry M. Lewis, M.D. Mental Health Research Foundation, Dallas, Texas
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Sexual Relationships
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
Keywords: self-disclosure, intimacy, insecure attachment, attachment orientation, partner responsiveness, daily well-being, depressive symptoms, relationship satisfaction, romantic relationships, cohabiting couples, interaction effects

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Intimacy, attachment to the partner, and daily well-being in romantic relationships

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