Stress and Dyadic Coping in Personal Projects of Couples – A Pattern-Oriented Analysis
Relational accounts of goal striving have barely considered dyadic coping as an element of the process, nor has dyadic coping research utilized the unique advantages of the goal construct (e.g., in form of personal project assessment) so far. Therefore, the primary aim of the present study was to ex...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00400/full |
| _version_ | 1818513091809247232 |
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| author | Tamás Martos Viola Sallay Marianna Nagy Henrietta Gregus Orsolya Filep |
| author_facet | Tamás Martos Viola Sallay Marianna Nagy Henrietta Gregus Orsolya Filep |
| author_sort | Tamás Martos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Relational accounts of goal striving have barely considered dyadic coping as an element of the process, nor has dyadic coping research utilized the unique advantages of the goal construct (e.g., in form of personal project assessment) so far. Therefore, the primary aim of the present study was to explore stress and dyadic coping experiences associated with the personal projects of partners in a close relationship. Moreover, we approached data analysis in a pattern-oriented way, instead of using variable-centered linear models. We used cross-sectional data from 270 married and cohabiting Hungarian heterosexual couples (mean age 40.1 ± 11.2 and 37.8 ± 10.9 years for male and female partners, respectively). Partners individually completed an adapted version of the Personal Project Assessment procedure. First, they named an important but stressful personal project. Respondents appraised their experiences with the chosen personal project along several predefined aspects. These included: (1) stress experiences; (2) dyadic coping, using the adapted Dyadic Coping Inventory; (3) positive emotions; and (4) sense of community. The Relationship Assessment Scale was also assessed. Cluster analysis of both partners’ stress experiences, positive and negative dyadic coping strategies in their own personal projects revealed six relationship-level clusters. Cluster solutions represented typical variations of the stress and dyadic coping patterns of the couples, and could be arranged in a three- (lower, medium, and higher stress) by-two (positively vs. negatively balanced dyadic coping pattern) array. Further analyses indicated the general trend that couples with lower (vs. higher) stress together with more positively (vs. negatively) balanced dyadic coping may have experienced better functioning in projects (more positive emotions and higher sense of community) and higher relationship satisfaction. Results confirm that the partners’ pursuit of their personal projects is embedded in their relationship, and their functioning in these projects may partly depend on dyadic coping with the stress that arises during the accomplishment of the project. By using a pattern-oriented approach to dyadic data, we were able to distill stress and coping patterns that capture the specific types of couples’ relationships and indicate the non-linear and multidimensional nature of stress and dyadic coping processes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T23:56:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6e2d9b9b9b4342d9b9be12985695700d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T23:56:12Z |
| publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-6e2d9b9b9b4342d9b9be12985695700d2022-12-22T01:28:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782019-02-011010.3389/fpsyg.2019.00400 409069Stress and Dyadic Coping in Personal Projects of Couples – A Pattern-Oriented AnalysisTamás Martos0Viola Sallay1Marianna Nagy2Henrietta Gregus3Orsolya Filep4Institute of Psychology, University of Szeged, Szeged, HungaryInstitute of Psychology, University of Szeged, Szeged, HungaryInstitute of Psychology, University of Szeged, Szeged, HungaryInstitute of Psychology, University of Szeged, Szeged, HungaryDoctoral School, Semmelweis University, Budapest, HungaryRelational accounts of goal striving have barely considered dyadic coping as an element of the process, nor has dyadic coping research utilized the unique advantages of the goal construct (e.g., in form of personal project assessment) so far. Therefore, the primary aim of the present study was to explore stress and dyadic coping experiences associated with the personal projects of partners in a close relationship. Moreover, we approached data analysis in a pattern-oriented way, instead of using variable-centered linear models. We used cross-sectional data from 270 married and cohabiting Hungarian heterosexual couples (mean age 40.1 ± 11.2 and 37.8 ± 10.9 years for male and female partners, respectively). Partners individually completed an adapted version of the Personal Project Assessment procedure. First, they named an important but stressful personal project. Respondents appraised their experiences with the chosen personal project along several predefined aspects. These included: (1) stress experiences; (2) dyadic coping, using the adapted Dyadic Coping Inventory; (3) positive emotions; and (4) sense of community. The Relationship Assessment Scale was also assessed. Cluster analysis of both partners’ stress experiences, positive and negative dyadic coping strategies in their own personal projects revealed six relationship-level clusters. Cluster solutions represented typical variations of the stress and dyadic coping patterns of the couples, and could be arranged in a three- (lower, medium, and higher stress) by-two (positively vs. negatively balanced dyadic coping pattern) array. Further analyses indicated the general trend that couples with lower (vs. higher) stress together with more positively (vs. negatively) balanced dyadic coping may have experienced better functioning in projects (more positive emotions and higher sense of community) and higher relationship satisfaction. Results confirm that the partners’ pursuit of their personal projects is embedded in their relationship, and their functioning in these projects may partly depend on dyadic coping with the stress that arises during the accomplishment of the project. By using a pattern-oriented approach to dyadic data, we were able to distill stress and coping patterns that capture the specific types of couples’ relationships and indicate the non-linear and multidimensional nature of stress and dyadic coping processes.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00400/fullstressdyadic copingself-regulationDyadic Coping Inventorypersonal project assessmentdyadic data |
| spellingShingle | Tamás Martos Viola Sallay Marianna Nagy Henrietta Gregus Orsolya Filep Stress and Dyadic Coping in Personal Projects of Couples – A Pattern-Oriented Analysis Frontiers in Psychology stress dyadic coping self-regulation Dyadic Coping Inventory personal project assessment dyadic data |
| title | Stress and Dyadic Coping in Personal Projects of Couples – A Pattern-Oriented Analysis |
| title_full | Stress and Dyadic Coping in Personal Projects of Couples – A Pattern-Oriented Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Stress and Dyadic Coping in Personal Projects of Couples – A Pattern-Oriented Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stress and Dyadic Coping in Personal Projects of Couples – A Pattern-Oriented Analysis |
| title_short | Stress and Dyadic Coping in Personal Projects of Couples – A Pattern-Oriented Analysis |
| title_sort | stress and dyadic coping in personal projects of couples a pattern oriented analysis |
| topic | stress dyadic coping self-regulation Dyadic Coping Inventory personal project assessment dyadic data |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00400/full |
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