Conflict and Intimacy in Emerging Adults’ Romantic Relationships and Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Identity and Couple Satisfaction
Romantic relationships in emerging adulthood may be associated with depression, but the role of possible mediators of this relationship remains to be explored. The present study tested a serial mediation model where intimacy and conflict in romantic relationships were predictors of depressive sympto...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/11/977 |
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| author | Federica Graziano Sofia Mastrokoukou Elena Cattelino Luca Rollè Emanuela Calandri |
| author_facet | Federica Graziano Sofia Mastrokoukou Elena Cattelino Luca Rollè Emanuela Calandri |
| author_sort | Federica Graziano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Romantic relationships in emerging adulthood may be associated with depression, but the role of possible mediators of this relationship remains to be explored. The present study tested a serial mediation model where intimacy and conflict in romantic relationships were predictors of depressive symptoms through the mediation of couple satisfaction and identity satisfaction. The study was conducted on a sample of 268 Italian emerging adults, 60% female (Mage = 19, ds = 1.4), all involved in a heterosexual romantic relationship. The results showed that the association between intimacy and depressive symptoms was direct and sequentially mediated through couple satisfaction and identity satisfaction. A single mediation pathway through identity satisfaction alone also emerged. The association between conflict and depressive symptoms was direct and sequentially mediated through couple satisfaction and identity satisfaction. These findings suggest the importance of helping emerging adults develop appropriate skills in managing conflict and intimacy in romantic relationships as useful resources for identity satisfaction and depression prevention. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ed7544f8acb94bc1a3d96e14569833eb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-ed7544f8acb94bc1a3d96e14569833eb2025-08-20T01:53:52ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2024-10-01141197710.3390/bs14110977Conflict and Intimacy in Emerging Adults’ Romantic Relationships and Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Identity and Couple SatisfactionFederica Graziano0Sofia Mastrokoukou1Elena Cattelino2Luca Rollè3Emanuela Calandri4Department of Psychology, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Political and Social Sciences, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, ItalyDepartment of Social and Human Sciences, University of Valle d’Aosta, 11100 Aosta, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, ItalyRomantic relationships in emerging adulthood may be associated with depression, but the role of possible mediators of this relationship remains to be explored. The present study tested a serial mediation model where intimacy and conflict in romantic relationships were predictors of depressive symptoms through the mediation of couple satisfaction and identity satisfaction. The study was conducted on a sample of 268 Italian emerging adults, 60% female (Mage = 19, ds = 1.4), all involved in a heterosexual romantic relationship. The results showed that the association between intimacy and depressive symptoms was direct and sequentially mediated through couple satisfaction and identity satisfaction. A single mediation pathway through identity satisfaction alone also emerged. The association between conflict and depressive symptoms was direct and sequentially mediated through couple satisfaction and identity satisfaction. These findings suggest the importance of helping emerging adults develop appropriate skills in managing conflict and intimacy in romantic relationships as useful resources for identity satisfaction and depression prevention.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/11/977romantic relationshipsemerging adultdepressionconflictintimacycouple satisfaction |
| spellingShingle | Federica Graziano Sofia Mastrokoukou Elena Cattelino Luca Rollè Emanuela Calandri Conflict and Intimacy in Emerging Adults’ Romantic Relationships and Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Identity and Couple Satisfaction Behavioral Sciences romantic relationships emerging adult depression conflict intimacy couple satisfaction |
| title | Conflict and Intimacy in Emerging Adults’ Romantic Relationships and Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Identity and Couple Satisfaction |
| title_full | Conflict and Intimacy in Emerging Adults’ Romantic Relationships and Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Identity and Couple Satisfaction |
| title_fullStr | Conflict and Intimacy in Emerging Adults’ Romantic Relationships and Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Identity and Couple Satisfaction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conflict and Intimacy in Emerging Adults’ Romantic Relationships and Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Identity and Couple Satisfaction |
| title_short | Conflict and Intimacy in Emerging Adults’ Romantic Relationships and Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Identity and Couple Satisfaction |
| title_sort | conflict and intimacy in emerging adults romantic relationships and depressive symptoms the mediating role of identity and couple satisfaction |
| topic | romantic relationships emerging adult depression conflict intimacy couple satisfaction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/11/977 |
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