Open Access

ARTICLE

Monitor and Acceptance among Couples in Romantic Relationships: Actor-Partner Interdependence Models Based on the Monitor and Acceptance Theory

by Xue Wen^1,2, Yuyang Zhou³, Jiaxuan Du⁴, Xiaoyan Liu¹, Wei Xu^1,2,*

1 Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
2 School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210097, China
3 College of Business, Florida International University, Miami, FL 11200, USA
4 School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9YL, UK

* Corresponding Author: Wei Xu. Email:

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2024, 26(7), 589-598. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2024.053095

Received 24 April 2024; Accepted 27 June 2024; Issue published 30 July 2024

Abstract

Communication could be an essential part of couples in their daily life. Based on Monitor and Acceptance Theory (MAT), the present study explored the mediating role of communication in the relationship between mindfulness and relationship quality among college-student couples. The research examined the dynamic relationship of monitoring and acceptance to relationship satisfaction in the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM), and the mediating effect of positive or negative communications in these relationships. A total of 96 pairs of couples in the universities in Nanjing, China participated in the research. Momentary measurements were used to measure the momentary levels of their monitor, acceptance, positive/negative communication, and relationship satisfaction. A Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) was used to deal with the APIM. Results showed that the women’s monitor facet of state mindfulness negatively predicted men’s relationship satisfaction through women’s negative communication, and the women’s acceptance facet of state mindfulness positively predicted women’s relationship satisfaction through women’s positive and negative communication at the within-person level. The study highlights the importance of cooperation in monitoring and acceptance for couples to own and hold high levels of relationship satisfaction.

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Keywords

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