Length of engagement as a moderator of individual and family origin characteristics in explaining family resilience process of maintaining a positive outlook: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Positive outlook is a key component of family resilience, referring to a family's belief in overcoming adversity. The our cross-sectional study aimed to explore whether engagement length moderates the relationship between individual and family of origin characteristics and family resilience. Four questionnaires (WKP, MiniCOPE, SOR, FRAS-PL) were used to examine 118 engaged couples. Preliminary results suggest that engagement length may influence these relationships. For couples with shorter engagements, humor emerged as a predictor, while for those with longer engagements, diversity of life experiences played a more significant role. The findings highlight the importance of considering both individual and family-of-origin factors in shaping resilience during engagement. This research sheds light on how patterns in families of origin and individual traits contribute to the resilience resources of engaged couples and their ability to cope with stress. It focuses on the often-overlooked period of engagement in forming a new family, offering new insights into family dynamics during this stage, a topic underexplored in international research.