Hope for our future: Relational hope promotes relationship goal pursuit and well-being.

Abstract

Hope, or positive expectancies to meet desired goals, may shape romantic couples' goal attainment and well-being. The current work tested a new theoretical model of hope that extends beyond the intrapersonal domain to examine interpersonal hope for goals focused on a partner and relationship. In Study 1 (N = 214 couples), we tested the associations of relational hope on goal outcomes during a goal conversation in the lab and at a follow-up 3 months later. Individuals higher in relational hope viewed their goal more positively in the moment and made more progress on their goal 3 months later. In Study 2 (N = 164 couples), a 3-month longitudinal study, we tested whether hopeful individuals' goal pursuit facilitated long-term changes in relationship well-being. Relational hope predicted long-term increases in relationship well-being (i.e., constructive conflict behavior, commitment), and these changes were mediated by viewing one's relationship goals more positively. Results were consistent across the characteristics of relationship goals, including whether goals were shared and their degree of importance and difficulty. Across studies, results could not be fully explained by alternative explanations of optimism or relationship satisfaction, indicating that relational hope may be an added resource for couples beyond feeling generally happy or satisfied. Altogether, this work elucidates the benefits of feeling relationally hopeful for pursuing relationship goals and boosting well-being over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).