The Toll of Daily Dehumanization: Elucidating the Role of Dehumanizing Deindividuation by Partner in the Individual and Relational Well-Being of Women During Pregnancy.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between daily experiences of intimate partner dehumanizing deindividuation and pregnant women's emotional and relational well-being. We also examined uncompassionate self-responding as a path through which dehumanizing deindividuation exerts its negative effects. A community sample of 154 pregnant women in the United States completed daily surveys over 14 days assessing dehumanizing deindividuation experiences from partner, negative and positive affect, relationship satisfaction, and uncompassionate self-responding. Dynamic structural equation modeling (DSEM) was used to examine same-day and lagged associations among these constructs, controlling for prior-day levels. Same-day dehumanizing deindividuation was associated with increased negative affect, decreased positive affect, reduced relationship satisfaction, and increased uncompassionate self-responding. Uncompassionate self-responding was also associated with more negative affect as well as less positive affect and relationship satisfaction. No next-day spillover effects were observed. Taken together, dehumanizing treatment from an intimate partner is associated with immediate decrements in emotional and relational functioning, and these experiences appear to undermine individual and relational health directly and potentially through internalization of uncompassionate responses. Interventions aimed at reducing dehumanizing deindividuation and uncompassionate self-responding should be explored.