Relationship closeness as a protective factor against the sensitizing effect of adversity history

Abstract

Exposure to adversity has been shown to amplify individuals’ sensitivity to stress, increasing the risk of developing mental health problems in adulthood. Romantic relationships can serve as a broad resource in mitigating the negative impacts of adversity and stress on mental health; however, less is known about how everyday moments of closeness with one’s romantic partner impact experiences of daily stress for people exposed to adversity. The present study uses ecological momentary assessment to examine moment-to-moment relationship closeness as a protective buffer against the effects of stress and adversity history (AH) on mood. Using a mobile app, 109 emerging adult couples ( M age = 23.1) reported hourly feelings of stress, relationship closeness, and mood (i.e., happy, sad, nervous, angry) for one day. Results showed AH and relationship closeness each moderated the association between stress and negative mood. Specifically, greater AH was associated with increased same-hour links between stress and heightened nervousness and anger. Greater relationship closeness was associated with decreased drops in happiness and decreased rises in sadness and anger when stressed. A 3-way interaction between stress, AH, and relationship closeness indicated higher relationship closeness was a buffer against the impact of stress on happiness and anger. Specifically, high relationship closeness mitigated drops in happiness when stressed, especially for those with high AH; relationship closeness also mitigated rises in anger, but this effect was heightened for those with low AH. Exploratory gender moderation analyses showed complex links between stress, AH, closeness, and mood, with evidence indicating enhanced emotional intensity in women when stressed and enhanced protective benefits of relationship closeness in men, although this pattern was inconsistent. The discussion focuses on how experiences of AH can carry forward to shape emotional responses in adults and how relationship closeness may serve as a protective factor against the sensitizing effects of AH.