A Dyadic Daily Diary Investigation of Partner- And Self-Schema Structures on Relational Well-Being and Depressed Mood
Abstract
Partner- and self-schemas (i.e., the positive and negative beliefs one holds about one’s partner and the self, respectively) have been associated with relationship well-being and depression in cross-sectional research. However, little is known about how these schema structures may impact dyads in their daily lives. To address this gap, 246 couples were sampled at baseline to assess partner- and self-schema structures, then surveyed for 14 days to assess daily relationship well-being and depressed mood. Using multi-level modelling, guided by the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, significant actor and partner effects emerged. Generally, the results suggest that an individual’s partner- and self-schema structures are significantly associated with their own daily relational well-being and depressed mood and, at times, the daily relational well-being and depressed mood of their partner. The findings extend previous cross-sectional research to the daily dyadic context. Implications for future research and potential therapeutic utility are discussed.