An Empirical Examination of the Dyadic Partner-Schema Model of Relationship Distress and Depression
Abstract
Romantic relationship discord is prevalent in depression and has been repeatedly associated with poor prognosis for the disorder. Although a significant body of literature has examined the ways in which depressive self-schema structures (SSS) are implicated in depression, a paucity of research has investigated the role of partner-schema structures (PSS) in the disorder. The Dyadic Partner Schema Model (DPSM; Wilde & Dozois, 2019) was recently developed as a novel theoretical model of the mechanisms that maintain relationship distress in depression. This dissertation provided the first direct empirical examination of the DPSM by examining four main research questions: (1) how are SSS, PSS, and depression interrelated, (2) are PSS uniquely predictive of dysfunctional relationship dynamics above and beyond SSS and depression, (3) how stable is schema organization over time, and (4) how do SSS, PSS, depression, and dysfunctional relationship dynamics influence one another across time? In a sample of 370 community individuals recruited online via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk), schema structures (self and partner), relationship dysfunction (self-reported distress, attributions, and communication patterns), and depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 month follow up. Findings provided support for some, but not all, assumptions of the DPSM. In support of the model, cross-sectional analyses revealed that depressive symptoms were associated with a pervasively negative PSS, which were, in turn, associated with relationship distress, maladaptive relationship attributions, and dysfunctional communication behaviours. After controlling for depressive symptoms, PSS were uniquely associated with relationship distress and attributions, whereas both PSS and SSS were associated with dysfunctional communication behaviours. Consistent with hypotheses, both PSS and SSS remained stable across 3- and 6-month follow-up periods. Unexpectedly, PSS were not predictive of (nor predicted by) changes in relationship and mood variables over time; however, changes in SSS were predicted by relationship variables over time. Some evidence emerged to suggest that SSS predict later changes in PSS; however, this finding should be interpreted cautiously as it was inconsistent across models. The implications of the findings for further development of the DPSM are discussed, and broader implications for the research literature and clinical applications to depression and relational discord addressed. Areas for future research are highlighted.