Supplemental Material for Daily Relationship Quality in Same-Sex Couples: Attachment and Sacrifice Motives

Author(s):  
David M. Frost ◽  
Allen J. LeBlanc

Due to the stigmatization of their relationships, people in same-sex couples are at risk for exposure to forms of social stress that those in different-sex couples are not. This chapter discusses how these “couple-level minority stressors,” which may be individually experienced as well as jointly experienced with a partner, may have deleterious effects and lead to relationship dissolution and divorce among same-sex couples. Moreover, it describes potential stress processes emanating from discrepancies in minority stress experiences and stress contagion between partners in same-sex relationships, which may contribute to relationship dissolution in previously unexamined ways. The chapter discusses the role resilience resources may play in same-sex couples’ experiences of minority stress, potentially mediating or moderating its effects on relationship quality, and concludes by considering how better understandings of minority stress in relational contexts can deepen emerging understandings of relationship dissolution in same-sex couples and inform psychological interventions for those seeking help.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley N. Cooper ◽  
Casey J. Totenhagen ◽  
Melissa A. Curran ◽  
Ashley K. Randall ◽  
Natalie E. Smith

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 375-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha L. Tornello ◽  
Stacy M. Kruczkowski ◽  
Charlotte J. Patterson

2013 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 229-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Meuwly ◽  
Brian A. Feinstein ◽  
Joanne Davila ◽  
David Garcia Nuñez ◽  
Guy Bodenmann

Romantic relationship quality is an important factor for well-being. Most research on romantic relationships is based on heterosexual couples, but studies of different types of dyads showed that relationship functioning among same-sex couples is similar to that among heterosexual couples. However, a few studies suggest that lesbian partners are better communicators and more satisfied in their romantic relationships. The present study aimed to replicate these findings with a sample of Swiss couples, as most of the previous studies have been based on US-American samples. Eighty-two women who were currently in a romantic relationship with either a male or a female partner completed an online questionnaire about their relationship functioning. Compared to heterosexual women, lesbian women reported receiving better support from and experiencing less conflict with their female partners. They also showed a trend toward being more satisfied in their relationship. The study supports the notion that, relative to heterosexual couples, the quality of support and conflict interactions may be enhanced in female same-sex couples.


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