Perception congruence variables, dyadic coping and relationship satisfaction: Comparing two generations of couples

Within the literature on dyadic coping (Revenson, Kayser, & Bodenmann, 2005) and interpersonal perceptions (Acitelli, Kenny, & Weiner, 2001) this study explores how partners’ interpersonal perceptions of similarity on providing and receiving coping from each other influence couple satisfaction. 200 Engaged couples and 231 couples of their parents living in northern Italy were assessed using the Dyadic Coping Questionnaire (Bodenmann, 1997, measuring self-perception of one’s coping styles and of one’s partner’s coping styles) and the Quality of Marriage Index (Norton, 1983, measuring relationship satisfaction). Self-perceptions and other-perceptions on coping styles were used to create four indexes of perceptual congruence using within-dyad correlations (Kenny & Acitelli, 1994): Individual Reciprocity, Dual Based Providing, Dual Based Receiving and Bond Styles. For each index we hypothesized differences in gender and generation and we tested if they are predictors of the relationship satisfaction. Since the literature on individual constructs (values, political opinions, etc.) showed that part of the similarity between partners is due to a stereotypical dimension, based on sharing the same cultural background, we verified if perceptive congruence variables maintain their influence on relationship satisfaction when adjusted for stereotype.Preliminary findings show the importance of considering perceptual congruence in the study of couple functioning.