Predicting married couples’ daily relationship satisfaction from difficulties with emotion regulation and daily negative relationship behaviours

Negative relationship behaviours (e.g., irritating or neglectful behaviours or negative communication) can erode or enhance relationship satisfaction, which suggests that moderators might be operating. I examined how spouses’ difficulties with emotion regulation moderated associations between daily negative behaviours and daily relationship satisfaction over 21 days in 125 mixed-sex married couples. Spouses’ daily negative behaviours negatively predicted their own and partner’s daily relationship satisfaction. Spouses’ difficulties with emotion regulation negatively predicted their daily relationship satisfaction, and husbands’ difficulties with emotion regulation negatively predicted partners’ daily relationship satisfaction. Associations between difficulties with emotion regulation and both spouses’ daily relationship satisfaction was stronger for husbands than for wives. Emotion regulation difficulties did not interact with daily negative behaviours to predict daily relationship satisfaction. Results suggest that managing negative behaviours and difficult emotions may enhance relationship satisfaction from day to day.