Cumulative Childhood Trauma and Couple Satisfaction: Examining the Mediating Role of Mindfulness

Abstract

Objectives Cumulative childhood trauma (CCT) survivors are at a higher risk of suffering from interpersonal problems including couple dissatisfaction. Dispositional mindfulness is increasingly proposed as a potential explanatory mechanism of posttraumatic symptomatology and has been documented as a predictor of couple satisfaction. Most authors operationalize mindfulness as a multidimensional disposition comprised of five facets (i.e., Describing, Observing, Non-judgment of inner experiences, Non-reactivity, and Acting with awareness), but the role of these facets in the link between CCT and couple satisfaction has yet to be understood. This study aimed to assess mindfulness as a potential mediator in the relationship between CCT and couple satisfaction and to examine the distinctive contributions of mindfulness facets in this mediation. Methods A sample of 330 participants from the community completed measures of couple satisfaction, mindfulness, and exposure to eight types of childhood maltreatment experiences. Results Path analysis results revealed that mindfulness mediated the relationship between CCT and couple satisfaction. More precisely, two mindfulness facets acted as specific mediators, namely, Describing and Non-judgment of inner experiences. The final integrative model explained 14% (p < .001) of the variance in couple satisfaction. Conclusions Findings suggest that mindfulness may be a meaningful mechanism in the link between CCT and couple satisfaction. They also highlight that description of inner experiences and a non-judgmental attitude of these experiences may act as key components to understand the influence of CCT on adults' lower couple satisfaction.

State Mindful Attention Awareness as a Dyadic Protective Factor During COVID-19: a Daily Diary Study

“…The literature on the effect of partners' mindfulness is much more limited and has solely focused on trait-level (vs. state-level) partners' mindfulness (Gobout et al, 2020;Iida & Shapiro, 2019). Premised on findings showing that the process of coping with stress is highly systemic (i.e., interdependent) in romantic relationships (Bodenmann, 2000), we expected that partner's state mindful attention awareness would exert a beneficial effect on the other partner's outcomes.…”

Childhood interpersonal trauma and postpartum parenting alliance: The role of mindfulness in couples.

“…Precisely, Cole et al (1992) examined the association between intrafamilial childhood sexual abuse and parenting alliance among 84 mothers and found that this experience was associated with lower parenting alliance. Yet, recent studies have documented the adverse effects of CCIT on couple functioning (Dugal et al, 2020; Godbout, Morissette Harvey, et al, 2020). Given these results, it is plausible that CCIT-related repercussions emerge in parenting alliance as well, a component central to the daily life of a couple with children.…”

“…Studies indicate that survivors of childhood interpersonal trauma, especially CCIT, tend to report lower dispositional mindfulness (Bolduc et al, 2018; Boughner et al, 2016; Elices et al, 2015; Godbout, Bakhos, et al, 2020; Godbout, Morissette Harvey, et al, 2020; Roche et al, 2019). These studies highlight that the present-centered, nonreactive, and nonjudgmental components of dispositional mindfulness are incompatible with trauma survivors’ reliance on experiential avoidance to regulate negative emotions.…”

“…These studies highlight that the present-centered, nonreactive, and nonjudgmental components of dispositional mindfulness are incompatible with trauma survivors’ reliance on experiential avoidance to regulate negative emotions. Moreover, mindfulness facets such as describing, nonjudgment, and acting with awareness may be limited by intrusive trauma-related responses (e.g., dissociation, psychological distress; Elices et al, 2015; Godbout, Morissette Harvey, et al, 2020; Roche et al, 2019).…”

The Longitudinal Association Between Childhood Abuse and Positive and Negative Family Interactions in Midlife and Older Adults: The Role of Mindfulness Meditation and Gender

“…Mindfulness may enhance adult psychological wellbeing through increasing dispositional mindfulness, decreasing negative thinking patterns, increasing self-compassion, and greater cognitive and emotional regulation (see Gu et al, 2015 for review). Both conceptual (Kozlowski, 2013) and empirical studies (Author Citation; Carson et al, 2004; Gobout et al, 2020; Kimmes et al, 2017; 2018) have suggested that mindfulness can also enhance adult relationships. Mindfulness can foster insight into one’s experience of pain and suffering and this understanding is thought to increase compassion towards not only oneself but also others (Creswell, 2017).…”