Rank-order stability of relationship satisfaction: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.

Abstract

Satisfaction with a romantic relationship often changes over time, and individuals differ in how satisfied they are in their relationship. However, no systematic review is available regarding the stability of individual differences in relationship satisfaction. Therefore, this meta-analysis synthesizes the available longitudinal data on rank-order stability of relationship satisfaction, as a function of age and relationship duration. Analyses were based on 148 samples including 153,396 participants reporting on their relationship over time. Mean age associated with the effect sizes ranged from 19 to 71 years, and mean relationship duration from 3 months to 46 years. On average, individual differences in relationship satisfaction were highly stable over time (r = .76, corrected for attenuation due to measurement error and based on an average time lag of 2.30 years). Rank-order stability varied systematically as a function of age, increasing from young to late adulthood with a slight decline during middle adulthood. Rank-order stability also varied as a function of relationship duration, increasing over the course of the relationship with a slight decline around 20 years of relationship duration. Moderator analyses suggested that relationship transitions shortly before Time 1 and sample type explained variance in rank-order stability. However, except for these two moderators, the pattern of findings was robust across all characteristics tested. In sum, this meta-analysis indicates that relationship satisfaction is a relatively stable construct, with lower stabilities in young adulthood and in the first years after beginning a relationship. This knowledge may stimulate future research on developmental processes within romantic relationships.

Examining the reciprocal link between social anxiety and social relationships spanning from childhood to adulthood: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.

“…Chen et al, 2023). Similar patterns can be observed in SR, as meta-analytic evidence indicates that stability of relationship satisfaction increases with age (Bühler & Orth, 2022). This suggests that SR among adults is not easily affected by factors like SA.…”

Psychometrics of psychosocial variables in a sexual and gender diverse longitudinal study

“…For instance, the largest declines in relationship satisfaction are in the first years of a relationship. In comparison, rank-order stability is moderate to high at 0.76 meta-analyzed across studies ranging from 3-month lags to 46-year lags (mean lag = 2.3 years; Bühler & Orth, 2022). Rank-order stability studies did not report on diverse identities of gender or sexual orientation.…”

Erfassung der Partnerschaftszufriedenheit mit vier Items? Psychometrische Evaluation der deutschen Version einer Kurzform der Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS-4)

“…Folglich ist eine Interpretation geschlechtsspezifischer Mittelwertvergleiche in der Konstruktausprägung der DAS-4 auf latenter Ebene zulässig. Als vorläufige Hinweise auf eine adäquate Konstruktvalidität der DAS-4 fanden sich hypothesenkonform Zusammenhänge der Partnerschaftszufriedenheit mit dem Geschlecht [14], jedoch nicht mit dem Alter [15]. Übereinstimmend mit Metaanalysen zeigte sich, dass Frauen weniger zufrieden mit ihrer Partnerschaft waren als Männer, wobei der Effekt dieses Unterschieds klein war [14].…”

“…Neben der Analyse von deskriptiven Itemkennwerten und einer anzunehmenden eindimensionalen Faktorenstruktur 8 untersuchten wir Zusammenhänge mit demographischen und klinischen Merkmalen. Dabei vermuteten wir in Übereinstimmung mit der Literatur 14 15 , dass Frauen im Vergleich zu Männern ihre Paarbeziehung als weniger zufrieden einschätzen, wohingegen das Alter und Partnerschaftsqualität nicht zusammenhängen. Zudem gingen wir von den Hypothesen aus, dass die Einschätzungen von allgemeiner Lebenszufriedenheit und Partnerschaftszufriedenheit positiv 16 assoziiert sind, wohingegen psychopathologische Merkmale, wie Depressivität bzw.…”