Dyadic investigations of past traumatic events and affectionate touch frequency in couples

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Turan Deniz Ergun - , University of Twente (Author)
  • Kerem Besim Durbin - , Sabanci University (Author)
  • Lara Seefeld - , Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Asuman Buyukcan-Tetik - , Sabanci University (Author)
  • Anik Debrot - , University of Lausanne (Author)

Abstract

Past traumatic events negatively affect romantic relationships, yet their impact on affectionate touch, an important predictor of psychological and relational well-being, remains unknown. In two preregistered studies with nonclinical samples, we hypothesized that traumatic events are negatively associated with affectionate touch frequency for both the victim (i.e., actor effect) and their romantic partner (i.e., partner effect). We also expected this negative link to be stronger for the people perceiving relatively low responsiveness and/or high insensitivity in their partner. We used secondary data from 70 Swiss couples in Study 1 and collected data online from 441 couples living in the United States or United Kingdom in Study 2. All couples were heterosexual, and both studies were dyadic and cross-sectional. Unlike our hypotheses, analyses with Actor-Partner Interdependence Models revealed no negative associations between past traumatic events and affectionate touch. In Study 1, we found no significant actor effects but small-sized positive partner effects of men's traumatic events on women's affectionate touch frequency. In Study 2, however, two out of three actor effects and one partner effect were positive with negligible to small sizes. Neither perceived partner responsiveness nor insensitivity had a moderating role. The association between past traumatic experiences and affectionate touch was inconsistently nonsignificant or positive but consistently nonnegative across our two studies. Our research demonstrated that past traumatic events did not inhibit individuals from expressing love and care to their partner through affectionate touch in our sample, even for varying levels of perceived partner responsiveness (insensitivity). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Details

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43)
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 9 Sept 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

unpaywall 10.1037/fam0001267
Scopus 85205375242

Keywords