Browsing by Author "Buck, April Allen"
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Item Play together or replenish apart? : the role of leisure with and without one’s partner for buffering against stress spillover(2015-05) Buck, April Allen; Neff, Lisa Hassig; Loving, Timothy; Gleason, Marci; Eastwick, Paul; Vangelisti, AnitaStressful experiences external to relationships (e.g., work stress, finances) often are associated with poor relationship functioning and lowered relationship satisfaction, a phenomenon called stress spillover. To explain this phenomenon, it has been suggested that coping with stressors drains individuals of their self-regulatory resources, leaving them with fewer resources for engaging in effortful pro-relationship behaviors. The goal of the current study was to examine possible ways for partners to replenish their self-regulatory resources following stressful events, and thus protect their relationships from harmful spillover effects. Specifically, the current study examined (1) whether leisure participation buffers spouses against the deleterious effects of stress and (2) the types of leisure (i.e., leisure with or without one’s partner) that are most beneficial for preventing stress spillover and safeguarding the self-regulatory resources necessary for positive relationship functioning. As part of a larger study of marriage, couples completed a 14-day daily diary assessing their daily stress, feelings of self-regulatory depletion, marital conflict, marital satisfaction, and leisure participation. On average, spouses exhibited significant stress spillover, such that spouse reported lower relationship satisfaction, greater relationship conflict and greater self-regulatory depletion on days of high versus low stress. Evidence for the potential buffering role of leisure with a partner were mixed; although spending more time in leisure with the partner was associated with greater relationship satisfaction and lower levels of self-regulatory depletion on high stress days, this leisure also increased the likelihood of relationship conflict under conditions of stress. Leisure without the partner did little to buffer spouses against stress spillover.Item Stress spillover in early marriage : the role of self-regulatory depletion(2012-05) Buck, April Allen; Neff, Lisa A.; Loving, Timothy J.; Gleason, MarciStressful experiences external to a marriage (e.g., work stress, finances) are often associated with poor relationship functioning and lowered marital satisfaction, a phenomenon called stress spillover. To date, however, little attention has been devoted to understanding the specific mechanisms through which stress may lead to maladaptive relationship patterns. Drawing from theories of self-regulatory depletion, it was predicted that coping with external stress is an effortful process that consumes spouses' regulatory resources, leaving spouses with less energy to effectively respond to their relationship issues. The current study relied on a sample of 171 newly-married couples to examine whether self-regulatory depletion may mediate the link between external stress and relationship well-being. Couples were asked to complete a 14-day daily diary, which assessed their daily stress, their state of self-regulatory depletion, their marital behaviors, and their daily marital appraisals. Within-person analyses revealed that, on average, couples experienced stress spillover, such that on days when their stress was higher than usual they reported enacting more negative behaviors towards their partner and endorsed less positive appraisals of the relationship. Further evidence revealed that self-regulatory depletion accounted for a majority of these spillover effects. These findings suggest that even happy and committed couples may find it difficult to engage in adaptive relationship processes under conditions of stress.