The role of mindfulness in romantic relationship satisfaction and responses to relationship stress. Unpublished senior honor’s thesis

Two studies examined the role of mindfulness in romantic relationship satisfaction and in responses to relationship stress. Using a longitudinal design, Study 1 found that higher trait mindfulness predicted higher relationship satisfaction and greater capacities to respond constructively to relationship stress. Study 2 replicated and extended these find-ings. Mindfulness was again shown to relate to relationship satisfaction; then, using a conflict discussion paradigm, trait mindfulness was found to predict lower emotional stress responses and positive pre- and postconflict change in perception of the relationship. State mindfulness was related to better communication quality during the discussion. Both stud-ies indicated that mindfulness may play an influential role in romantic relationship well-being. Discussion highlights future research directions for this new area of inquiry. Mindfulness is a quality of consciousness that has been promoted by a number of philo-sophical and spiritual contemplative traditions for ages, but has only recently been defined and empirically examined within a scientific framework. Mindfulness can be defined as an open or a receptive attention to and awareness of what is taking place, both internally and externally, in the present (Brown & Ryan, 2003). Mindfulness is nondeliberative in nature, in that it concern