Consideration of Future Consequences Influences Involvement in Romantic Partners’ Health

ABSTRACT

This study examined the influence of people’s short-term (e.g., convenience) and long-term (e.g., maintain weight) motives toward their romantic partner’s health on their provision of health-related social control and autonomy support for their partner’s health behaviors, as well as their indifference toward their romantic partner’s health. Data from a sample of cohabiting couples (N = 212) were analyzed using multilevel path models. Results showed having more long-term motives for a partner’s health lead to increased provisions of autonomy support and social control, and less indifference toward the partner’s health, especially when the partner had lower long-term health motives themselves. In contrast, having more short-term motives for a partner’s health was associated with providing less social control and autonomy support and showing more indifference toward the partner’s health. Thus, people motivated to improve their partner’s long-term health engage in more behaviors meant to improve their romantic partner’s health choices, particularly when the partner has low motivation to regulate their own health behaviors.

Notes

1. The analyses for the present study were based on data from a subset of 212 of the 233 participants who completed the larger study. Data were excluded from five people who completed the larger study without their partner and 16 people (n = 8 couples) who were not in mixed-gender relationships.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this research was provided by Kent State University, startup funds provided to Judith Gere.