A mixture modeling perspective of relational turbulence theory in marriage

ABSTRACT

This study tested propositions of relational turbulence theory (RTT) from a latent variable mixture modeling perspective. A national sample of married individuals (N = 503) completed a questionnaire measuring RTT relationship parameters, experiences, and outcomes. A latent profile analysis provided support for RTT as (a) marriages were well-separated by relational uncertainty and interdependence parameters, (b) spouses belonging to marriages characterized by higher relational uncertainty and interference (and lower facilitation) experienced more biased cognitive appraisals and intensified negative emotions within the marriage, which in turn, (c) predicted relational turbulence. These results provide support for the specifications and mechanisms purported by RTT and offer an alternative person-centered, rather than traditional variable-centered, approach for testing its axioms and propositions.

KEYWORDS:

• Relational turbulence theory
• relational uncertainty
• interdependence
• marriage
• latent profile analysis
• bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling

Additional information

Funding

This research was generously supported by Peggy Rardin McConnell Research Chair funding.