The contribution of dyadic empathy to the perception of the relationship quality

Abstract

The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between dyadic empathy and marital quality in formal and informal marital relationships in Serbia. The sample consisted of 738 respondents of different socioeconomic background, aged between 19 and 80, living together between 1 and 52 years (M = 8.29, SD = 9.71). The Interpersonal Reactivity Index for Couples (IRIC; Pé loquin & Lafontaine, 2010) was used to assess the cognitive and affective dimensions of dyadic empathy, and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS; Spanier, 1976, 1989) was used to measure marital quality. The latter assesses four dimensions of marital quality: Consensus, Dyadic Satisfaction, Affectional Expression and Cohesion. The results of structural modelling indicate a positive contribution of affective empathy to the assessment of spousal agreement regarding issues that are important for everyday functioning, the assessment of general satisfaction with marriage, as well as to the assessment of the degree of closeness and quality of communication between partners. Cognitive empathy positively contributes to the assessment of spousal agreement regarding issues that are important for everyday functioning, the assessment of the agreement of spouses concerning displays of affection, sexual relations, lack of love and denials of sex, as well as the assessment of the degree of closeness and quality of communication between partners.

Keywords

• dyadic empathy
• marital quality
• cognitive empathy
• affective empathy