A dyadic perspective of expressive suppression: Own or partner suppression weakens relationships.

In the current research, we apply a dyadic perspective of expressive suppression (ES) to test whether ES represents a weak link, such that either actors’ or partners’ ES is sufficient to undermine relationship satisfaction. Our primary aim was to test this weak-link pattern by modeling Actor × Partner ES interactions on relationship satisfaction. To maximize power, we conducted integrative data analyses across four existing dyadic samples (N = 427 couples) that included self-reports of habitual ES and relationship satisfaction. Our second aim was to examine the role of conflict resolution ability as one potential mechanism for the ES weak-link pattern on satisfaction. These integrative data analyses involved two dyadic samples (N = 242 couples) that included self-reports of conflict resolution ability. Significant Actor × Partner ES interactions revealed a weak-link pattern: greater actors’ or partners’ ES was associated with lower relationship satisfaction. Accordingly, actors’ lower ES was associated with higher satisfaction only when partners’ ES was also low. This ES weak-link pattern also emerged for conflict resolution ability, which provided evidence that reduced conflict resolution ability is one interpersonal process that contributes to the weak-link pattern on satisfaction. ES likely operates as a weak link because actors’ or partners’ ES interferes with the coordination, cooperation, and connection needed to manage relationship challenges and sustain healthy relationships.