Self-esteem stability and the quality of a romantic relationship

Abstract

Aim. Both the level of self-esteem and its stability are connected with various areas of human life. The present research is aimed at testing whether the stability of self-esteem is related to romantic relationship satisfaction and its quality, and also whether the quality of a relationship is influenced by a partner’s level of self-esteem stability.

 Method. The participants in the research were 34 heterosexual couples. Participant age: 18-28 yo.,(M=22,20; SD=2,33). Self-esteem stability was measured over the span of seven days using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. In order to measure relationship quality, a questionaire was constructed in which participants evaluated the frequency of their behaviors within the relationship. A subjective relationship satisfaction was also measured.

 Results. Regression analyses have shown that the relationship quality measured by an objective measure was explained by the model in 23% (R²=0,23; p<0,00135), wherein only the effect of the participant’s self-esteem (b*=0,32; p=0,006) and their partner’s relationship quality (b*=0,35; p=0,005) were statistically significant, whereas the subjective relationship satisfaction was explained by the model in 41% (R²=0,41; p<0,001), wherein the only statistically significant effect was that of the partner’s subjective relationship satisfafction (b*=0,68; p<0,001).

 Conclusions. Within the text we propose several explanations of the results. The fact that the hypotheses weren’t confirmed may be explained by a lack of possibility of extrapolating the results related to self-esteem to results related to its stability. The relation between relationship quality measured for both partners and their relationship satisfaction is explained intuitively.