The mediating effect of self-disclosure between romantic relationship perfectionism and relationship satisfaction of college students

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate influences of self-oriented romantic perfectionism and partner-prescribed romantic perfectionism on relationship satisfaction of college students. In particular, the mediating effect of self-disclosure in the relationship between romantic perfectionism and satisfaction in romantic relationship was examined. For this purpose, questionnaires measuring self-oriented and partner-prescribed romantic perfectionism, self-disclosure tendency, and relationship satisfaction were administered to 228 undergraduate students who are or have ever been in romantic relationship. A multiple regression analysis revealed that self-disclosure partially mediates the relationship between partner-prescribed romantic perfectionism and relationship satisfaction. Also, this mediating effect was significant for participants who has been in the romantic relationship more than six months. On the other hand, self-disclosure did not mediate the relationship between self-oriented romantic perfectionism and relationship satisfaction. These results showed that concerns about partner’s perfectionistic expectation can leads to dissatisfaction in romantic relationship. In addition, psychological burden caused by partner-prescribed perfectionism can prevent the individual from disclose him-or herself, which impedes positive romantic relationship. Clinical implications and limitations of the present study as well as suggestions for future study were discussed.