Intercultural romantic relationship quality: What is the role of accommodation?

Abstract

Research comparing the romantic relationship quality of individuals in intercultural and intracultural relationships has yielded inconsistent findings. The current study examined whether accommodation, the process of responding constructively to relationship problems, would reveal new insight on this topic. Undergraduate students (N = 343) reported on whether they were in an intercultural or intracultural romantic relationship and completed surveys of accommodation, romantic relationship quality, and demographic characteristics. Analyses revealed that individuals in intercultural romantic relationships reported higher romantic relationship commitment and satisfaction than individuals in intracultural romantic relationships. The association of accommodation with romantic relationship commitment was also found to be weaker in the intercultural group than the intracultural group after accounting for age and gender, but not after accounting for ethnicity or relationship length. Overall, results suggest that accommodation may be less relevant for individuals in intercultural romantic relationships, and that ethnicity and relationship length are important factors for understanding the role of accommodation within intercultural romantic relationships. Our findings underscore the importance of examining the possibility of distinct psychological processes in intercultural couples, who comprise an increasingly common form of close relationship.