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ETD Submission Daniel Flint Dissertation 2022-1.pdf (1.36 MB)
ETD Abstract Container
Abstract Header
Dating Couples' Spiritual Intimacy Predicts Relationship Satisfaction and Commitment Beyond Emotional Intimacy
Author Info
Flint, Daniel
Permalink:
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1652225605895601
Abstract Details
Year and Degree
2022, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, Psychology.
Abstract
This study assessed linkages between emerging adults' self-reports of spiritual intimacy with their dating partners and their romantic relationship commitment, satisfaction, and emotional intimacy. Spiritual intimacy refers to partners vulnerably disclosing their religious/spiritual (R/S) experiences to one another and empathically listening to one another’s disclosures. The sample consisted of 218 Midwestern college students (83% female, 84% Caucasian/white, 78% heterosexual) who self-identified as being in a non-marital (i.e. dating) romantic relationship and completed a cross-sectional survey. As expected, greater spiritual intimacy in a dating relationship predicted greater relationship satisfaction (β = .43, Δ R2 = .18, p < .01), commitment (β = .34, Δ R2 = .13, p < .01), and emotional intimacy (β =.37, Δ R2 = .14, p < .01) after controlling for relevant demographic information. Moreover, spiritual intimacy continued to significantly predict relationship satisfaction (β = .20, Δ R2 = .03, p < .01) and commitment (β = .15, Δ R2 = .02, p < .01) after controlling for the effects of emotional intimacy. These findings suggest that spiritual intimacy captures elements of romantic relationship functioning that may otherwise go unnoticed by typical measures of communication skills or emotional closeness. This study is one of the first to look at R/S communication processes in dating relationships and appears to be the first to compare spiritually intimate communication with emotionally intimate communication. Discussion of this study highlights how researchers, educators, and counselors interested in close relationships could further explore the reciprocal roles of spiritual and emotional intimacy in fostering couples' commitment and satisfaction.
Committee
Annette Mahoney, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Meagan Docherty, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Carolyn Tompsett, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Jane Schoonmaker Rodgers, D.M.A. (Committee Member)
Pages
109 p.
Subject Headings
Psychology
Keywords
Spiritual intimacy
;
dating
;
romantic relationships
;
religion/spirituality
;
relationship satisfaction
;
relationship commitment
;
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Citations
Flint, D. (2022).
Dating Couples' Spiritual Intimacy Predicts Relationship Satisfaction and Commitment Beyond Emotional Intimacy
[Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1652225605895601
APA Style (7th edition)
Flint, Daniel.
Dating Couples' Spiritual Intimacy Predicts Relationship Satisfaction and Commitment Beyond Emotional Intimacy.
2022. Bowling Green State University, Doctoral dissertation.
OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center
, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1652225605895601.
MLA Style (8th edition)
Flint, Daniel. "Dating Couples' Spiritual Intimacy Predicts Relationship Satisfaction and Commitment Beyond Emotional Intimacy." Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1652225605895601
Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)
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Document number:
bgsu1652225605895601
Download Count:
415
Copyright Info
© 2022, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.