Alexithymia and Marital Quality: The Mediating Role of Relationship Maintenance Behaviors

Abstract

The goal of the present study was to understand the relationships between alexithymia, relational maintenance, and relational quality. Data from 143 heterosexual married couples were analyzed utilizing the actor-partner interdependence model. Actors' levels of alexithymia exerted a negative effect on relational quality, while husbands' alexithymia was related to wives' relational quality. Each relational maintenance behavior at least partially mediated the actor effects of trait alexithymia on relational quality. In addition, task sharing, assurances, and positivity mitigated the effects of alexithymia on the partner's assessments of relational quality. Results reveal that relational maintenance can significantly minimize the negative effects that alexithymia plays in romantic relationships.