Marital stress and emotion work in same-sex and different-sex marriages: the moderating role of childhood adversity

• Published in: Journal of family studies Vol. 29; no. 4; pp. 1666 - 1686
• Main Author: Wang, Yiwen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Routledge 04.07.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adverse childhood experiences; childhood adversity; Childhood factors; Children; Couples; Dyadic data; emotion work; Emotional regulation; Emotions; Heterosexuals; Homosexuality; marital stress; Marriage; Married couples; Men; Psychological aspects; Responses; same-sex couples; Same-sex marriage; Stress; Well being; Women; UNITED STATES; Dyadic data; emotion work; childhood adversity; marital stress; same-sex couples
• ISSN: 1322-9400; 1839-3543
• DOI: 10.1080/13229400.2022.2071752

Adverse experiences in childhood may set the stage for future response to stress, emotion regulation, and interaction with partners in intimate relationships. This study examines the moderating role of childhood adversity on the association of daily marital stress with emotion work provision (intentional activities devoted to enhancing others' emotional well-being) and considers whether the association varies for men and women in same- and different-sex marriages. Specifically, I use ten days of dyadic diary data collected from 378 midlife same- and differentsex married couples (n = 756 individuals) and conduct multilevel regression models. The results show marital stress is positively associated with emotion work provision, and that the association is stronger for respondents who report more adverse childhood experiences. For respondents with low childhood adversity, the association of marital stress with emotion work is greater for same-sex couples compared to different-sex couples; for those with high childhood adversity, the association is equally strong. Findings from this study suggest that both men and women in same- and different-sex relationships do more emotion work in response to increased daily marital stress. Furthermore, early experiences of adversity are linked to stress responses in adulthood, with differing implications for men and women in different-sex and same-sex unions.