Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
Coping in relationships: the interplay between individual and dyadic coping and their effects on relationship
1Department of Health Psychology and Applied Assessment, Faculty of Educational and Social Science, University of Wuppertal, Gaußstrasse 20, D-42119, Wuppertal, Germany. herzberg@uni-wuppertal.de
Abstract:
The main aim of the present study was to determine how individual and dyadic coping efforts are related in the context of relationships. This aim was achieved by studying partners simultaneously and taking into account the interdependent nature of couple data. Specifically tested was whether dyadic coping mediates the influence of individual coping, and whether there is a mutual influence of partners' dyadic coping. Cross-sectional data of 240 German couples were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results indicated that dyadic coping is a stronger predictor of relationship satisfaction than individual coping, and that it mediates the individual coping efforts. Mutual influence could be demonstrated for pragmatic coping but not for emotional coping. This research highlights the importance of dyadic coping by focusing on the ways in which couples cope together.
Related Concept Videos
Relationship Growth
Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused
Coping Strategies: Problem Focused
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...
Social Relationships and Well-Being
Ending Relationships
Couples Therapy
Core Principles and Techniques
Couples therapy often incorporates cognitive-behavioral principles to identify and modify negative...