Depressed mood and perception of negative partner behavior in couple interactions: A daily diary study

Abstract

AbstractDespite extensive research on depression and couple interactions, little is known about how depressed mood influences couples' experience of everyday life interactions. In this study, data were gathered from 72 different‐gender couples (N = 144 individuals), who reported their feelings, behavior, and perceptions of their partner's behavior several times a day over 14 days. The study revealed that when individuals reported feeling more depressed, they perceived their romantic partner's behavior as more distant and hurtful, and they felt treated worse and more rejected. Moreover, when individuals reported feeling more depressed, their romantic partners perceived them as more distant, and they reported feeling treated worse and more rejected. However, depressed mood did not predict subsequent relationship perceptions in time‐lagged associations, and the directionality from relationship perceptions to depressed mood was inconclusive.