Individual Adjustment, Readiness forRelationship Change, and Dyadic Adjustment

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy

Volume

9

Publication Date

2010

First Page

293

Last Page

311

Abstract

The association between individual adjustment and relationship adjustment is well documented, but it is not apparent whether levels of adjustment have impact on readiness to change. This study applied the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) to examine associations between distress and individual readiness for change in the couple relationship. Using data collected from 389 married and cohabitating individuals, this study examined individual adjustment, readiness to change, and relationship adjustment. Women were more ready to change than were men. Men's individual well-being (not women's) predicted readiness for couple change for both men and women; women's readiness for couple change (not men's) predicted relationship adjustment. Women's readiness for change partially mediated the pathway between men's well-being and men's relationship adjustment. These findings point toward different process-related implications for heterosexual couples. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.

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