Asano et al. (2016)

Asano, R. (浅野良輔), Ito, K., & Yoshida, T. (吉田俊和) (2016).
Shared relationship efficacy of dyad can increase life satisfaction in close relationships: Multilevel study.
親密な関係における共有された関係効力性は人生満足度を高める
PLoS ONE, 11 (7), e0159822.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159822

Characteristics of relationship itself play an important role in determining well-being of individuals who participate in the relationship. We used efficacy expectations mutually shared between close friends or romantic partners as a characteristic of relationship and investigated its impact on their life satisfaction. In Study 1, we conducted a cross-sectional study among 137 pairs of close same-sex friends to test whether the efficacy expectations shared between friends are associated with levels of life satisfaction. In Study 2, we conducted a longitudinal study among 114 heterosexual romantic couples to test predictive validity of the efficacy expectations shared between couples predict levels of life satisfaction 2 month later. In both studies we found a consistent result that as degrees of the efficacy expectations shared between individuals in a relationship increased, the degree of their life satisfaction also increased. Underlying mechanisms that explain how characteristics of relationship itself increase life satisfaction are discussed.