Examination of the mediator role of dyadic coping in the relationship between economic hardships and couple resilience

The main aim of this study is to investigate the mediating role of positive and negative dyadic coping approaches in the relationship between economic hardships and couple resilience. Another aim of the study is to reveal how variables including gender and indicators of economic status (having a house, having money for unexpected situations, having money at the end of the month) explain couple resilience. Accordingly, the study was conducted with a total of 366 individuals, 249 women and 117 men, who have at least one child and have been married for a maximum of 30 years. Personal Information Form, Family Economic Strain Scale, Dyadic Coping Inventory and Relational Resilience Scale were used to collect data. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient Analysis, Hierarchical Regression were performed in the analysis of the data and Multiple Mediating Variables Analysis (PROCESS Model 4) was conducted for the main model of the study. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis showed that economic hardships and negative dyadic coping predicted marital couple resilience negatively, while positive dyadic coping and having money left at the end of the month predicted it positively. The results of the main model revealed that positive dyadic coping and negative dyadic coping mediated the relationship between economic hardships and couple resilience. In particular, positive dyadic coping approaches of married individuals were found to have a higher level of mediation effect in the relationship between economic hardships and couple resilience. These findings indicated that positive dyadic coping is an important protective factor in maintaining couple resilience in the face of economic hardship. All these results were discussed by taking cultural characteristics and literature into consideration, and suggestions for future studies and practitioners were presented.