Worrying Weighs on Your Partner’s Heart:

Exploring How Rumination about a Romantic Relationship is Associated with Relational Uncertainty Using Dyadic Data

Abstract

Abstract. This study examines relationship-specific rumination（RSR）as a key cognitive factor corresponding with relational uncertainty（RU）in romantic relationships to extend the relational uncertainty model（Knobloch, 2007）. Actorpartner interdependence models were employed to investigate the impact of RSR not only on the ruminatorsʼ own uncertainty, but also on their partnerʼs uncertainty. One hundred and twenty dating couples completed self-report measures examining their relationship, self, and partner uncertainty as well as RSR. Results revealed that RSR was associated with the ruminatorsʼ own relationship and partner uncertainty as well as their partnerʼs relationship and self uncertainty. The discussion highlights the theoretical implications of these findings for extending the relational uncertainty model.