Relationship between intimacy with friends and processes of interpersonal stress among college students

Abstract

The main purpose of the present study is to investigate the role of the relationship between the coper and the other party in the process of interpersonal stress. Six hundred and ninety undergraduate students completed the measures of interpersonal relationship (intimacy, similarity perception, self-disclosure, expectation of the role behavior), coping with an interpersonal stressor, and psychological distress. Results indicated that interpersonal relationship influenced the selection of coping behavior and moderated the effect of coping behavior on psychological distress. Increased closeness was associated with a higher score on positive relationship-oriented coping (e.g., "I tried to promote a better understanding of the other party.") and a lower score on negative relationship-oriented coping (e.g., "I refused to deal with the other party.") and postponed-solution coping (e.g., "I let the break-up take its own course."). These findings suggest that the interpersonal relationship is an important factor for in the interpersonal stress process.