Dyadic Coping and Spousal Support: The Moderating Role of Psychological Flexibility

Marriage is a dynamic process that requires mutual commitment, support, and adjustment, often challenged by stressors such as financial difficulties, work stress, family responsibilities, and mismatched personal expectations. How couples cope with stress significantly impacts both individual well-being and relationship quality. The aim of this study is to investigate the moderating role of psychological flexibility in the relationship between perceived spousal support and dyadic coping. The study was carried out with 587 married participants (347 women, 240 men) living in Turkey. The Spousal Support Scale, Dyadic Coping Inventory, and the Psychological Flexibility Scale were utilized as data collection instruments. Correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and regression analysis using the bootstrap method were employed for data analysis. The correlation analysis indicated positive associations between spousal support, psychological flexibility, and dyadic coping. Additionally, the analyses demonstrated that psychological flexibility moderates the association in spousal support and dyadic coping. This study emphasizes the significance of fostering psychological flexibility to improve relationship dynamics and enhance the ability to cope with stress in couples.