Immigration Stress and Relationship Satisfaction in Latino Couples : The Role of Dyadic Coping

Abstract

This study examined (a) the relationship of Latino partners' overall immigration stress and each of its different dimensions with their relationship satisfaction and (b) whether a partner's support (supportive dyadic coping) and the couple's conjoint efforts to cope with stress (common dyadic coping) can moderate those relationships. An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM; Kenny, 1996) was used to analyze self-report data collected from 104 Latino immigrant couples in the U.S. Structural equation modeling results suggest that common dyadic coping and the supportive dyadic coping provided by the male partner can attenuate the negative association of various aspects of Latinas' immigration stress mostly with her relationship satisfaction and to some extent with her male partner's as well. By contrast, common dyadic coping and the female partner's supportive dyadic coping do not play any moderating role in the relationship between most dimensions of the male immigration stress and either partner's relationship satisfaction. Limitations, research, and clinical implications are discussed.