The Relationships between Love Styles and Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships: The Mediating Role of Intimacy

Abstract

Romantic relationships are among the important elements that enrich human life. These relationships begin to be shaped during adolescence and serve an important developmental role in the young adulthood years. Love is a pervasive topic within the field of research on romantic relationships. Theories of love offer various explanations and classifications, one of which includes Lee's Colors of Love Theory. This study aims to examine the mediating role of intimacy in the relationship between love styles and relationship satisfaction in university students. The study group comprised 349 students, 267 (76.5%) women and 82 (23.5%) men. The participants’ average age was 23.39 years (SD=4.57). Data were collected through the Love Attitudes Scale: Short Form, the Intimacy Scale in Romantic Relationships, the Relationship Assessment Scale, and the Personal Information Form. The hypothetical models designed in the study were tested using structural equation modeling. The findings suggest that eros and storge have a positive direct effect on relationship satisfaction, while mania has a negative effect. Intimacy plays a crucial role in romantic relationships. It serves as a mediator in the relationship between relationship satisfaction and ludus, agape, and storge. In conclusion, love styles other than pragma are important predictors of relationship satisfaction directly and/or through intimacy.

Keywords

• Romantic relationships
• relationship satisfaction
• love styles
• intimacy

Romantik İlişkilerde Doyum ve Aşk Stilleri Arasındaki İlişki: Yakınlığın Aracı Rolü

Abstract

Romantik ilişkiler, insan yaşamını zenginleştiren önemli unsurlar arasında yer alır. Bu ilişkiler ergenlik döneminde ortaya çıkmaya başlar ve genç yetişkinlik yıllarında önemli bir gelişimsel görevi yerine getirir. Romantik ilişkiler konusunda yapılan araştırmalarda daha çok aşk konusu ele alınır. Aşk konusundaki kuramlarda da farklı açıklamalar ileri sürülür ve farklı sınıflamalar yapılır. Sınıflamalardan biri, Lee’nin Aşkın Renkleri Kuramında geçer. Bu çalışmada, üniversite öğrencilerinin aşk stillerinin ilişki doyumunu yordamasında yakınlığın aracı rolü incelenmiştir. Çalışma grubunu 349 öğrenci oluşturmaktadır. Katılımcıların 267’si (%76.5) kadın, 82’si (%23.5) erkektir ve yaş ortalamaları 23.39’dur (SS=4.57). Verilerin toplanmasında Kişisel Bilgi Formu, Aşka İlişkin Tutumlar Ölçeği: Kısa Form, Romantik İlişkilerde Yakınlık ile İlişki Değerlendirme Ölçekleri kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın hipotetik modelleri yapısal eşitlik modellemeleri ile test edilmiştir. Bulgulara göre tutkulu aşk ile arkadaşça aşk ilişki doyumu üzerinde pozitif etkiye sahipken sahiplenici aşk negatif etkiye sahiptir. Oyun gibi aşkta ve özgeci aşkta ilişki doyumunun tam aracısı olan yakınlık, arkadaşça aşkta kısmi aracıdır. Sonuç olarak mantıklı aşk dışındaki aşk stillerinin doğrudan ya da yakınlık aracılığı ile ilişki doyumunun önemli birer yordayıcısı olduğu söylenebilir.

Keywords

• romantik ilişkiler
• ilişki doyumu
• aşk stilleri
• yakınlık

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