Trait Perspective Taking and Romantic Relationship Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This meta-analysis evaluated the association between trait perspective taking and romantic relationship satisfaction. The study synthesized the association in 20 separate samples in a total of 18 published and unpublished studies, involving a total of 4,678 participants. The studies were completed by many different research teams, using different samples, different measures, and various correlational research designs. The results showed a significant association between trait perspective taking and romantic relationship satisfaction (r = .21, 95% confidence intervals [.17, .25]). The results did not vary significantly with whether the respondents were men or women, whether they rated their own perspective taking or that of their partner, or whether the perspective taking assessed was general or specific to the partner. The findings provide a basis for future intervention studies that test whether increasing perspective taking has a positive effect on relationship satisfaction.