Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Cottrell, Catherine

Keywords

Close Relationships, Depression, Social Anxiety

Area of Concentration

Psychology

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between depressive symptoms, social anxiety symptoms, and satisfaction in both friendships and romantic relationships. Participants were 165 adults who identified themselves as being in romantic relationships. Each participant completed a survey examining romantic relationship satisfaction (both own and perceived), friendship satisfaction (both own and perceived), depressive symptoms, and social anxiety symptoms. There was a small negative correlation between participants’ own relationship satisfaction and level of depressive symptoms. There was a small negative correlation between participants’ perception of their partners’ satisfaction and depressive symptoms. A third small negative correlation was found between participants’ perception of their partners’ satisfaction and their own social anxiety symptoms. These results were found while controlling for age, gender, and depressive symptoms or anxiety symptoms where appropriate. The results suggest that there is a relationship between depressive symptoms, social anxiety symptoms, and satisfaction in some cases.

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