(PS8-11) Examining the Convergence of a Novel Extradyadic Involvement Coping Scale with Relationship Functioning and Individual Well-being

Individuals cope with conflict in the relationship in various ways. One common measure to assess how people cope with relationship conflict is the Marital Coping Inventory (MCI; citation). Subscales within this measure include conflict, introspective blame, avoidance, self-interest (increased activity outside of the marriage), and positive approach. In prior studies, we evaluated novel items meant to capture extradyadic involvement (EDI) behaviors as another possible way of coping with relationship conflict (Shehadeh & Allen, 2023^a, 2023^b). EDI behaviors ranged from ideation to flirtation to extradyadic sexual encounters. We called this subscale “EDI Coping.” These prior studies established a single-factor structure and reliability and showed how EDI Coping converged in logical ways with other MCI scales. In the current study, we seek to examine how EDI Coping converges with other aspects of relationship and individual functioning. We examined this in a sample of 204 opposite-sex community couples. Participants were 44% White non-Hispanic, 22% non-White Hispanic, 19% Black non-Hispanic, with the remaining 15% identifying as multiracial or other racial identifications. Partners were given the survey in private, individually separated rooms, and their completed surveys were submitted into locked boxes to protect privacy and increase their willingness to report on EDI thoughts and behaviors. In the current study, we examined correlations separately for male and female partners between EDI Coping and the following constructs: Dedication to the relationship (a subscale of the Commitment Inventory (CI; Stanley & Markman, 1992), and two novel items representing general commitment. Relationship satisfaction was measured with the Quality of Marriage Index (QMI; Norton, 1983). Past infidelity behavior was assessed through a single question: “During your current relationship, how many extradyadic partners have you had?” Finally, self-esteem was measured with the Self Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). We found that the EDI Coping scale did significantly negatively correlate with both Males and Females self-esteem (males r = -.244, females r = -.313, p < .001)  and relationship satisfaction (males r = -.381, females r = -.441, p < .001). Thus, coping with conflict by thinking of or engaging in EDI behaviors is associated with lower relationship quality and personal self-esteem. However, and surprisingly, the EDI coping scale did not show significant associations with the measures of dedication, past infidelity behavior, or commitment. It is unclear how much this unexpected pattern of findings raise serious concerns about the validity of the EDI coping measure, versus these findings being a logical pattern of convergence. All couples in the study were currently intact and volunteering for a study of their relationships. It may be that such couples, even as they may converge on aspects of relationship distress, maladaptive coping with conflict, and issues with own self-esteem, remain committed and dedicated to the relationship. The lack of convergence with a separate item on number of extradyadic partners may be a more serious threat to the validity of the EDI coping scale or this assessment of EDI partners.