Abstract
PURPOSE: The study examined the effects of partners' intimacy and disclosure levels on their own and their spouses' experiences of relational uncertainty, changes in interdependence, and relational turbulence. METHODS: A total of 201 married couples parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who was beginning school or who had started school in the past 6 months completed three questionnaires and provided demographic information. RESULT: Only scores for parental disclosure showed no correlation (r = 0.097, P > 0.05), whereas the other variables were correlated. Only parental intimacy demonstrated a correlation (r = 0.154, P < 0.05). Parental dyadic coping was correlated with parental disclosure (mothers: r = 0.448, P < 0.01; fathers: r = 0.445, P < 0.01). The mode Actor-Partner Interdependence Model examined the effect of overall intimacy on dyadic coping and presented a qualified fit: (χ2) =76.466, comparative fit index = 0.99, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.027. The partner effect of fathers' intimacy on mothers' dyadic coping was statistically significant (B = 0.344, P < 0.001), whereas mothers' intimacy was not significantly related to fathers' dyadic coping (B = 0.64, P > 0.24). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that parental intimacy and self-disclosure within dyadic coping influence certain relationship qualities. Furthermore, individuals' perceptions of their spouse's dyadic coping abilities were a stronger predictor of relational turbulence than self-reported coping. These results offer important insights into how married couples can safeguard their relationship during their child's health-related transitions.