Do Mindful Partners Make a Difference? A Meta-Analytic Test of the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model in Romantic Couples.

OBJECTIVES

Mindfulness is consistently linked with individual well-being and relationship functioning, yet it remains unclear systemically whether mindfulness reliably "crosses over" within romantic couples - such that one partner's mindfulness is associated with other partner's outcomes after accounting for dyadic interdependence. We conducted a model-testing meta-analysis (MTMA) based on the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) to estimate actor (self-self), partner (self-partner), and interdependence (partner similarity) effects of mindfulness on couples' relationship outcomes.

METHODS

We searched six databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Trials) for quantitative dyadic studies linking one partner's mindfulness to the other partner's outcomes across relational domains. Thirty-seven independent studies (12,396 couples) met inclusion criteria. We conducted a multivariate meta-analysis to estimate APIM-implied correlations (r*) and derived path coefficients, with 95% CIs from 1,000 bootstrap samples.

RESULTS

Cross-partner correlations were small but significant (rs* = .16 and .16 for male-to-female and female-to-male associations, respectively). However, corresponding APIM partner effects were close to zero and nonsignificant (βs = -.01), indicating no reliable crossover. Actor effects were significant (βs =.22 and .21 for male and female partners, respectively). Interdependence effects were also significant for partners' mindfulness (r* = .27) and outcomes (r* = .42), indicating meaningful within-couple covariation.

DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that mindfulness is reliably associated with individuals' own relationship functioning and shared dyadic processes, but not with a robust direct partner effect. These results indicated that partner associations may reflect shared couple-level influences rather than direct crossover, highlighting the implications of dyadic modeling and couple-level interventions.