Attribution Patterns and Relationship Satisfaction in ADHD Romantic Dyads
Level of Education of Students Involved
Graduate
Faculty Sponsor
Christopher Dabbs, Ph.D., HSPP, LMHC
College
College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)
Discipline(s)
Counseling Psychology
ORCID Identifier(s)
0009-0004-2638-5364
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Symposium Date
Spring 4-24-2025
Abstract
Research shows that romantic relationships significantly impact health, with stable relationships enhancing well-being and high-stress relationships increasing risk for depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Relationship discord is common in couples where one or both partners exhibit ADHD symptoms, but little research examines the factors mediating ADHD and low relationship satisfaction. Given that attribution patterns affect relationship satisfaction, we aim to explore how ADHD-related attribution patterns mediate the link between ADHD symptoms and relationship satisfaction in affected romantic partners. We plan to use a quantitative approach grounded in attribution psychology to survey participants on relationship distress, attributional locus of control, and attributional patterns. Currently, we have obtained IRB approval, and plan to collect online data via Qualtrics and Prolific beginning in the summer. We hypothesize that attribution patterns and locus of control mediate the link between ADHD symptom differences and relationship satisfaction. Specifically, couples attributing negative behaviors to stable, global factors (e.g., "they always forget because they are lazy") will report lower satisfaction than those who see behaviors as situational (e.g. "they forgot because they had a long day"). We expect more ADHD-related differences to increase maladaptive attributional patterns, heightening relationship discord. The implications of this study include identification of potential strategies for clinicians serving couples where ADHD impacts relationship dynamics and addressing the gap in the literature surrounding neurodivergent relationships.
Recommended Citation
Spitler-Nigh, Brooke and Foster, Sasha, "Attribution Patterns and Relationship Satisfaction in ADHD Romantic Dyads" (2025). Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 1355.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/1355
Biographical Information about Author(s)
Brooke Spitler-Nigh is a third year graduate student in Master of Arts Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Valparaiso University and a research project manager in the CRIB Lab. Brooke’s current research into relationship dynamics of romantic partners with ADHD individuals was a natural extension of her graduate coursework surrounding the topic. In the future, she hopes to open an integrated mental health agency to holistically address the complexity of living with ADHD as an adult.
Sasha Foster, a 2024 Purdue University graduate, holds a B.S. in Psychological Sciences and a B.A. in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Passionate about relationship dynamics, neurodevelopmental disorders, and adverse childhood experiences, she actively participates in research on these subject areas. Sasha hopes to be a therapist, researcher, and professor in the field of psychology as she continues post-graduate education.