Experiencing Suspicions About Your Partner's Emotional Ambivalence Could Negatively Impact Your Mental Health
A new study published in the journal Emotion has provided valuable insights into the impact of perceiving a partner's emotional ambivalence on personal and relationship well-being. The research, led by Mirna Đurić and colleagues, involved over 1,100 individuals and couples from the US, UK, and Netherlands.
The study found that perceiving a partner's emotional ambivalence—the sense that the partner holds mixed positive and negative feelings toward oneself—is associated with lower relationship satisfaction, greater stress and anxiety, and increased thoughts about ending the relationship. This perception uniquely harms well-being even after accounting for one's own feelings or evaluations of the partner.
The key mechanisms explaining this link are unpredictability and reduced understanding. How we interpret our partner's feelings can be just as important as what those feelings actually are. Perceiving a partner as emotionally conflicted may affect one's own emotional stability, erode one's sense of security in the relationship, and contribute to feelings of romantic jealousy, mistrust, and viewing the partner as simultaneously committed yet untrusting.
The research team conducted three methodologically distinct studies: a cross-sectional survey, a daily diary method, and a long-term tracking of couples. The findings were consistent across all studies, indicating the robustness of the results.
The study notes limitations, such as relying on self-report data, being drawn from Western countries, and the correlational nature of the studies. Future research could explore whether certain individuals are more sensitive to perceived partner ambivalence or whether interventions that improve communication and emotional clarity might reduce its negative effects.
In sum, perceiving a partner’s mixed feelings fosters emotional distress and relational strain, harming both individual well-being and the health of the romantic relationship. Efforts to enhance understanding, communication, and emotional support are important to mitigate these harmful effects. Emotional clarity and perceived consistency in a partner's feelings can play a crucial role in fostering healthy, satisfying connections.
Citation: Đurić, M., Righetti, F., Zoppolat, G., Solleiro Saura, C., & Schneider, I. K. (2025). Loves me, loves me not: Perceived romantic partner's ambivalence is associated with lower personal and relationship well-being. Emotion, 25(5), 1225-1243. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001493
- In the journal Emotion, a study revealed that perceiving a partner's emotional ambivalence can lead to lower relationship satisfaction, increased stress, anxiety, and thoughts of ending the relationship.
- The study, led by Mirna Đurić and colleagues, involved over 1,100 individuals and couples from the US, UK, and Netherlands.
- The sense that a partner holds mixed positive and negative feelings toward oneself (emotional ambivalence) is associated with a negative impact on personal and relationship well-being.
- The key mechanisms explaining this link are unpredictability and reduced understanding, emphasizing the importance of how we interpret our partner's feelings.
- Perceiving a partner as emotionally conflicted may lead to negative emotions, such as romantic jealousy, mistrust, and feelings of insecurity in the relationship.
- The research team conducted three separate studies to ensure the robustness of their findings—a cross-sectional survey, a daily diary method, and a long-term tracking of couples.
- The findings were consistent across all studies, indicating the reliability of the results even though the study has limitations, such as relying on self-report data, being drawn from Western countries, and the correlational nature of the studies.
- Future research could explore whether certain individuals are more sensitive to perceived partner ambivalence or whether interventions that improve communication and emotional clarity might reduce its negative effects.
- Efforts to enhance understanding, communication, and emotional support are crucial to mitigate the harmful effects of perceived partner emotional ambivalence on both individual well-being and romantic relationships.
- Emotional clarity and perceived consistency in a partner's feelings can play a significant role in fostering healthy, satisfying connections, which is essential for mental health, health-and-wellness, and personal-growth.
- The study, published in 2025, can be found in Emotion Journal under the title "Loves me, loves me not: Perceived romantic partner's ambivalence is associated with lower personal and relationship well-being" (Đurić et al., 2025).
