Exploring buffering effects of interpersonal relationships on the impacts of stress on physical health

Abstract

We examined the potential moderating effects of interpersonal relationships on the association between
stress and physical health. We hypothesized that there would be a significant main effect of stress on
physical health, a significant main effect of relationships on physical health, and a significant interaction
between stress and relationship quality on physical health, such that quality relationships provide a
buffering effect, reducing the negative impacts of stress on physical health. Data was collected through a
self-report Qualtrics survey on CloudResearch. We found a significant main effect of stress on physical
health and a significant main effect of relationship quality on physical health. An interaction was only
observed in romantic relationship subtypes, such that low-quality romantic relationships exhibit a greater
decline in physical health than high-quality romantic relationships in conditions of low compared to high
stress. Important implications exist in which enhancing relationship quality could be a vital strategy in
mitigating stress-related health consequences. This may include therapeutic interventions, socioemotional-
based school curricula, and holistic healthcare opportunities.