Revisiting Adult Playfulness and Relationship Satisfaction: APIM Analyses of Middle-Aged and Older Couples

Abstract There is robust support for the notion that playfulness important how people initiate and engage in their romantic relationships. Our study sought to extend knowledge on associations between four facets of (Other-directed, Lighthearted, Intellectual, Whimsical; OLIW) with relationship satisfaction (RS) 116 middle-to-older age couples (median = 54 57 years women men). In comparison younger samples, we found lower expressions Other-directed playfulness. Using Actor-Partner Interdependence Modelling, (a) older showed comparatively higher similarity single OLIW profiles than previously couples; (b) again unrelated RS; (c) findings playfulness-RS partially replicated, Whimsical showing numerically strongest actor partner effects, but mainly women. We discuss differences regard an attrition effect. Overall, conclude similar ways as couples.