“Thanks for the Clarification”: Denial of Responsibility Is Associated With Better Relationship Quality in Married Couples and Enhanced by Relationship Mindfulness

Although denying responsibility for relationship issues has been theorized as a maladaptive communication behavior, this construct lacks quantitative examination, and alternate theory suggests that denial of responsibility (DOR) may function as a form of direct cooperative communication that adaptively informs a partner’s evaluations of relationship quality, especially when done mindfully. Using a series of actor-partner moderation models (APIMoMs) with a sample of 115 married couples, we examined whether DOR was associated with partner perceptions of relationship quality (partner effects) and whether relationship mindfulness enhances the potential positive effects of DOR. Results showed that DOR was positively associated with better relationship quality, and this association was enhanced when paired with higher relationship mindfulness. These results suggest that DOR can be functional and cooperative, and that relationship mindfulness positively strengthens direct communication. Further replication of these findings may inform clinicians about when to nurture appropriate DOR (i.e., cooperative DOR) or reduce inappropriate DOR (i.e., defensive DOR), and the role of mindfulness in enhancing the potential benefits of DOR.