Possible selves in romantic relationships: their characteristics and intervention potential

Abstract

“Potential" in romantic relationships is of significant interest from both explanatory and applied (psychotherapeutic) perspectives. In the current study, the construct of the "Possible Self" was employed to operationalize this aspect of life. The phenomenon of agency, fundamental to the Possible Self, can serve as a developmental resource for romantic relationships (enhancing their quality) and has practical implications. The first stage of the study involved 36 couples and the second stage – 136 individuals in relationships. The modified diagnostic technique for the Possible Self by K. Hooker, a test for existential motivations in interpersonal relationships, a codependency test in relationships and M. Rosenberg's self-esteem scale were utilized. The research design aimed to compute discrepancies in how partners evaluate each other's potentials, envisioning them as their own potentials. By assuming what the other partner sees as desirable future development for the couple, a person compares this vision with their own, ultimately assessing how these possibilities resonate with them. The results demonstrate that the level of concordance in assessments of the Possible Self is associated with the level of relationship satisfaction.