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Wanna Hear a Secret?: The Burden of Secret Concealment in Personal Relationships From the Confidant's Perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2018

Zhengyu (Tracy) Zhang  and
René M. Dailey
Zhengyu (Tracy) Zhang*
Affiliation:
Department of Communication Studies, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
René M. Dailey
Affiliation:
Department of Communication Studies, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
*
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Zhengyu (Tracy) Zhang, The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Communication Studies, 2504A Whitis Ave. (A1105), Austin, TX 78712-0115, USA. Email: zhangzhengyu@utexas.edu
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Abstract

The current study assessed the burden associated with secret-keeping from confidants’ perspective. We proposed a cognition-affect-relationship model to explicate the interrelations between intra- and interpersonal consequences of confidants’ secret concealment. A total of 231 participants (Mage = 32.6 years) completed a survey on their experiences in keeping secrets for a close relational partner. A path model was conducted to test all hypotheses simultaneously. Results indicated that secret importance, valence, and negative face threat served as indicators of cognitive burden regarding secret-keeping. As predicted, cognitive burden was positively associated with negative affect. In addition, negative affect mediated the association between cognitive burden and relationship satisfaction, whereas secret characteristics were directly related to relational distancing. Overall, examining confidant burden provides insights on how secret-keeping might affect individuals and their relationships.

Keywords

secret-keepingconfidantcognitive burdennegative affectrelationship qualities
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Relationships Research , Volume 9 , 2018 , e1
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2018 

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