Partner Facebook Intrusion, Jealousy Over Facebook Use, and Relationship Satisfaction Among Romantic Partners

This investigation aimed to examine the impact of Facebook (FB) intrusion on relationship satisfaction between romantic partners in Puerto Rico and how conflict and jealousy over Facebook use relate to satisfaction in this context. We developed a hypothesized research model consisting of these variables: partner Facebook intrusion, conflict over Facebook use, jealousy over Facebook use, and relationship satisfaction. We utilized data from 938 participants who completed a baseline online survey. We used the Preacher and Hayes Model 6 to test the sequential mediation prediction in our conceptual model to assess if partner Facebook intrusion has a negative indirect effect on relationship satisfaction. The results support the conclusion of sequential mediation, such that partner Facebook intrusion has an indirect effect on relationship satisfaction through conflict over Facebook use and jealousy over Facebook use. In other words, results implied a pathway where partner Facebook intrusion can cause conflict and jealousy in the couple and subsequently significantly affect the quality of the relationship. Findings and practical implications are discussed, and recommendations are offered.