Do Mindful Partners Make a Difference? A Meta-Analytic Test of the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model in Romantic Couples

Objectives: Mindfulness is consistently linked with individual well-being and relationship functioning, yet it remains unclear systemically whether mindfulness reliably “crosses over” within romantic couples — such that one partner’s mindfulness is associated with other partner’s outcomes after accounting for dyadic interdependence. We conducted a model-testing meta-analysis (MTMA) based on the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) to estimate actor (self-self), partner (self-partner), and interdependence (partner similarity) effects of mindfulness on couples’ relationship outcomes.

Methods: We searched six databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Trials) for quantitative dyadic studies linking one partner’s mindfulness to the other partner’s outcomes across relational domains. Thirty-seven independent studies (12,396 couples) met inclusion criteria. We conducted a multivariate meta-analysis to estimate APIM-implied correlations (r*) and derived path coefficients, with 95% CIs from 1,000 bootstrap samples.

Results: Cross-partner correlations were small but significant (rs* = .16 and .16 for male-to-female and female-to-male associations, respectively). However, corresponding APIM partner effects were close to zero and nonsignificant (βs = –.01), indicating no reliable crossover. Actor effects were significant (βs =.22 and .21 for male and female partners, respectively). Interdependence effects were also significant for partners’ mindfulness (r* = .27) and outcomes (r* = .42), indicating meaningful within-couple covariation.

Discussion: Findings suggest that mindfulness is reliably associated with individuals’ own relationship functioning and shared dyadic processes, but not with a robust direct partner effect. These results indicated that partner associations may reflect shared couple-level influences rather than direct crossover, highlighting the implications of dyadic modeling and couple-level interventions.