This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: When a big credit card bill arrives or the rent is due, that stress can spill into our closest relationships, adding another source of tension between partners. But according to a new study from the University of Florida, a partner who provides emotional support—rather than simply trying to solve the financial problems at hand—can reduce how much financial stress spills over into a relationship.
"Economic issues are increasingly important nowadays, so we wanted to understand how couples handle economic stress, how this can influence their relationship stress and how couples can deal with it," said Zhongchi Li, a graduate student in psychology at UF and lead author of the study. Li and UF psychology professor Gregory Webster surveyed 84 unmarried couples about their levels of financial and relationship stress. Each person filled out an initial survey.
For the next seven days, both partners reported their stress once a day. Perhaps unsurprisingly, couples who reported greater financial stress at the start of the study also reported more stress in their relationships. But the researchers also asked couples how they coped with that stress.
In particular, the surveys focused on two forms of support: emotional support and problem-solving. One was a clear winner, at least during the weeklong study. "For financial stress, we found that the most important thing is for partners to show more emotional understanding, show care and be supportive of each other, rather than simply giving them solutions to the problem," Li said.
"Partners who receive more emotional support reduced the spillover of financial stress onto the relationship." However, the study was limited to seven days of daily reports. Webster said future research could follow couples over months rather than days, tracking stress around paychecks, rent and other recurring financial obligations to see how relationships are affected over the long term. For people living paycheck to paycheck, Webster said, a relationship can provide a buffer against financial stress—or compound it, depending in part on how partners communicate.
The study was published Sept. 3 in the journal Personal Relationships. Zhongchi Li et al, Spillover and Crossover Effects of Financial Stress in Romantic Dyads: A Daily Diary Study, Personal Relationships (2026). DOI: 10.1111/pere.70090 MA in English, copy editor since 2021 with experience in higher education and health content.
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