Page 109 - Never Too Far Away? The Roles of Social Network Sites in Sojourners’ Adjustment

experience positive relationship quality (Vitak, 2014). In this study, we focused on the impact of Facebook relationship support on two aspects of relationship quality associated with relational maintenance: Relationship stability (continuation and survival of the relationship) and satisfaction (positive feelings about the relationship) (Felmlee, 2001; Rusbult & Buunk, 1993). Social network support via Facebook may play a facilitative role in romantic relationship stability and satisfaction in LDRR and GCRR. We predicted that:
H2: Facebook relationship social support is positively related to perceived relationship stability and satisfaction.
The direct association of SNSs use and relationship quality
From a uses and gratifications perspective, SNSs use by romantic partners may be understood as goal directed and purposive in that partners are motivated to select and use SNSs for relational maintenance to satisfy needs and desires (Katz, Blumler, & Guverich, 1974; Papacharissi & Mendelson, 2008). Considering physical distance, it is likely that those in LDRR may be motivated to use SNSs because of their perceived value for relational maintenance. SNSs allow relationship partners to maintain a sense of emotional connection and psychological propinquity with each other despite geographic separation. For those in GCRR, SNSs may be perceived as supplementary media, especially in updating and sharing mundane narratives and reflections, that may serve maintenance functions (Tong & Walther, 2011).
The results of previous investigations into the associations of SNSs use on relationship quality were inconsistent. In a few studies, SNS use was associated with negative outcomes such as conflicts (Clayton, Nagurney, & Smith, 2013) and increased jealousy (Muise et al., 2009; Utz & Beukeboom, 2011). On the other hand, SNS use was shown to be associated with increased relationship satisfaction (Utz & Beukeboom, 2011). There were also studies showing the lack of an association of SNS use with intimacy and relationship satisfaction (Hand, Buboltz, Deemer, & Buyanjargal, 2013; Kirk, 2013). Due to the lack of consistency in findings, we posed this research question:
RQ1: What is the association between Facebook use and perceived relationship stability and satisfaction in LDRR and GCRR?
The conceptual model for this study is presented in Figure 1. We first
tested this mediation model among individuals in LDRR. This was based on the assumption that SNSs affordances may be relatively more relevant for couples in
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