Story perspectives

Partner Phubbing Cuts Mindfulness, Harms Relationship Quality

5/29/2026

Summary

Story summary

Tugba Türk Kurtça found that perceived partner phubbing reduces mindfulness, linking it to lower relationship quality.
The study surveyed 704 heterosexual couples (1,408 individuals) aged 18-35, with 23 % in relationships under six months.
Actor analysis showed that feeling more phubbed predicts lower mindfulness, while higher mindfulness correlated with higher relationship quality for sexes.
Partner effects showed that a partner’s reduced mindfulness lowered the other’s mindfulness, limiting causal inference and generalizability.

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Story summary

Tugba Türk Kurtça found that perceived partner phubbing reduces mindfulness, linking it to lower relationship quality.
The study surveyed 704 heterosexual couples (1,408 individuals) aged 18-35, with 23 % in relationships under six months.
Actor analysis showed that feeling more phubbed predicts lower mindfulness, while higher mindfulness correlated with higher relationship quality for sexes.
Partner effects showed that a partner’s reduced mindfulness lowered the other’s mindfulness, limiting causal inference and generalizability.