The mediator role of willingness to sacrifice in the association between socio-economic status and relationship satisfaction

This study aimed to investigate the potential underlying mechanisms for why couples from lower socioeconomic status (SES) tend to experience poor-quality romantic relationships from two distinct perspectives: the self-protection hypothesis and social class from a culture perspective. We examined the indirect effect of willingness to sacrifice personal interests on the association between SES and relationship satisfaction using a representative sample from Turkey through cross-sectional self-report scales ( N = 1170; M age =47.44; SD = 11.68). Participants completed a series of questions, including willingness to sacrifice, relationship satisfaction, and SES questions. Multiple regression analyses revealed that willingness to sacrifice did not have a buffering or facilitator role in the association between SES and relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that willingness to sacrifice is essential for relationship satisfaction regardless of SES. Overall, this study contributes to understanding the role of willingness to sacrifice in romantic relationships and its relationship with SES.