Using egocentric network data from the University of California Social Networks Study (1,136 respondents; 11,536 alters), this study examines how difficult ties—an unexplored form of social negativity—are associated with well-being. Findings show that well-being is affected by the quality of the relationship rather than its presence in the network. Having a nondifficult partner is associated with lower loneliness compared to having no partner, but having no partner and having a difficult partner are related to similar levels of loneliness. Likewise, having difficult adult children and having no adult children are associated with reporting greater psychological distress than having nondifficult adult children. Consistent with the stress process model, the negative association of a difficult partner with well-being is buffered when that partner is otherwise supportive and when the other ties in the network are supportive. However, that association is amplified when the other ties are also difficult.

使用来自加州大学社交网络研究的以自我为中心的网络数据（1,136 名受访者；11,536 名改变），本研究检验了困难的关系——一种未探索的社会消极形式——与幸福感的关系。研究结果表明，幸福感受到关系质量的影响，而不是关系在网络中的存在。与没有伴侣相比，拥有不难相处的伴侣与较低的孤独感相关，但没有伴侣和难相处的伴侣与相似程度的孤独感相关。同样，有困难的成年子女和没有成年子女的人报告的心理压力要大于没有困难的成年子女。与应力过程模型一致，当一个困难的伙伴以其他方式支持并且当网络中的其他关系支持时，一个困难的伙伴与幸福的负面联系就会得到缓冲。然而，当其他联系也很困难时，这种联系会被放大。