Relationship of Social Problem-Solving Ability with Interpersonal Relationships: A Prospective Study among Japanese Women and Men

The present study of a Japanese sample used a prospective approach to examine the relationship between self-rated social problem-solving ability and quality of interpersonal relationships. The Japanese versions of the Problem-Solving Self-Efficacy Scale, Problem-Solving Skills Scale, and the Interpersonal Relationship Inventory short form were administered to 139 female and 148 male Japanese college students, who participated in two sessions separated by 6 wk. (Time 1 and Time 2). Partial correlations controlling for scores on the interpersonal relationship scales at Time 1 indicated that self-ratings of social problem-solving ability were correlated with aspects of interpersonal relationships assessed at Time 2, and this relationship was stronger for men (five of six correlations were significant) than for women (two of six correlations were significant).