Emotional Entitlement to Positive Emotions and Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Hope in Individuals and Couples

This study introduces emotional entitlement to positive emotions—the belief that one deserves to feel positive emotions. Two studies (N=623; 234 couples) found that hope mediates its link to life and relationship satisfaction. In couples, only women’s hope mediated the effect of both partners’ entitlement on men’s relationship satisfaction.