Does Couples' Communication Predict Marital Satisfaction, or Does Marital Satisfaction Predict Communication?

The quality of communication between spouses is widely assumed to affect their subsequent judgments of relationship satisfaction, yet this assumption is rarely tested against the alternative prediction that communication is merely a consequence of spouses' prior levels of satisfaction. To evalu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of marriage and family 2016-06, Vol.78 (3), p.680-694
Main Authors: Lavner, Justin A., Karney, Benjamin R., Bradbury, Thomas N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior
Communication
Communication Skills
Conflict Resolution
Couples
Evidence
Interpersonal relationship satisfaction
Longitudinal Studies
Low income groups
low-income families
Marital satisfaction
Marriage
marriage and close relationships
Of General Interest
Prevention
Satisfaction
Skills
Social exchange theory
Spouses
Studies
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Summary:The quality of communication between spouses is widely assumed to affect their subsequent judgments of relationship satisfaction, yet this assumption is rarely tested against the alternative prediction that communication is merely a consequence of spouses' prior levels of satisfaction. To evaluate these perspectives, newlywed couples' positivity, negativity, and effectiveness were observed four times at 9-month intervals, and these behaviors were examined in relation to corresponding self-reports of relationship satisfaction. Cross-sectionally, relatively satisfied couples engaged in more positive, less negative, and more effective communication. Longitudinally, reliable communication-to-satisfaction and satisfaction-to-communication associations were identified, yet neither pathway was particularly robust. These findings raise important doubts about theories and interventions that prioritize couple communication skills as the key predictor of relationship satisfaction, while raising new questions about other factors that might predict communication and satisfaction and that strengthen or moderate their association.
ISSN:0022-2445
1741-3737
DOI:10.1111/jomf.12301