Conflict styles and social network relations as predictors of marital happiness: A comparison of black and white spouses.

Abstract

Rising rates of marital separation and dissolution indicate that all is not well among today's couples. The research on marital happiness to date has revealed a number of associations but it has failed to explore potential links with two important sets of variables. This study of respondents in their third year of marriage (282 wives, 277 husbands) examined the relationships among conflict behaviors, social network properties, and marital happiness. The sample has been involved in the First Years of Marriage study conducted by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. Interviewers obtained data from 266 black and 296 white respondents. Systems theory is used as a framework for exploring marital discord and the establishment or maintenance of network ties. Four multiple regression models were tested. Among the major results it was found that attacking behaviors were negatively related to marital happiness for both men and women. Passive avoidance was negatively related to marital happiness for men in one model. Further, social network characteristics appear to play a greater role in the marital happiness of men than of women. Feeling very close to in-laws, having a greater number of relatives to rely on for advice and help, frequent family of origin contact, being satisfied with the number of friends one has, and sharing networks with the spouse were positively related to marital happiness for men. Closeness to in-laws and sharing networks were also positively related to marital happiness for women. The extent to which network members knew each other was positively associated with marital happiness for women but not men. Frequent contact with in-laws, closer proximity to one's own family, and asymmetry towards spending more time with one's own family were negatively related to marital happiness for men. Finally, black men and women reported significantly less marital happiness than their white counterparts. Implications for practice with couples are discussed relative to an ethnoconscious perspective that considers culture, history, and systemic variables. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are also presented.