Financial Conflict Messages and Marital Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Financial Communication Satisfaction

• In Event: Interpersonally Managing Conflict

Abstract

Scholars have identified conflict about money issues as one of the most common reasons for marital couples to divorce. However, little empirical research has examined how marital couples communicate about financial issues, specifically, and how these financial communication messages contribute to, or detract from, marital satisfaction. In the present study of 326 married individuals, we found that constructive financial conflict messages were positively associated with financial harmony, marital satisfaction, and financial communication satisfaction. Destructive financial conflict messages, the demand-withdraw financial conflict message pattern, and mutually avoiding financial conflict were each negatively associated with financial harmony, marital satisfaction, and financial communication satisfaction. In addition, financial communication satisfaction mediated the relationship between each of the different financial conflict message patterns and marital satisfaction.

Authors

• Samantha Shebib, Michigan State U

• William R. Cupach, Illinois State U