Satisfaction in Marriage and Committed Heterosexual Relationships: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract A broad range of factors impacts the satisfaction that people experience in committed and marital relationships. The present paper evaluates the impact of these factors. First, I consider changes in the research focus in the last 50 years, changes driven partly by the methodologies employed to evaluate marital satisfaction and partly by the factors seen as constituting a satisfying relationship. Next, I evaluate recent research to identify the impact of individual (e.g., work, health, power, roles) and interpersonal (e.g., violence, communication) factors at different stages of both the relationship cycle and life cycle. This research makes clear that relationship satisfaction is determined by a myriad of factors and that the relative importance of these factors likely varies among couples. Finally, I propose suggestions for future research in this area, including the need to focus on the function of both positive and negative variables related to marital satisfaction.