The Effect of Conflict Management Style and Dialectical Tension on Relationship Satisfaction
Year: 2024
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This quantitative study sought to develop our understanding of conflictresolution styles and their association with relationship satisfaction for romantic couples.\nSpecifically, we aimed to better understand situation-specific adaptation of one’s conflict\nstyle by determining which conflict styles may lead to greater relationship satisfaction for\na given set of circumstances. Using relational dialectics, we defined several distinct\nconflict situations for which we could compare the use of certain conflict styles, and the\ntendency for those styles to result in relationship satisfaction. The study surveyed 79\nundergraduate students and measured their use of several conflict resolution styles, their\nlevels of relationship satisfaction, and the presence of dialectical tension in their\nrelationships. Initial analysis confirmed previous research by finding that assertive,\ncooperative conflict styles were positively associated with relationship satisfaction.\nFurther analysis attempted to compare the use of multiple conflict styles when considering\nthe presence of dialectical tension in participant relationships. The main effect of\ndialectical tension on relationship satisfaction was found to be significant and revealed a\nnegative relationship between the two variables. However, no statistically significant\ninteraction effect was found between dialectical tension and conflict style, with\nrelationship satisfaction as the independent variable. The study was limited by its small\nsample size and cannot make implications for the use of certain conflict styles in the\npresence of dialectical tension. However, we can confirm the findings of previous research\nin regard to the efficacy of functional conflict resolution styles.
Author: King, Ryan M
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Division of Graduate Education
OpenAlex ID: W7037416925