The Relation between Relational Beliefs and Conflict Resolution Styles with Marital Satisfaction

Introduction: Studies show that marital satisfaction is one of the important factors of progress and achieving to life goals which depends on different factors. This effect might be directly or indirectly in interaction with other psychological factors such as relational beliefs and conflict resolution style; therefore, the purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between relational beliefs and conflict resolution style with marital satisfaction.
Method: It is descriptive study of correlation type in which statistical sample includes 230 married female users of khorramabad city. They were selected by simple random sampling among all female users of the city. Participants completed the Relational Belief Inventory (RBI), marital satisfaction Scale (ENRICH) and conflict resolution style (ROCI-II).
Results: The results of Pearson Correlation Test and Multiple Regression Analysis showed that marital satisfaction has a significant negative relation with relational beliefs (except gender differences). Believe in destructiveness of disagreement, un-changeability of spouse, sexual perfectionism and mind reading expectation could best predict the marital satisfaction, respectively. In addition, compromise and integrated styles of conflict resolution and dominant, required and avoiding styles had a significant positive and negative relation with marital satisfaction, respectively.
Discussion and conclusion: Couple therapists and counselors can increase marital satisfaction of the couple by training correct relational beliefs and suitable conflict resolution styles.