Resumen

FLORES GALAZ, Mirta Margarita. Conflict and Communication: their Impact on Marital Satisfaction. Acta de investigación psicol [online]. 2011, vol.1, n.2, pp.216-232. ISSN 2007-4719.

The objective of this study was to determine the best predictor of marital satisfaction through the communication styles and the couple's conflict perception in both men and women. The participants were 76 men and 111 women from the city of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, who were selected through an accidental non-probabilistic sampling procedure. These participants answered the Couple Communication Styles Inventory (Sanchez-Aragon & Diaz-Loving, 2003), the Conflict Scale (Rivera Aragon, Diaz-Loving & Cruz del Castillo, 2005) and the Marital Satisfaction Multifaceted Inventory (Cañetas Yerbes, Rivera Aragon & Diaz-Loving, 2000). Multiple regression analysis showed that the presence of positive communication styles and the absence of conflict were factors that contributed to marital satisfaction. Likewise, differences by gender, that can be culturally explained, were observed in the prediction model.

Palabras llave : Communication; Conflict; Marital satisfaction; Couple relationships.