New UGA study on marriage

Somewhat counter-intuitive findings from a new study led by psychologist Justin Lavner, though they also remind us what is probably most obvious about relationships:

the severity and number of couples' overall problems stay stable over time, even as their relationship dissatisfaction grows.

The research, published in the December issue of the Journal of Family Psychology, suggests a departure from conventional wisdom, both on the part of the public and in the research community.

"It was kind of a surprise. On the one hand, our study disproves what the researchers thought, that if satisfaction is declining, problems must be increasing," said the study's lead author Justin Lavner, an assistant professor in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of psychology. "But it also disproves what a lot of the public is thinking, that problems are going to get better—that once people get married things are going to improve. These positive and optimistic expectations end up not mapping onto reality."

While problems and conflicts in marriage have long been thought to be inevitable, very few studies have been done on how newlywed couples' issues change as marriage progresses.

"The vast majority of people get married during their lifetimes, and what is known is that, on average, satisfaction declines," Lavner said. "So the question is, how do couples' problems actually change? So many people enter marriage happily, but then go on to struggle. What explains that disconnect?"

The researchers advice: pay attention to your spouse. Problems will not go away on their own, and might not go away at all, but people can always find new ways to relate to each other [if we all just try a little more]. #resolutionsanyone

Image: Justin Lavner, courtesy of UGA photo services.