How Couples Maintain Marriages: A Closer Look at Self and Spouse Influences upon the Use of Maintenance Behaviors in Marriages

Couples use maintenance behaviors to ensure the continuation of valued relationships. In this study, we extended previous research on relational maintenance in marriage by examining the role of both self and cross-spouse associations in the use of maintenance behaviors. Structural equation modeling using data collected from 129 married couples indicated that for wives, both self-perception of marital quality and cross-spouse perceptions, especially husbands' satisfaction, were related to wives' use of maintenance behaviors. However, husbands' use of maintenance behaviors had only a few associations with self or partner perceptions of marital quality. Results of the study were discussed in terms of their implications for family practitioners working with married couples.