Marital satisfaction was once believed to follow a U-shaped trajectory over time, such that couples began their marriages satisfied, this satisfaction somewhat waned over the years, but resurfaced to newlywed levels after many years together.

There is of course the “highs” of the “honeymoon” years, then the sharp drop in the middle years and then once more an increase in the post-parental years. This is known as the U-curve of marital satisfaction. The annualized divorce rate also reflects this trend in marital quality, particularly during the first decade.

Marital satisfaction is a mental state that reflects the perceived benefits and costs of marriage to a particular person. Similarly, the greater the perceived benefits are, the more satisfied one is with the marriage and with the marriage partner.

According to numerous studies, marital satisfaction is a multidimensional concept that is affected by many factors, including age at marriage, duration of marriage, ethnicity, personal characteristics, mental maturity, way of thinking, perception of one’s own self and others, expectations of life, emotional …

Overall, results indicate that even couples who are very successful at navigating the early years of marriage can be vulnerable to later dissolution if their interpersonal exchanges are poorly regulated.

Marital happiness is a judgment made by a spouse that indicates the sense of well being or satisfaction he or she experiences in the marital relationship.

Married couples rated their life satisfaction 9.9% higher than widows and widowers. Married couples were 8.8% happier than higher than divorced or separated people. Singles, however, only reported being 0.2% happier than those who are divorced.

Historically, large studies show that, on average, married people report greater happiness later in life than unmarried people. These positive effects of marriage on happiness are there for both women and men. Some suggest, however, that married people are happier because they were happier to begin with.

7 Predictors of Long-Term Relationship Success

• Do You Trust Your Partner?
• Are You and Your Partner Compatible in the Dimensions of Intimacy?
• What Type of Person Shows Up Within You in This Relationship?
• Does Your Partner’s Communication Lift You Up or Bring You Down?
• How do You and Your Partner Deal with Conflict in the Relationship?

In a study involving 250 married couples, results found that the best predictor of marital satisfaction was the amount of time spent alone with the spouse. Wives who spend most of their time with their husbands were the happiest.

According to a recent survey of 191 CDFA professionals from across North America, the three leading causes of divorce are “basic incompatibility” (43%), “infidelity” (28%), and “money issues” (22%).