Relationship duration is often overlooked when trying to help dissatisfied couples, but this study found it can impact relationship satisfaction. The study examined how the length of a relationship relates to conflict communication and satisfaction. It found relationship length did not directly impact satisfaction for men or women. However, it did influence how men perceive conflict communication, and their perception in turn significantly predicted their relationship satisfaction. This suggests conflict communication deserves more research on its effects on satisfaction.

1. Variables such as relationship duration are often overlooked when trying
to intervene with dissatisfied couples, making it important to evaluate the
significance of such variables on overall relationship satisfaction. This
study looked at the impact of length of relationship on conflict
communication and relationship satisfaction. Hierarchical regression
analyses revealed no significant relationship between length of
relationship and relationship satisfaction for either males or females.
However, length of relationship did impact males' perceptions of conflict
communication which in turn significantly predicted relationship
satisfaction. This finding indicates that conflict communication should be
further researched for its impact on relationship satisfaction.