Satisfying relationships are important to the well-being of individuals and families. Because of increased longevity, many couples are staying together for extended periods of time. Thus, it is valuable to understand the factors that contribute to a sense of satisfaction among partners in lasting relationships. Relatively little attention has been paid in the research literature to relationships among older couples who have remained together for many years. Even less attention has been paid to the lasting relationships of couples of color and to gay male and lesbian couples. This paper focuses on understanding the factors that contribute to satisfaction of partners in the long-term relationships of a purposive sample of heterosexual and same-sex couples. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 216 partners in 108 relationships that had lasted an average of 30 years. Using logistic regression analysis, two factors were identified as predictive of satisfaction during the recent years of these relationships: containment of relational conflict and psychologically intimate communication between partners. Based on these findings, a theoretical model for understanding satisfaction in lasting relationships is discussed.

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This paper is based on research that explored how 120 spouses from a sample of 60 white, African American, and Mexican American marriages adapted over the life span of their relationships which included the early years prior to children, the child-rearing years, and the empty-nest years. Important dimensions of these relationships -conflict and its management, sexuality, intimacy, decision-making and satisfaction -were explored in semi-structured interviews with each spouse. Understanding how spouses adapt over the life span of their relationships has important implications for prevention programs and for practice.

This article focuses on conflictmanagement styles of spouses in marriages that lasted an average of 35 years. Data about adaptation in these marriages, which included how spouses dealt with marital conflict, was collected through in-depth interviews with 144 spouses in 72 marriages. The sample was diverse in terms of race, socioeconomic status, and religion. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the most powerful factor in shaping conflict-management styles in the recent years of these relationships was the style of managing conflict in previous years. Based on these findings, treatment implications for marital therapy are discussed.