Number of Years Married as Related to Personality Perception and Marital Satisfaction

The relationship between marital satisfaction, perception of self and spouse, and number of years married was investigated by correlating the scores of 80 married couples on the Locke Marital Adjustment Scale and the Interpersonal Check List after approximately eight years of marriage. It was found that the longer couples were married, the less favorable personality qualities they saw in their mates. This was true for the couples who found their marriages satisfying as well as for those dissatisfied. Also, over-all marital satisfaction was related negatively to the number of years married and positively to the 'number of years of schooling.