Personality Characteristics of Engaged and Married Couples

Although associations have previously been established between scores on personality tests and scores on marital happiness and marital adjustment indexes, the nature of the association and the direction of causation have not been systematically explored. By showing that a similar association obtains between the scores of engaged persons on personality tests and on an adjustment in engagement index, this paper indicates that the previously demonstrated relationship is not a result of the marital "halo" effect. The data are interpreted as providing partial evidence to support the view held by Terman that personality factors determine "aptitude for marriage."