Caution! Fragile relationship: Effective responses to conflicts with in‐laws

Experiencing difficulties with in‐laws is a significant predictor of divorce in Iran. This research investigates the differences between how satisfied and dissatisfied spouses get along with their in‐laws, and how each group responds to in‐law conflicts. For this purpose, we conducted two studies. In a quantitative study, we compared the responses of two groups of people who were either satisfied ( n = 167) or dissatisfied ( n = 166) with their in‐law relationship, and how they responded to conflict situations. In the qualitative study, we interviewed 22 participants and asked them about conflicts with their in‐laws and responses to those conflicts. Results revealed significant differences between the methods used by satisfied and dissatisfied participants. Both studies showed that direct expression of annoyance is not an effective option in responding to in‐law conflicts. Findings led to an optimal model for responding to differences with in‐laws. The model has three stages: (a) the personal stage, (b) the inter‐couple stage, and (c) the response to the in‐law stage. It seems that when spouses are satisfied with in‐law relationships, they take a conservative approach when conflict arises. The model can be used in educational, preventive, and therapeutic interventions.