An analysis of couples’ conversational complaints

Abstract

This study sought to examine the connections between couples’ complaint behavior and their feelings about their relationships. Associations among complaint type, complaint response type, complaint affect, and relational adjustment were analyzed. Results indicated that adjusted couples were significantly more likely to manifest behavioral complaints, positive affect, and agreement responses. Maladjusted couples were significantly more likely to engage in personal characteristic complaints, negative affect, and countercomplaint responses. No other associations were found. It was also determined that adjusted and maladjusted couples did not differ significantly with regard to the number of complaints made.