Finer Distinctions: Variability in Satisfied Older Couples’ Problem‐Solving Behaviors

• Published date: 01 June 2017
• Author: Leah Williams,Amy Rauer,Jakob Jensen
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12198
• Date: 01 June 2017

Finer Distinctions: Variability in Satisfied Older

Couples’ Problem-Solving Behaviors

AMY RAUER*

LEAH WILLIAMS*

JAKOB JENSEN

†

This study utilized observational and self-report data from 64 maritally satisfied and

stable older couples to explore if there were meaningful differences in how couples

approached marital disagreements. Using a typology approach to classify couples based on

their behaviors in a 15-minute problem-solving interaction, findings revealed four typ es of

couples: (1) problem solvers (characterized by both spouses’ higher problem-solving skills

and warmth), (2) supporters (characterized by both spouses’ notable warmth), (3) even cou-

ples (characterized by both spouses’ moderate problem-solving skills and warmth), and (4)

cool couples (characterized by both spouses’ greater negativity and lower problem-solving

skills and warmth). Despite the differences in these behaviors, all couples had relatively

high marital satisfaction and functioning. However, across nearly all indices, spouses in

the cool couple cluster reported poorer marital functioning, particularly when compared to

the problem solvers and supporters. These findings suggest that even modest doses of nega-

tivity (e.g., eye roll) may be problematic for some satisfied couples later in life. The implica-

tions of these typologies are discussed as they pertain to practitioners’ efforts to tailor their

approaches to a wider swath of the population.

Keywords: Marriage; Older couples; Satisfied couples; Problem solving; Conflict;

Typologies; Observational research

Fam Proc 56:501–517, 2017

Conflict in marriage is inevitable (Zeidner & Kloda, 2013), but changeable (Holly,

Haase, & Levinson, 2013). Unfortunately, for couples who are unable to resolve their

conflict either on their own or with the help of others, marital distress often arises (Karney

& Bradbury, 1995). In light of the potential damage conflict can do, not only to the mar-

riage, but to the well-being of those both within the marriage and the family (Fincham &

Beach, 1999; Kiecolt-Glaser & Newton, 2001), it is not surprising that millions of dollars

in government funds have been spent trying to understand the nature of marital conflict

and its antecedents and consequences (Hawkins, Amato, & Kinghorn, 2013). To enhance

the efficacy of these efforts, it is important to not only study those who fail to resolve mari-

tal conflict, but also couples who appear to handle conflict better and make it functional

within their marriage (Gottman & Krokoff, 1989; Weiss & Heyman, 1997). In doing so, it

may become clearer what problem-solving behaviors can be taught to couples to assist

them in having functional conflict over the course of their marriage.

*Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, AL.

†

Child Development and Family Relations, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Amy Rauer, Human Development and

Family Studies, Auburn University, 203 Spidle Hall, AL, 36849. E-mail: arauer@auburn.edu

The research reported was funded by a grant from the John E. Fetzer Institute to the first author. We

are grateful to the families of the Marriage and Retirement Study for their participation.

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Family Process, Vol. 56, No. 2, 2017 ©2015 Family Process Institute

doi: 10.1111/famp.12198

One population that might be especially pertinent to study in this regard is satisfied

couples, as successful problem-solving is one of the most robust predictors of marita l satis-

faction (Fincham, 2004; Stanley, Markman, & Whitton, 2002). Given the inevitability of

conflict within close relationships, those who are able to handle their disagreements with-

out great cost to their marital functioning may provide important insights into successful

conflict resolution. The challenge, however, is that recent work from Rauer and Volling

(2013) reveals that even among a seemingly homogeneous population such as happy cou-

ples, considerable variability exists in how couples handle conflict. Adding further com-

plexity are findings that the problem-solving behaviors that characterize couples at one

point in the lifespan may not generalize across other developmental periods. For example,

research has found that older couples tend to utilize more constructive problem-solving

behaviors when faced with marital disagreements than their younger counterparts (e.g.,

less anger, more affection; Carstensen, Graff, Levenson, & Gottman, 1996). Even behav-

iors considered problematic earlier in marriages, such as withdrawal, may be beneficial

later in life if older couples are using these problem-solving behaviors with more benign or

positive intentions (e.g., waiting to see if things improve; Birditt & Fingerman, 2005).

Given the years of interactional experiences that couples accumulate over the history of

their marriages, it is likely that even a uniformly satisfied group of older couples will

employ different strategies that have proven successful in years past, creating a great deal

of potential variability in couples’ approaches to resolving their problems (Hoppmann &

Blanchard-Fields, 2011).

Traditionally, however, few studies have observed marital problem-solving in older cou-

ples (Gottman & Notarius, 2002), and most of those have only provided a snapshot of the

aggregate experience of conflict in older adulthood (Peter-Wight & Martin, 2011). To

reveal the inherent diversity in how satisfied older couples handle their marital problems,

it is important to take a typology approach that classifies couples based on their behaviors

in a problem-solving interaction (Rauer & Volling, 2013). Thus, the current study drew

upon observations of stable, satisfied older couples’ problem-solving discussions to exam-

ine variability and determine how these patterns of behaviors were linked to marital func-

tioning. By identifying the different problem-solving behaviors satisfied older couples

employ, we can begin to better understand how to foster marital happiness for a wider

swath of couples.

Understanding Problem-Solving Behaviors both Between and Within Couples

The behavioral theory of marriage suggests that how couples behave when faced with

problems shapes spouses’ perceptions of one another and their marriage (Thibault & Kel-

ley, 1959; Weiss, 1984). According to Gottman (1990, 1999a,b), couples who display greater

positivity and fewer destructive behaviors (e.g., criticism, contempt) are not only more sat-

isfied, but they develop a positive halo effect, whereby they view positive experiences as

lasting traits within their marriage and negative experiences as temporary and situa-

tional. Couples whose interactions are characterized by antagonism and less positivity,

however, become increasingly dissatisfied with their relationship and experience a nega-

tive halo effect, whereby negative interactions are given more weight in their evaluations

of their marriage. These perceptions alter the nature of subsequent interactions between

partners (Karney & Bradbury, 1995), which likely widens the discrepancies seen between

the happily and unhappily married over the course of a marriage.

Although most scholars have focused on these differences in the behaviors of happily

versus unhappily married couples to illuminate our understanding of how to successfully

resolve conflict (Beach, Fincham, Amir, & Leonard, 2005; Halford, Kelly, & Markman,

1997), a growing body of work suggests that even among happy, stable couples, couples

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