Investigating the role of communication skills and conflict resolution techniques in predicting marital satisfaction of couples

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of communication skills and conflict resolution techniques in predicting the marital satisfaction of couples. This research was descriptive correlational. The statistical population of this study consisted of all couples living in Famenin in 2019, of whom 110 were selected through convenience sampling method and answered Ansari's marital satisfaction, communication skills, and Rahim’s conflict resolution questionnaires. The obtained data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient tests. The results showed that there was a positive relationship between marital satisfaction and communication skills (r=0.33, p<0.001) and its components, i.e., insight (r=0.26, p<0.001), verbal expression (r=0.32, p<0.001), listening skill (r=0.19, p<0.001), emotional management (r=0.18, p<0.001), but no significant relationship was seen with the assertiveness component (r=0.08, p<0.001). Also, marital satisfaction has a positive relationship with the components of conflict resolution techniques, i.e. integration (r=0.29, p<0.001), avoidance (r=0.13, p<0.05), competence (r=0.12, p< 0.05), and being bound (r=0.28, p<0.001) and has an inverse relationship with the component of dominance (r=-0.26, p<0.001). The results of the regression analysis also showed that 26% of the variance in marital satisfaction is explained by communication skills and conflict resolution techniques. The results show that communication skills and conflict resolution techniques play a role in couples' marital satisfaction.