Author Date

2023-03-17

Degree Name

BS

Department

Psychology

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Defense Date

2023-03-08

Publication Date

2023-03-17

First Faculty Advisor

Dr. Blake Jones

First Faculty Reader

Professor Dawn-Marie Wood

Honors Coordinator

Dr. Bruce Brown

Keywords

emotional connection, marital satisfaction, conflict resolution, conflict styles, strategies for a successful marriage, literature review of research by John Gottman and Sue Johnson

Abstract

This thesis explores research-based factors that contribute to a healthy relationship and the benefits of creating and enhancing emotional connection in marriage, primarily from John Gottman and Sue Johnson. One outcome of improved emotional connection between spouses is that when conflict occurs – and it will – the couple will be better equipped to behave in mature, respectful, and effective ways. A healthy marriage looks different for individual couples yet all have defining characteristics that turn spouses towards one another and build their marital friendship. Examples include the following: avoiding the four horsemen of the apocalypse (criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling), maintaining the 5:1 magic ratio, making intentional and undistracted time for each other, listening to understand and not to fix, forgiving, and recognizing that most things are not personal. As spouses practice strategies to create and enhance emotional connection they will be more likely to have greater marital satisfaction.

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