Editing Intimate relationship (section)

=== Conflict ===
Disagreements within intimate relationships are a stressful event,<ref name="Feeney-2017">{{Cite journal |last1=Feeney |first1=Judith A |last2=Karantzas |first2=Gery C |date=2017 |title=Couple conflict: insights from an attachment perspective |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X16300410 |journal=Current Opinion in Psychology |series=Relationships and stress |volume=13 |pages=60–64 |doi=10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.04.017 |pmid=28813296 |issn=2352-250X|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and the strategies couples use to navigate conflict impact the quality and success of the relationship.<ref name="Overall-2017">{{Cite journal |last1=Overall |first1=Nickola C |author-link=Nickola Overall |last2=McNulty |first2=James K |date=2017 |title=What type of communication during conflict is beneficial for intimate relationships? |journal=Current Opinion in Psychology |series=Relationships and stress |volume=13 |pages=1–5 |doi=10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.03.002 |issn=2352-250X |pmc=5181851 |pmid=28025652}}</ref> Common sources of conflict between intimate partners include disagreements about the balance of work and family life, frequency of sex, finances, and household tasks.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Risch |first1=Gail S. |last2=Riley |first2=Lisa A. |last3=Lawler |first3=Michael G. |date=2003 |title=Problematic Issues in the Early Years of Marriage: Content for Premarital Education |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/009164710303100310 |journal=Journal of Psychology and Theology |language=en |volume=31 |issue=3 |pages=253–269 |doi=10.1177/009164710303100310 |s2cid=141072191 |issn=0091-6471|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Psychologist [[John Gottman]]'s research has identified three stages of conflict in couples. First, couples present their opinions and feelings on the issue. Next, they argue and attempt to persuade the other of their viewpoint, and finally, the members of the relationship negotiate to try to arrive at a compromise.<ref name="Gottman-2017">{{Citation |last=Gottman |first=John M. |title=The Roles of Conflict Engagement, Escalation, and Avoidance in Marital Interaction: A Longitudinal View of Five Types of Couples |date=2017-11-30 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781351153683-21 |work=Interpersonal Development |pages=359–368 |access-date=2023-11-22 |publisher=Routledge|doi=10.4324/9781351153683-21 |isbn=978-1-351-15368-3 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Individuals vary in how they typically engage with conflict.<ref name="Gottman-2017" /> Gottman describes that happy couples differ from unhappy couples in their interactions during conflict: unhappy couples tend to use more frequent negative tone of voice, show more predictable behavior during communication, and get stuck in cycles of negative behavior with their partner.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gottman |first=J.M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RXuLBQAAQBAJ&dq=Gottman,+J.+M.+(1979).+Marital+interaction:+Experimental+investigations.+San+Diego,+CA:+Academic+Press&pg=PP1 |title=Marital Interaction: Experimental Investigations |publisher=Academic Press |year=1979 |location=New York, NY|isbn=978-1-4832-6598-8 }}</ref><ref name="Bradbury-2019"/> Other unproductive strategies within conflict include avoidance and withdrawal, defensiveness, and hostility.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Overall |first1=Nickola C. |last2=McNulty |first2=James K. |date=2017 |title=What Type of Communication during Conflict is Beneficial for Intimate Relationships? |journal=Current Opinion in Psychology |volume=13 |pages=1–5 |doi=10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.03.002 |issn=2352-250X |pmc=5181851 |pmid=28025652}}</ref> These responses may be salient when an individual feels threatened by the conflict, which can be a reflection of insecure [[Attachment theory|attachment orientation]] and previous negative relationship experiences.<ref name="Feeney-2017" /> When conflicts go unresolved, relationship satisfaction is negatively impacted.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Cramer |first=Duncan |date=2000 |title=Relationship Satisfaction and Conflict Style in Romantic Relationships |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00223980009600873 |journal=The Journal of Psychology |language=en |volume=134 |issue=3 |pages=337–341 |doi=10.1080/00223980009600873 |pmid=10907711 |s2cid=9245525 |issn=0022-3980|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Constructive conflict resolution strategies include validating the other person's point of view and concerns, expressing affection, using humor, and active listening. However, the effectiveness of these strategies depend on the topic and severity of the conflict and the characteristics of the individuals involved.<ref name="Overall-2017" /> Repeated stressful instances of unresolved conflict might cause intimate partners to seek [[Couples therapy|couples counseling]], consult [[self-help]] resources, or consider ending the relationship.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Doss |first1=Brian D. |last2=Rhoades |first2=Galena K. |last3=Stanley |first3=Scott M. |last4=Markman |first4=Howard J. |date=2009 |title=Marital Therapy, Retreats, and Books: The Who, What, When, and Why of Relationship Help-Seeking |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2008.00093.x |journal=Journal of Marital and Family Therapy |language=en |volume=35 |issue=1 |pages=18–29 |doi=10.1111/j.1752-0606.2008.00093.x |pmid=19161581 |issn=0194-472X|url-access=subscription }}</ref>