Disclosure of Problems and Tensions Experienced by Marital Partners

Abstract

189 husband-wife pairs indicated how likely they were to disclose to their spouses when they were experiencing problems, and their reasons for disclosing and/or not disclosing. Wives disclosed significantly more than husbands. Both gave similar reasons for disclosing, but different reasons for not disclosing. Husbands and wives who were more likely to disclose to their spouses also reported greater marital and life satisfaction, but level of disclosing was not related to measures of mental and physical well-being or job satisfaction.