GRADUATE STUDENT COUPLES - DYADIC SATISFACTION IN RELATION TO TYPE OFPARTNERSHIP AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Seventy-one married and cohabiting graduate student couples responded individually to questionnaires which queried subjects on demographic c haracteristics, dyadic satisfaction, and dyadic trust. In contrast to the literature, no significant results were found for married couples with respect to symmetry on overall relationship satisfaction. Married partners, however, did show significantly greater dyadic trust compar ed to cohabiting couples. Discrepancies with respect to the literature were discussed in terms of the financial status of the graduate stude nt couples in this study.