POSITIVITY IN MARRIAGE - THE ROLE OF DISCORD AND PHYSICAL AGGRESSION AGAINST WIVES

This study considered the role of perceptions of relationship positivi ty-specifically, positive communication, caring gestures, and recollec tions of happiest times-in discordant clinic (n = 81) versus nondiscor dant community (n = 51) couples. Marriage positivity was also examined in three subgroups of clinic couples who differed as to whether the h usband was nonaggressive, mildly aggressive, or severely aggressive. A s expected, spouses in nondistressed community marriages reported more frequent and higher quality positive communication and longer lasting and more recent happiest memories than did the clinic spouses. Howeve r, the discordant clinic husbands evaluated their wives' caring behavi or as more negative than their own behavior, while nondiscordant commu nity husbands described their wives' caring behavior as more positive. Measures of relationship positivity also differentiated aggressive fr om nonaggressive clinic subgroups even when the subgroups were equated for martial adjustment levels.