Pairing of motivational style and evolution of marital satisfaction

The aim of the present study was to examine whether couples tend to adopt s elf-determined motivational styles and to observe the relationship between couples' motivation style pairings and marital satisfaction. The sample con sisted of 226 married or cohabiting couples participating on a voluntary ba sis. Eighty-seven couples completed the questionnaires a second time 36 mon ths later. The instruments used were the Couple Motivation Questionnaire an d the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Results showed that there is a significant r elationship between women and men's motivations to live together. The most frequent couples' pattern of pairing was two people with self-determined mo tivational styles. Furthermore, this couple pattern was related to higher m arital satisfaction.