Should You Rock the Boat? Understanding the Association between Conflict Management Styles, Self Disclosure, and Relational Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to identify the association between conflict management style, self disclosure, and relational satisfaction. Due to the limited amount of research conducted to date concerning the association of all three concepts, the study was conducted to provide insight into the associations. Quantitative research methodology was utilized in this study. Three surveys were used to gather the data from the participants on how they viewed their conflict management style, self disclosure during conflict, relational satisfaction with both their mothers and their current or most recent romantic partner. The surveys were distributed throughout a large Midwestern University and 235 responses were received. Data from this study lent insight into the association between these three concepts. This data showed there were significant associations between conflict management styles used by mothers and romantic partners. Due to the limited research conducted prior to this study, the data also extended knowledge of the association between conflict management styles and self disclosure, suggesting that different conflict management styles yield different types of self disclosure (positive, negative, and uncertainty) during a conflict depending on if the conflict is with mother or romantic partner. Finally, the data suggested the type of self disclosure does not affect relational satisfaction in either a mother-child or romantic relationship