Assertiveness, Self-Esteem, and Relationship Satisfaction

: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between assertiveness, self-esteem, and relationship satisfaction while also accounting for the demographic variables of gender, age, relationship duration, and household income. An online survey-based, quantitative study (n=220) examined the following research questions: RQ1. What is the correlation between self-esteem, assertiveness, and relationship satisfaction? RQ2. Does self-esteem mediate the relationship between assertiveness and relationship satisfaction? RQ3. What factors are most significant in predicting relationship satisfaction? It was found that (RQ1) self-esteem and relationship satisfaction (p<.001) and self-esteem and assertiveness were correlated (p<.001). However, because assertiveness was not significantly related to relationship satisfaction, a mediational model was not tested (RQ2). Finally, when examining (RQ3) the most salient factors (length of relationship, income, assertiveness, self-esteem, gender) associated with relationship satisfaction via an ordinal regression model, only self-esteem remained significant (p<.001). The findings support previous research conclusions and suggest that self-esteem has a greater predictive ability on relationship satisfaction than assertiveness, but that further research is needed to understand these findings