Emotion skills and marital health: The association between observed and self-reported emotion skills, intimacy, and marital satisfaction

The relationship between observed and self-reported emotion skills, intimacy, and relationship satisfaction was examined. Results showed that emotion skills can be reliably observed in couples\u27 interactions. Results also supported a model in which emotion skills influence marital satisfaction through their influence on intimacy. Results further showed that observed emotion skills added to self-report in the prediction of marital health. Finally, where there were gender differences, women were more emotionally skillful than men