Demand-withdraw Interaction Pattern and Marital Dissatisfaction: Precursor or Consequence?

The demand-withdraw interaction pattern is a pattern of conflict in which one spouse pressures or blames while the other avoids or withdraws. Research has consistently shown that demand-withdraw behaviors are associated with marital dissatisfaction. However, although concurrent associations between the two constructs are robust, longitudinal associations are less consistent. Some studies found that demand- withdaw pattern is a predictor of later marital dissatisfaction, while other studies showed that it is marital dissatisfaction that exacerbates demanding and withdrawing behaviors. Moreover, existing research has been overwhelmingly conducted with relatively young couples, overlooking the differences that may exist between young and well-established marriages. The present study examined concurrent and longitudinal association between demand-withdraw pattern and marital dissatisfaction in a sample of 256 Italian couples with a wide range of relationship duration (1 to 60 years). Couples provided data on two occasions. Cross-lagged panel models were used to a) investigate causal relationships between marital dissatisfaction and demand-withdraw; b) determine direction of effects; and c) determine whether these relations were moderated by relationship duration. Results demonstrated that: a) demand-withdraw interaction pattern and marital dissatisfaction were associated both concurrently and longitudinally; b) marital dissatisfaction was a predictor of demand-withdraw interaction pattern; c) relationship duration moderated the longitudinal relation demand-withdraw interaction pattern and marital dissatisfaction: in well-established marriages the link between marital dissatisfaction and demand-withdraw pattern was stronger than in young couples.