Expanding the Study of Dyadic Conflict: The Potential Role of Self-Evaluation Maintenance Processes

Evidence documenting the importance of marital conflict continues to accumulate. For example, marital conflict has profound implications for individual well being (Coyne & Downey, 1991; O’Leary & Smith, 1991), and the link with depression is increasingly well established (Beach, 2000). Similarly, associations have been noted for physical and psychological abuse of partners (e.g., O’Leary, Malone, & Tyree, 1994). Particularly impressive has been the growth in information about the potential impact of marital conflict on physical health and family health.