Length of union as a moderator of the relationship between personality and dyadic adjustment

Recent researches have examined the contribution of personality traits to the prediction of dyadic adjustment but, for some traits, the emerging picture is somewhat inconsistent. This study sought to contribute to this body of literature by investigating the moderator role of union length in the relationship between the two variables. Two hundred and twenty-six couples completed, along with a demographic questionnaire, the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses, in which conjugal status and age were partialled out, showed that, for women, the effect of neuroticism and openness varies linearly with respect to length of relationship. More specifically, as the length of the relationship increases, the effect of women’s neuroticism on their own dyadic adjustment (i.e., global score, dyadic satisfaction, and affectional expression) becomes more negative. In addition, while women’s openness is positively related to their own dyadic adjustment (i.e., global score, dyadic satisfaction and dyadic consensus) for women in recent conjugal relationships, the influence is negative for those in longer relationships. The moderator effect of the duration on women’s openness also applies to the prediction of their partner’s dyadic adjustment.