Explain the concept of dyadic adjustment or relationship satisfaction.

• A. Consensus, satisfaction, cohesion, and affection.
• B. Length of relationship and number of children.
• C. Agreement on decisions, overall happiness, sense of togetherness, and warmth.
• D. Frequency of communication alone.

Answer: (C)

Dyadic adjustment, or relationship satisfaction, captures how well a couple functions as a unit and how happy they are with the relationship. It rests on four interrelated areas: consensus (agreement on important matters and decisions), satisfaction (overall happiness with the relationship), cohesion (sense of togetherness and shared activities), and affectional expression (warmth and affectionate behavior toward each other). The option that describes agreement on decisions, overall happiness, sense of togetherness, and warmth lines up with these four dimensions in everyday language, making it the best description of dyadic adjustment. Choices that focus only on length of relationship or solely on how often they communicate miss this multi-dimensional picture of how partners experience and regulate their relationship.