Empathy and Relationship Satisfaction among Couples in Long-Term Monogamous Relationships

Healthy relationships are a key contributor toward life satisfaction. Thus, it is important to understand correlates of relationship functioning. Partners high in empathy have been found to experience higher levels of relationship satisfaction. However, it is unclear which facet of empathy matters more in determining satisfaction, an individual’s own empathy or their perception of their partner’s empathy. The present study surveyed both members of 54 heterosexual couples (Mage = 38.57, SD = 14.44) on relationship satisfaction and two measures of empathy: self-reported empathy and perceptions of one’s partner’s empathy. Bivariate correlation analyses showed that both higher self-reported empathy scores and higher perceived empathy scores from the female partner were associated with higher relationship satisfaction among men. In women, the same pattern occurred: higher self-reported empathy in women and higher perceived empathy from the male partner were associated with higher relationship satisfaction among women. Moreover, higher empathic discrepancies – defined as the absolute difference between an individual’s self-reported empathy and their partner’s rating of the individual’s empathy – were associated with lower levels of relationship satisfaction among partners. These results lend support for empathy-focused efforts in developing and maintaining satisfying relationships.