Destructive Conflict Resolution, Acculturation Orientations, and Relationship Satisfaction among Ethnic Groups in the Netherlands

Abstract

We aimed at disentangling the role of ethnicity and of acculturation in relation to destructive conflict resolutionand relationship satisfaction among 600 individuals of different ethnicity living in the Netherlands. Ethnicgroup differences were obtained for destructive conflict resolution and similarities appeared for relationshipsatisfaction after controlling for age, education, and income. As for cultural differences, the Turkish-Moroccangroup was higher on destructive conflict management than the ethnic Dutch group. Turkish-Moroccans alsoindicated that they continue the argument without listening to their partners more than Antillean-Surinameseindividuals. As for relationship satisfaction, immigrants with an Indonesian background reported higher relationship satisfaction than Turkish-Moroccans. Regarding gender differences, females scored higher than males in relation to destructive conflict management and relationship satisfaction. Finally, groups were invariant in relation to the negative relationship between destructive conflict resolution and relationship satisfaction. Yet,cultural maintenance was more strongly and positively related to satisfaction among immigrants with Turkishand Moroccan backgrounds than with Antillean, Surinamese, and Indonesian origins. Nevertheless, culturaladoption was more strongly and positively related to satisfaction among immigrants with Antillean, Surinamese,and Indonesian origins compared to people with Turkish and Moroccan backgrounds. Cultural maintenancewas more salient than cultural adoption in relation to satisfaction.