Marital Communication<i></i> provides insight into healthy relationships for those who want to better understand key communication processes between long-term, committed, romantic partners. Writing with students, teachers, researchers, practitioners, and couples in mind, this book uses marriage as a proving ground to understand the processes necessary to build and maintain positive romantic relationships.<br /><br /><i></i>Marital Communication<i></i> develops the idea that marriage is a distinctive communication context (long-term, romantic, and committed) that uniquely influences various relationship processes. It focuses on three essential elements needed for healthy marital functioning: positive everyday communication, intimacy and love, and productive conflict management. The book finishes by describing how these essential elements change across the life-span, by examining marriage's dark side, and by focusing on the use of forgiveness to ensure a healthy longevity. <br /><br />Soundly documented with current research and written in a manner accessible to student and researcher alike, <i></i>Marital Communication<i></i> is an ideal supplement for current courses focusing on family communication, interpersonal and relational communication, and conflict. It is also an excellent, resource for the relationship professional.<br />