These are marriages of convenience, the couple remaining together because of inertia. Vital Marriages are the ideal type of warm, loving relationships where the partners are interested in each other and committed to each other and the marriage. There is room for autonomy and personal growth for each partner, as well as a fair amount of consideration of the other person in making personal decisions. Conflicts are rare and low key when present. Such a couple has common goals and are willing to work to maintain a high sense of the partnership.
Total marriages are MORE vital than vital ones.
These people cannot think of anything but the other person. They may work together, as in a family business, and are more integrated. It is also quite possible that the marriage partners may have different conceptions of the relationship. There are some clues to the secret of marital happiness over the lifecourse A. Terms such as marital happiness, marital satisfaction, and marital adjustment are used interchangeably. Most couples find that marital satisfaction tends to sag a little during the period from the birth of the first child to the launching of the last one.