Extensive research has demonstrated that couples' communication quality is related to many aspects of couples' lives, including relationship satisfaction. However, the possibility that the quality of couples' communication might vary as a function of the topic of communication and the implications of this variability have received relatively little attention. Accordingly, this study sought to examine (a) within-person variability in communication quality between topics, (b) associations with relationship satisfaction, and (c) associations with stressors focal to specific topics. Black coparenting couples (N = 344) reported on their communication quality around four topics: finances, children, racial discrimination, and kinfolk. Results indicated that communication quality significantly differed across topics. Communication quality was lowest for finances and kinfolk, significantly higher when discussing problems with children, and highest when discussing racial discrimination. Moreover, communication quality when discussing finances, kinfolk, and racial discrimination each uniquely predicted relationship satisfaction, even after controlling for each other and for general communication skills. Experiencing more stress around finances and children was associated with poorer communication quality in the focal area (and for financial stress, in some other communication topics as well), whereas the extent of racial discrimination was not significantly associated with communication quality for any topic. These findings reveal significant variability in couples' communication across topics and demonstrate that considering communication for different topics can offer unique information about couples' relationship satisfaction beyond general communication skills. Further research examining topic-specific communication quality may enhance understanding of and interventions for couples' communication. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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夫妻之间的沟通质量因话题而异。

广泛的研究表明，夫妻的沟通质量与夫妻生活的许多方面有关，包括关系满意度。然而，夫妻沟通质量可能随沟通主题而变化的可能性以及这种变化的影响相对较少受到关注。因此，本研究试图检验（a）主题之间沟通质量的个体差异，（b）与关系满意度的关联，以及（c）与特定主题的压力源的关联。黑人共同育儿夫妇（N = 344）报告了他们围绕四个主题的沟通质量：财务、儿童、种族歧视和亲属。结果表明，不同主题的沟通质量存在显着差异。财务和亲属方面的沟通质量最低，与儿童讨论问题时的沟通质量明显较高，而讨论种族歧视时的沟通质量最高。此外，即使在控制了彼此和一般沟通技巧之后，讨论财务、亲属和种族歧视时的沟通质量也能独特地预测关系满意度。在财务和儿童方面经历更多压力与焦点领域的沟通质量较差有关（对于财务压力，在其他一些沟通主题中也是如此），而种族歧视的程度与任何主题的沟通质量都没有显着相关。这些发现揭示了夫妻跨主题沟通的显着差异，并表明考虑不同主题的沟通可以提供超出一般沟通技巧的有关夫妻关系满意度的独特信息。进一步研究特定主题的沟通质量可能会增强对夫妻沟通的理解和干预。（PsycInfo 数据库记录 (c) 2023 APA，保留所有权利）。