Marital satisfaction often ______ with parenthood and often ______ after a child leaves the home.

• A. Decreases, Improves
• B. Increases, Declines
• C. Remains the same, Fluctuates
• D. Improves, Declines

Answer: (A)

Marital satisfaction tends to follow a two-stage pattern across family life. Becoming parents brings new roles, responsibilities, and stress—sleep disruption, financial strain, and conflicts about parenting—which commonly lowers satisfaction. When the last child leaves home, couples often gain back time together, experience relief from ongoing parenting demands, and refocus on their relationship, which tends to raise satisfaction. So the best fit is that it decreases with parenthood and improves after a child leaves. The other patterns don’t capture this typical rise after the empty nest or the initial dip during early parenthood.