Abstract
Background: Given the effect of various factors on the use of communication patterns by couples, this study aimed to determine the most common communication pattern among couples and related factors in Sari, northern Iran.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 520 people (260 couples) in Sari. Data were collected using a demographic–fertility factors questionnaire, Enrich couple scale, communication patterns questionnaire, general health questionnaire (GHQ-28), and NEO personality inventory. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 25 using descriptive and inferential statistics (multiple regression model).
 Results: While the mean (standard deviation) age of women included in the study was 34.08 (7.71) years, the mean age of men was 39.13 (9.18) years. The most common communication patterns in both women and men was the mutual constructive communication, whereas the lowest frequent communication pattern was the demand/withdraw communication in both men and women. Marital satisfaction had a significant positive correlation with mutual constructive communication pattern in women and men (P = 0.001). In addition, a significant inverse correlation was observed between the number of marriage to date, women’s age, and spouses' demand/withdraw communication pattern with mutual constructive communication pattern in women. Also, a significant inverse correlation was observed between flexibility (P = 0.047), number of marriages (P = 0.013), and the wives' age (P = 0.005) with mutual constructive communication pattern in men.
 Conclusion: According to the results of the study, it is necessary to recognize the factors related to couples’ communication patterns in order to improve the communication patterns so that marital conflicts could be avoided while a more effective communication is established. 
 Keywords: communication patterns, couples, personality characteristics, marital satisfaction, public health
Highlights
Couple communication patterns play an important role in families
Communication patterns can determine the level of marital satisfaction so that >90% of disturbed couples consider this problem as their main issue in their relationship [5, 10,11,12]
Modification of couples’ communication patterns is a method used in couple therapy to solve marital problems since changing communication patterns is more important, compared to other factors affecting marital conflicts, such as personality traits and socioeconomic status [5, 10, 16,17,18]
Summary
Couple communication patterns play an important role in families. communication patterns are recognized as a set of communication networks occurring frequently in a family [1,2,3,4]. Demand–withdraw pattern, which encompasses two parts including demander husband/withdrawer wife and vice versa This pattern is in the form of a cycle, where the increase of one leads to the exacerbation of the other, and intensification of the pattern results in more marital issues. Modification of couples’ communication patterns is a method used in couple therapy to solve marital problems since changing communication patterns is more important, compared to other factors affecting marital conflicts, such as personality traits and socioeconomic status [5, 10, 16,17,18]. A significant inverse correlation was observed between the number of marriage to date, women’s age, and spouses’ demand/withdraw communication pattern with mutual constructive communication pattern in women. Conclusion: According to the results of the study, it is necessary to recognize the factors related to couples’ communication patterns in order to improve the communication patterns so that marital conflicts could be avoided while a more effective communication is established
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