Determinants of satisfaction with love life in Brazil and Portugal

Abstract

In the present research, we investigated how individual love dispositions and personality traits predict satisfaction with love life. The sample comprised 531 participants, of whom 257 were Brazilian and 274 Portuguese. Their mean age was 23.36 (SD = 5.91) years. There were no significant differences between men and women, and between Brazilian and Portuguese participants in satisfaction with love. Love dispositions predicted 61 % of the variance in satisfaction with love. Feelings regarding a relationship (closeness and commitment) were stronger predictors of satisfaction with love than feelings regarding a partner (compassion and affection). Satisfaction with love was also predicted by higher feeling of admiration, closeness, commitment, and lower feeling of affection and neuroticism.