A recent study published in the Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy found that couples who value money and materialistic items above anything else are less happy than couples that don’t. Approximately 1,734 couples across the country were evaluated. Not only did the study find that couples who prioritized other needs in their relationship over money and materialistic items scored 10-15% higher in relationship stability over time, it also found that “wealthy” couples (i.e. those couples not considered to have a low socioeconomic status) that prioritized materialism over anything else reported higher levels of conflict and less effective communication and responsiveness in the relationship. Bottom line, it doesn’t matter how much money you have, if it’s a priority in your relationship, it’s unlikely to find you love!
As a licensed clinical professional counselor at Polaris Counseling, Lauren Sax-Hanninen says, “Many couples might be surprised to learn that relationships with a heavy focus on materialistic assets, such as money, are correlated with less overall stability and fulfillment. It is understandable how people may become fixated on material belongings in our consumerist society. This study sheds new light on the threat that this ideal may have to stability in romantic relationships. It is important for us to continually assess the meaning of our values and the effect they are having upon the quality of our lives and relationships. In doing so, we may find that a shifting of values may translate into a more stable relationship with our significant other.”