Compatibility quotient, and its relationship with marital satisfaction and personality traits in Italian married couples

The increasing numbers of divorces and separations in Italy has focused the attention of many researchers on the necessity to develop psychological instruments to measure the probability that a couple will end their marriage. Wilson's compatibility quotient (CQ) is considered a valid test for measuring risk of divorcing in married couples. The test measures the level of compatibility or similarity between partners. One hundred and eighty-four Italian married heterosexual couples were administered the CQ, the Locke--Wallace Marital Adjustment Test measuring marital satisfaction and the Big Five Questionnaire. Couples with high compatibility scores have higher level of marital satisfaction and partner's attractiveness. Energy, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability Openness and Agreeableness were also related to couple compatibility. Therefore, Wilson's CQ could represent a suitable tool for measuring divorce risk in married couples.