Gottman noted couples from each of the three regulated types may need to borrow

strategies from the other types at times to effectively resolve conflict; he also suggested

conflict-avoiding couples may have difficulties when conflicts arise which cannot be

minimized. Practitioners may be supportive of conflict-avoiding couples by helping them

to recognize conflicts that cannot be minimized, and by coaching them to develop more

direct approaches to resolving conflicts when the situation warrants. Belsky and Kelly

(1994) suggested conflict-avoiding couples are at risk of decreased intimacy across the

transition to parenthood since they tend to maintain intimacy through sharing activities

rather than feelings, and the transition is often associated with diverging roles. Therefore

it may be especially important for professionals to encourage less task differentiation and

more task sharing among conflict-avoiding couples as this could help them maintain their

connection. Conflict-avoiding couples could also be encouraged to discuss their marital

strengths and shared philosophies, as these represent points of connection as well

(Gottman, 1999).

 The study's findings also have implications for addressing hostile type approaches

to conflict. Older parents may need more help from prevention programs and counseling

to help prevent or reduce hostile approaches to conflict and also marital disaffection. As

noted previously, the cross-sectional nature of the present study prevents knowing with

certainty whether the association between couples' rating of the hostile couple conflict

type and their infants' age actually represented a propensity for deterioration toward more

hostile approaches to conflict over time. However, these findings suggest prevention

efforts focusing on developing or maintaining constructive approaches to conflict may be

more effective earlier in the transition to parenthood rather than later.