Canadian researchers reveal how your view of your partner’s looks, and how you think they see you, can make or break relationship satisfaction. Mutual appreciation and reduced body criticism are key.
Study: Satisfaction with partner’s appearance, body criticism, and relationship quality in heterosexual couples: A dyadic study. Image Credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock
In a recent article published in the journal Body Image, researchers in Canada investigated whether satisfaction with a romantic partner’s appearance affected the quality of relationships in heterosexual couples. Their findings indicate that couples in which people appreciated their partner’s appearance had higher relationship quality, as did those where people felt that their partner appreciated their appearance. However, when people perceived that their partner viewed their appearance critically, their satisfaction in their relationship declined.
Background
Physical appearance and attractiveness play important roles in romantic relationships. Prior research has shown that satisfaction with one’s partner’s looks, including weight and body shape, positively relates to relationship satisfaction.
Moreover, feeling that one’s partner is attracted to them is associated with both partners’ satisfaction with the relationship and self-image. These effects appear consistent across genders. Studies suggest that perceiving a partner as attractive may enhance commitment and marital satisfaction, with some findings pointing to stronger effects for men.
In addition to attractiveness, how individuals perceive their partner’s satisfaction with their appearance can influence relationship and sexual satisfaction. This perception may be shaped by assumed similarity (e.g., projecting one’s satisfaction onto the partner) and actual accuracy in judgment.
Furthermore, body-related comments – particularly criticism – can significantly affect body image and relationship quality. While this has been mostly studied in women, there is growing evidence that men are also negatively affected by partner body criticism.
However, little is known about how such criticism influences one’s partner’s perception of their satisfaction with their appearance and, in turn, relationship quality. This study seeks to fill these gaps by examining these dynamics in romantic heterosexual couples.
About the study
This study examined how factors related to appearance – specifically satisfaction with a partner’s appearance, what someone perceives to be their partner’s satisfaction with their appearance, and whether someone believes their partner views their appearance critically – are linked to the quality of relationships among heterosexual couples.
167 heterosexual couples in Quebec, Canada, participated in the study. The participants were French-speaking adults who had been in a relationship for at least six months. Each partner completed an online questionnaire independently.
The sample was predominantly White, with an average age of about 44 years and an average relationship length of nearly 11 years. Most couples were married or cohabiting.
Measures included each person’s satisfaction levels with their partner’s appearance, what they perceived to be their partner’s satisfaction levels with their (own) appearance, perceived levels of body criticism, and overall relationship quality, assessed via validated questionnaires. Notably, most of these measures were brief, relying on two-item scales, which the researchers acknowledge as a limitation.
Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, and both direct and indirect effects were examined using bootstrapped confidence intervals.
Findings
The study found moderate similarity between heterosexual romantic partners in how they perceived each other’s appearance: partner appearance satisfaction and perceived levels of the partner’s satisfaction with their appearance, and a lower similarity in perceived criticism related to one’s appearance.
Analysis confirmed that satisfaction with a partner’s appearance and perceived partner satisfaction with one’s appearance were positively linked to self-reported relationship quality for men and women. Additionally, body criticism was negatively associated with perceived levels of the partner’s satisfaction and, indirectly, with relationship quality.
For men, both their own and their partner’s contentment with their appearance predicted their belief that their partner was satisfied with them; this perception, in turn, enhanced their relationship quality. The same pattern held for women.
Interestingly, on average, a woman’s satisfaction with her partner’s appearance also directly improved his satisfaction in the relationship, although the researchers note that this “partner effect” was modest and should be interpreted cautiously until confirmed by further studies.
Supplementary analyses showed these associations remained stable after controlling for age and weight concerns.
Researchers found evidence of two important indirect pathways: one from men’s perception of body criticism from their partner to men’s relationship quality via men’s perceived partner satisfaction with their appearance, and another from men’s satisfaction with their partner’s appearance to the quality of women’s relationships through women’s perceived partner satisfaction.
It is important to note that, due to the cross-sectional design of the study, it is not possible to determine causality. The authors suggest that the observed links may be bidirectional; for example, people who feel more satisfied in their relationship may also perceive their partner’s appearance more positively.
Conclusions
The study highlighted how satisfaction with one’s partner’s appearance and the absence of body criticism from their partner play important roles in perceived relationship quality. Assumed similarity (believing a partner feels similarly) and accuracy (correctly perceiving a partner’s feelings) both contributed to these dynamics.
The study design using both partners' responses was a key strength, allowing for the exploration of partner effects. However, the study relied on self-reports and very brief measures, and its cross-sectional nature prevents conclusions about causality. The sample was also limited to mostly White heterosexual couples, reducing generalizability.
Future research should use longitudinal designs and include more diverse participants. Findings suggest that promoting open, balanced conversations about appearance could support healthier relationships, as long as appearance is just one of many appreciated partner qualities.
Journal reference:
- Satisfaction with partner’s appearance, body criticism, and relationship quality in heterosexual couples: A dyadic study. Fruchier, T., Guimond, F., Gagnon-Girouard, M., Lavigne, G., Rochette, S., Carbonneau, N. Body Image (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2025.101896, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1740144525000476