• The study aims to find out how the idiomatic communication that couples in a relationship have (the kinds, the frequency, the effects, and their motivations as to why they do it) is connected to how they are as a couple, and the stage of their relationship. (Dunleavy & Booth-Butterfield, 2009).
• Personal idioms are the exclusive verbal or non-verbal ways of communication that couples have with each other which suggest whether the relationship is going well or not (Bell & Healey, 1992, as cited by Dunleavy & Booth-Butterfield, 2009). According to Bell (1987), couples in a romantic relationship usually have eight idiomatic functions, namely: confrontations, expressions of affection, labels for outsiders, nicknames, sexual invitations, sexual…show more content… Relational Satisfaction on the other hand, for Dainton and Stafford (1994), ‘‘is generally defined as an individual’s attitude toward the partner and the relationship, typically in terms of the perceived quality of the relationship’’ (Dunleavy & Booth-Butterfield, 2009.) And for this to be achieved, Toldstedt & Stokes (1984) and Yolder & Nichols (1980) believe that there needs to be great amount of positive communication. (Dunleavy & Booth-Butterfield,…show more content… Their effects usually depend on the nature of the idioms; confrontation is generally negative, and expressing affections is positive. For extreme cases however, even the confrontations become positive since escalating couples look at it constructively or being affectionate becomes negative since de-escalating ones see it as clinginess. The data gathered also supported that solidarity and relational satisfaction are rooted from constant communication.
• We can see the application of the Social Penetration Theory’s concept of penetration and de-penetration stages with the escalation and de-escalation stages proposed by Mark Knapp. Although they are not necessarily the same, the researchers hypothesized and proved that if self-disclosures are indicative of relational stages and they help in the penetration process, idiomatic communication are and do so as