This study investigated the relationship between verbal and non-verbal communication patterns and marital adjustment of married teachers in Port Harcourt metropolis. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated for the study. Correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population for the study comprised all male and female married public secondary school teachers in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State. Simple random sampling and non-proportionate stratified random sampling techniques were used to draw the sample size of 400 respondents. Researchers developed questionnaire titled “Marital Communication Scale (MCS) and an adapted instrument titled Marital Adjustment Scale (MAS)” were used to gather data. The reliability coefficients of the instrument were 0.64and 0.70 respectively. Data collected were analysed using simple regression and multiple regressions for research questions, ANOVA associated with simple-linear regression and ANOVA associated with multiple regressions were used to test the hypothesis. Findings of this study revealed that verbal communication and non-verbal communication were significant predictors of marital adjustment among married public secondary school teachers in Port Harcourt Metropolis. It was recommended among others that Seminars could be organised for married public secondary school teachers in Port Harcourt Metropolis with the view to helping them communicate effectively and achieve adjustments at various levels in their marriages
Keywords: marital adjustment., non-verbal communication, verbal communication pattern
