Some marital conflicts may arise from one partner seeking to heal their early developmental deficits through interaction with the other partner. Those who lacked a loving supportive parenting experience may seek this from their spouse, not recognizing its unconscious elements. Because of this, the partner may respond inappropriately, describing the behavior as silly or babyish, unworthy of a mature adult.
While the healing of these emotional deficits are best done through psychotherapy during which unconscious motives are recognized and their affect on behavior reduced, this is not to say that a supportive, loving relationship cannot provide its own healing element