The primary purposes of this study were to examine the major sources ofrnmarital problems and resolution mechanisms. In pursuit of these objectives,rndata were collected from different sources by using a variety of tools.rnIn the present study a total of 210 purposefully selected participate wererninvolved.rnTrained data collectors administered a questionnaire prepared by therninvestigator for 200 (105 male and 95 women) participants in the three studyrncenters in Addis Ababa namely: Me nlik Preparatory high School, Selam HealthrnCenter and Tropical College of Medicine. Focus group discussions were alsornconducted with 10 elderly who spent more than twenty years in resolvingrndisputes among couples.rnThe statistical analysis employed in the present study consists of bothrnpercentage and chi- square. Moreover, qualitative analyses were employed tornexamine data gathered through focus group discussions.rnAccording to the results of this study, psychological factors were found to bernone of the major sources of marital problems. Mental cruelty, lack love,rnexcessive demand and unavailability of the spouse were sources of maritalrnproblems categorized under psychological factors. According to the findings ofrnthis study, there is no significant differences in reported psychological factorsrnthat may be attributed to variation in sex(Chi-Square = 3.25,df=1) and variationrnin duration ofmarriage(Chi-Square = 2.83,df=2), P< 0.05.rnExternal factors were also found to be the other major sources of maritalrnproblem. Interference by in laws, neighbor, friends, loyal to kin, financialrnhandling of the family and social disapproval were sources of marital problemsrncategorized under external factors. According to the results of this study, therernis no significant differences in reported external factors that may be attributedrnto variation in sex(Chi-Square = O. 76,df= 1) and variation in duration ofrnmarriage(Chi-Square = 0.45,df=2) P< 0.05.rnThe other major source of marital problem according to the findings of this studyrnwas sex related factors . Sexual incompatibility, lack of sexual satisfaction,rnreluctance or refusal of coitus and inconsiderateness w ere sources of maritalrnproblems categorized under external factors. According to the results of thisrns tudy, there is no significant differences in reported sex related factorsrnthat may be attributed to variation in sex(Chi-Square = 1.63, df= 1 ) and variationrnin duration ofmarriage(Chi-Square = 2.23,df=2) P< 0.05.rnThe findings of this study depicted the coping mechanisms used in resolvingrnmarital problems. Thus, avoidance and competing were the least employedrncoping mechanisms.rnThe study made practical recommendations aimed at preventing the family unitrnfrom disintegration.