MARITAL SATISFACTION AND SELF-DECEPTION: RECONSTRUCTION OF RELATIONSHIP HISTORIES AMONG OLDER ADULTS

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norm O'rourke ◽  
Philippe Cappeliez
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Marital Satisfaction ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
The Other ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Negative Events ◽  
Demographic Trends ◽  
Relationship History ◽  
The Relationship

The relationship among marital aggrandizement, satisfaction with life, and marital satisfaction is examined among an international sample of older adults (N = 400). Three distinct groupings are identified on the basis of cluster analysis. A minority of participants emerged as dissatisfied with life and marriage. This grouping (the distraught) holds realistic perceptions of their relationship history. The same is true for a larger grouping identified as the realistically content who appear satisfied with life and marriage. The largest grouping (Pollyannas) also appears highly satisfied with life and marriage. Of note, these participants also engage in selective recall negating the occurrence of negative events and perceptions of their spouse and marriage. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) suggests that Pollyannas convey a tendency for self-deception that distinguishes them from the other two groupings. These results are discussed in terms of demographic trends and directions for future research.

scholarly journals THE IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONAL CAPITAL ACROSS THE LIFESPAN: WHY THE LITTLE MOMENTS IN MARRIAGE MATTER

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S284-S284
Author(s):  
Lisa Neff ◽  
Courtney Walsh ◽  
Jennifer Beer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Marital Satisfaction ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Married Couples ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Relationship Length ◽  
Emotional Capital ◽  
Partner Behaviors

Abstract Throughout a marriage, couples will share countless ordinary moments together, such as laughing together or engaging in leisure activities. Although these moments may seem trivial in isolation, research suggests that accumulating small positive moments together helps couples build emotional capital, which serves as an essential resource for protecting marriages from the harmful consequences of relationship challenges. This study explored whether emotional capital may buffer couples not only from the negative effects of relational stressors, but also from the negative effects of life stressors encountered outside the relationship in a sample of younger (age 30-45) and older (age 60+) married couples. Drawing from theories of socioemotional expertise, we also examined whether the buffering effects of emotional capital may be stronger for older adults. One hundred forty-five couples completed a 21-day daily diary task assessing shared positive experiences with the partner, negative partner behaviors, marital satisfaction, life stress, and mood. Spouses who generally accrued more shared positive moments with their partner across the diary days maintained greater marital satisfaction on days of greater partner negativity compared to spouses who accrued fewer positive moments. Moreover, spouses who generally accrued more shared positive moments with their partner across the diary days also reported lower levels of negative mood on days in which they experienced more life stress compared to spouses who accrued fewer shared positive moments; in both cases, the buffering role of emotional capital was significantly stronger for older adults. All results held when adjusting for relationship length and general marital happiness.

scholarly journals "His" and "Her" Marriage? The Role of Positive and Negative Marital Characteristics in Global Marital Satisfaction Among Older Adults

2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 579-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Boerner ◽  
D. S. Jopp ◽  
D. Carr ◽  
L. Sosinsky ◽  
S.-K. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Marital Satisfaction

scholarly journals Activity Restriction and Depressive Symptoms in Older Couples

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1251-1267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeong Eun Lee ◽  
Lynn M. Martire ◽  
Steve H. Zarit ◽  
Michael J. Rovine
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Marital Satisfaction ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Activity Restriction ◽  
Actor Partner Interdependence Model ◽  
Moderating Role

Objective: The present study aimed to clarify the circumstances under which activity restriction (AR) is associated with depressive symptoms among patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and their spouses. Method: A total of 220 older adults with OA and their caregiving spouses participated in the study. The actor–partner interdependence model (APIM) was used to examine the associations between AR stemming from patients’ OA and the depressive symptoms of patients and spouses. The potential moderating role of marital satisfaction also was examined. Results: After accounting for pain severity, health, and life stress of both patients with OA and spouses, higher AR was associated with more depressive symptoms for both patients and spouses. In regard to partner effects, patients whose spouse had higher AR reported more depressive symptoms. In addition, the association of spouses’ and patients’ AR and their own depressive symptoms was moderated by their marital satisfaction. For both patients and spouses, the associations between their own AR and depressive symptoms were weaker for those with higher levels of marital satisfaction compared with those with lower levels of marital satisfaction. Discussion: This pattern of findings highlights the dyadic implications of AR and the vital role of marital satisfaction in the context of chronic illness.

Prospective Associations Between Marital Satisfaction and Depression in Older Adults

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria R. Goldfarb ◽  
Gilles A. Trudel ◽  
Richard Boyer ◽  
Michel Preville
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Marital Satisfaction

scholarly journals RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCE, MARITAL SATISFACTION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF CHINESE MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S617-S618
Author(s):  
Jia Li ◽  
Qi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Marital Satisfaction ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Religious Difference

Abstract Objectives: Religion plays an important role in people’s individual and interpersonal life. Spousal religious difference is a potential risk factor of marital satisfaction, which will further influence people’s psychological well-being. This study aims to explore the associations between spousal religious differences, marital satisfaction, and psychological well-being of Chinese middle-aged and older adults. We also investigated the gender differences in the captioned associations. Method: We adopted a sample of 1285 adults aged 45 and above from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). We conducted descriptive statistics, multiple regression models and a path analysis based on a general structural equation model (GSEM). Results: Spousal religious difference was only associated with wives’ marital satisfaction. Marital satisfaction was associated with depression and life satisfaction for both genders, and wives’ marital satisfaction had a stronger association with life satisfaction than husbands’. Wives’ marital satisfaction mediated the relationship between spousal religious difference and their psychological well-being, including depression and life satisfaction. Discussion: This study calls for more further research on the individual and interpersonal outcomes of religiosity in middle-aged and older adults. Gender differences should be paid attention to in academic research, service provision and clinical settings.

scholarly journals Validation Study of the Spanish Version of the Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire for Older Persons

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 407-407
Author(s):  
José Adrián Fernandes-Pires ◽  
Andrés Losada-Baltar ◽  
María del Sequeros Pedroso-Chaparro ◽  
Laura Gallego-Alberto ◽  
Isabel Cabrera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Marital Satisfaction ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Spanish Version ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Satisfaction Questionnaire ◽  
Marital Warmth

Abstract Interpersonal relationship quality is relevant for older adults′ well-being and mental health. Studies focused on methods to evaluate marital satisfaction in older adults and the relationship of this variable with psychological correlates are scarce. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Spanish version (Castro-Díaz et al., 2012) of the Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire For Older Persons (MSQFOP; Haynes et al., 1992) in a sample of middle-aged and older adults from Spain. Participants were 130 individuals (60.8% women) 40 years or older (M= 60.31, SD=11) involved in a marital/partner relationship. The assessed variables were marital satisfaction (MSQFOP), marital warmth, positive emotions, frequency of arguments, perceived stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and anxiety and depressive symptoms. The results from the exploratory factor analysis yielded a three factor structure (compatibility, communication, and sex) explaining 77.8% of the variance. Even though the factor structure was the same as that of the original version, some items loaded on other factors. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0.97. The results revealed significant (p < .001) positive associations between marital satisfaction, marital warmth, and positive emotions. In addition, significant negative associations were found between marital satisfaction and frequency of arguments, stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and anxious and depressive symptomatology (p < .05). The findings suggest that Spanish version MSQFOP has good psychometric properties that recommend its use with middle-aged and older adults. Marital satisfaction seems to be a relevant construct for understanding stress, well-being, and mental health in middle-aged and older adults.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document