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This study examines the relationship between self-esteem discrepancies and depression in a long-term intimate relationship. It was hypothesized that depression is associated with discrepancies between married partner's self-appraisals, their perceptions of their spouses' appraisal of them, and their spouses' actual appraisal of them. Questions administered to 333 married couples (666 subjects) measured the three components of the self and depression. Absolute discrepancies were then correlated with depression. The findings provided support for the hypothesis.

This study of employed single-parent (n = 52) and married women (n = 87) investigated employment characteristics (time spent at work, income), psychological resources (self-esteem, sex-role attitudes), and management of domestic activities (evaluation and satisfaction with performance) in relation to depression. For the most part, correlates of depression were quite different for the two groups of women. Nontraditional sex-role attitudes, more time at work, higher income, low work-family strain, and high self-esteem were associated with less depression among single parents. Positive work orientation, high self-esteem, less time spent at work, and satisfaction with domestic tasks were linked with lower depression among married women.