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Marital satisfaction is a multidimensional construct that encompasses the satisfaction with marital interactions and with the emotional and the practical aspects of marriage. Marital satisfaction has a great impact on personal well-being and affects the family as a whole; low marital satisfaction has been associated with unhappiness and with higher divorce rates. Furthermore, marital satisfaction is related with family functioning and is an indicator of the quality of the parenting relationship. The Enrich Marital Satisfaction (EMS) scale is a two-factor and 15-items self-report measure that assesses satisfaction with the marital relationship. This study analysed the psychometric properties of the EMS among two samples: at-risk (N = 273, M = 37.05 years, 82.05% women) and community (N = 205, M = 38.38 years, 52.2% women) Portuguese parents. Participants completed the EMS and measures of parenting sense of competence, parenting stress, and parenting alliance. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the revised two-factor model obtained the best fit, after removing a few items. Measurement invariance across the two samples was demonstrated. The EMS showed good psychometric properties, namely internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity. The EMS is a time-efficient tool for both researchers and practitioners who need to assess marital satisfaction, a relevant dimension for family functioning and parenting. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Objectives Research shows that social participation is beneficial for overall health and well-being. Yet, no research to our knowledge has examined whether social participation is associated with greater marital satisfaction in middle-aged and older couples. We hypothesized that middle-aged and older adults would have greater marital satisfaction when their spouse engaged in social groups because there would be greater opportunity for self-expansion and for social support from ties outside the marriage. Methods We used background self-report data from a multi-method study of 98 middle-aged and older adult married couples ( N = 196) with chronic conditions. As part of the study, spouses completed questionnaires that measured the frequency and intensity of involvement in social groups (e.g., church, business groups). Marital satisfaction was measured with the Locke Wallace Marital Adjustment Test. Results Contrary to our hypotheses, results from actor–partner interdependence models provided no evidence that one’s own social participation was associated with one’s own marital satisfaction (actor effects). However, in line with our hypotheses regarding partner effects, one spouse’s (a) report of any social participation with church organizations, business groups, or social groups, (b) greater number of affiliations with different organizations, (c) greater frequency of participation, and (d) being an active officer in a social organization were significantly associated with the other spouse’s greater marital satisfaction. Discussion Findings of this study suggest that having a spouse who participates in social groups is good for relationship satisfaction in mid to late life marriage.

This study investigated the impact of substance-addicted adolescents on family quality of life in the Arab country of Qatar. Two groups of families were compared: families with a teenager who had a substance addiction ( n = 50) and families without such a teen ( n = 53). Results showed families with a substance-addicted teenager had a lower family quality of life, that is, lower marital satisfaction, and higher couple scores on depression, anxiety, and stress. The study suggests that the relationship between family dynamics and adolescent substance addiction is bidirectional in Arab families, that is, family problems may lead to adolescent substance abuse, and substance addiction in adolescents may also impact marital health quality and the mental health of parents.

This research aimed to examine the effects of daily work–family conflict and work–family enrichment on daily positive and negative affect levels of employees during the first phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. The multilevel structure of the research design makes this study original. 730 day-level data were collected from 146 respondents during five consecutive workdays. One week later, a larger survey was delivered for assessing the person-level variables. The results indicated that both forms of work–family conflict significantly decreased positive affect and increased negative affect. Both types of work–family enrichment significantly increased positive affect; but only daily work to family enrichment significantly decreased daily negative affect. Findings also revealed that positive affect levels of respondents increase while negative affect levels decrease with time. On the days employees worked from distance, lower levels of positive and negative affect were experienced.

Whereas childcare responsibilities are temporary, relationships with children are lifelong. This study examines how parents’ satisfaction with their partners’ relationships with offspring (i.e., “partner–child relationship satisfaction”) influences marital satisfaction, how this compares to the influence of satisfaction with the division of childcare, and how these processes work differently by gender. The author theorizes that partner–child relationship satisfaction shapes marital satisfaction through “impression spillover,” whereby one’s feelings about a relationship between other individuals transfer into feelings about one’s own relationship with one of those individuals. Hypotheses are tested with fixed effects regression using matched-partner data from four waves of the HILDA Survey ( N=3804 person-years). Findings suggest that partner–child relationship satisfaction is associated with marital satisfaction, especially among women. Women’s marital satisfaction is influenced more by partner–child relationship satisfaction than by division of childcare satisfaction; conversely, for men, there is little distinction between the two associations. Findings offer support for impression spillover.

Previous research has demonstrated that women experience higher levels of guilt compared with men at first sexual intercourse. Research also indicates that guilt is related to religiosity and to level of relational commitment. However, there has been no research on the correlates of sexual debut in a Christian population. This study compares the experiences of married Christian women who had first intercourse before or after marriage on guilt, sanctification of sex, and marital satisfaction. A total of 210 married Christian women were administered a survey containing measures of guilt at first intercourse, sanctification of sexuality, and marital satisfaction. The results indicate that the premarital group reported significantly higher levels of guilt at first intercourse and significantly lower levels of theistic sanctification and marital satisfaction than the marital group. In addition, there was no significant correlation between relational commitment and guilt for the premarital debut group, suggesting that those who were in a committed relationship at sexual debut experienced similar levels of guilt to those who were not in a committed relationship at debut. This study has meaningful implications for the way sexuality is discussed in Christian culture.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the gender role ideology of Korean dual-earner couples on marital satisfaction through work-to-family conflict and family-to-work conflict. The subjects of the study were 4059 participants (2434 men and 1625 women) in South Korea selected from the 2015 Fact-Finding Survey in Families. Results of the study revealed that women scored higher on gender role ideology and family-to-work conflict, but men scored higher on work-to-family conflict and marital satisfaction. Gender role ideology had a significant indirect relationship on marital satisfaction through family-to-work conflict for men in the study, but there was no significant indirect relationship found for the women studied. Gender differences existed between marital satisfaction and its predicting variables. Based on the results of this study, the discussion in this article addresses implications and future research directions.

Scholarship on marriage migrants has examined the impact of class and gender ideology of receiving countries on their marital satisfaction. However, little is known about the role of transnational background in explaining women’s feelings of gratitude for husbands. Drawing on qualitative in-depth interviews with marriage migrant women residing in the eastern side of Seoul, Korea, this article explores the micro-level cognitive processes in understanding women’s gratitude for their husbands. Categorizing marriage migrants into two groups, ‘gratified’ and ‘ungratified’ wives, the author demonstrates how the gratified wives’ feelings of contentment is mediated by their active comparison of Korean husbands with local men in their homelands, and how these viewpoints conversely affect their aspirations for return. Bringing the sociology of emotion into an explanation of marriage migrants’ marital satisfaction, this study aims to develop a transnational frame of reference as an underlying dynamic for comprehending marriage migrants’ (in)gratitude.

Recent research has demonstrated that egalitarian gender role ideologies are associated with higher marital satisfaction and higher psychological well-being. However, there has been little research investigating whether gender role ideologies in Evangelical populations follow these same trends. The current study examined how gender role ideologies in an Evangelical population are related to marital satisfaction and eudaimonic well-being, as well as the role of locus of control in these relationships. Three hundred sixty-three Evangelical Christian women were administered a survey containing measures of gender role ideology, marital satisfaction, eudaimonic well-being, and locus of control. No bivariate relationship was found between marital satisfaction and gender role ideologies. However, locus of control significantly moderated this relationship, such that the relationship was only significant for women with a more external locus of control. Specifically, externalizing women evidenced a significant positive relationship between egalitarian gender role ideologies and marital satisfaction, whereas the relationship was not significant for internalizing women. Moreover, egalitarian gender role ideologies were found to be positively related to eudaimonic well-being. The results of this research expand the current body of literature surrounding gender role ideologies within religious populations, specifically regarding outcomes that are associated with holding specific gender role ideologies.

Marital functioning is associated with individuals’ psychological functioning. However, it is unclear if the association between marital and individual functioning extends to socioeconomically disadvantaged newlyweds (those with low educational attainment/income), and if changes in psychological distress differ between husbands and wives. Using three waves of data from 530 couples in the Supporting Healthy Marriage study, we investigated if improvements and deterioration in marital satisfaction were differentially associated with patterns of individuals’ psychological distress. We also examined if spouses’ divergent marital change patterns were associated with distress trajectories. For wives, improvements in marital satisfaction were more strongly associated with decreases in psychological distress compared to declines in satisfaction. Additionally, wives’ psychological distress was more adversely impacted than was husbands’ when they reported worse marital functioning. We provide empirical and practical implications for helping reduce disparities in psychological functioning observed in low-income populations.

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a global threat and crisis situation, and its wide-reaching impact has also affected marital satisfaction. Dysfunction of the marital system puts the survival of the family unit at risk. This research aimed to determine the level of marital satisfaction of Portuguese families during the social lockdown and the association between the variables under study. A descriptive, exploratory study was conducted. During the social lockdown, 276 people of Portuguese nationality and residing in Portugal were recruited using nonprobabilistic convenience sampling. Marital satisfaction in the pandemic phase showed low values that may be associated with the social, economic, and political context experienced by the pandemic situation. Future research must be carried out in order to identify, prevent, and intervene in situations of violence. In addition, future research should explore not only marital satisfaction during the current pandemic but a more systemic assessment of marital relations during crises, expanding the impact of marital satisfaction in family functioning. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

High rates of divorce seem related to low marital satisfaction levels; however, there is still a lack of a model that can help understand the couple's resilience and fragility throughout the life cycle. This research explores the role of communication patterns, their own and partner's motivation for conjugality, cohesion and flexibility within a couple, and several sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., stage of the family life cycle) that can explain marital satisfaction. A sample of 331 Portuguese in a marital relationship completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and marital satisfaction measures, communication and conflict management competencies, cohesion and flexibility, and motivation. Adequate statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling. Both measurement and structural model performed in the study presented a good fit, with five significant predictors of marital satisfaction (that accounted for 85% of the variability): intrinsic motivation (β = .64), communication (β = .31), families with young children (β = -.08), families with teenagers (β = -.07) and professional/academic status (β = .06). By identifying a model for marital satisfaction, this research provides clues regarding which aspects might need to be considered in couples' clinical work to promote healthier relationships. Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCT info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

How partners handle conflict may be transmitted across generations and contribute to relationship quality. Using a sample of 220 newlywed couples ( N = 440) we examined the associations between destructive family-of-origin conflict patterns and discrepancies in current conflict behaviors (e.g., conflict engagement, withdrawal, negative problem solving) with marital quality. Destructive conflict mediated the relationship between destructive family-of-origin conflict and subsequent marital quality. We found actor and partner effects for the association between destructive conflict behavior and marital quality. Moreover, discrepancies in spousal use of negative problem solving was associated with lower marital quality for husbands, although we found limited evidence of partner discrepancy overall.

Relational turbulence theory suggests that relational turbulence causes pervasive patterns of dysfunctional communication in romantic relationships, such as an inability to resolve conflicts. Other research traditions link marital conflict to marital satisfaction and also exposure to stress. This study assesses the discriminant validity of relational turbulence by examining its association with reports of ineffective arguing, above and beyond the associations with marital satisfaction and parenting stress. The study tests the theoretical claims within the high stress context of parents raising children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Married, parents of children with ASD ( N = 298) completed measures of parenting stress specific to raising a child with ASD, marital satisfaction, relational turbulence, and ineffective arguing. Results provide evidence that relational turbulence is associated with perceptions of less effective arguing among these parents above and beyond the influence of parenting stress and marital satisfaction. Finally, implications for marriages, for parents of children with ASD, and for relational turbulence theory are discussed.

We examined emotion regulation strategies as moderators of marital conflict and marital satisfaction between first-married and remarried couples. Remarried couples with a stepchild ( n = 108) and first marriage couples ( n = 111) with a child completed online surveys. Perceptions of both spouses were analyzed using actor–partner interdependence modeling. Although remarried spouses reported more marital conflict and lower marital satisfaction than first marriage spouses, emotion regulation strategies did not moderate the association between marital conflict and marital satisfaction differently for first-married and remarried couples. Expressive suppression exacerbated the negative association between marital conflict and marital satisfaction for men, and cognitive reappraisal attenuated the negative association for women. There was one partner effect; husbands’ greater cognitive reappraisal buffered the negative association between husbands’ marital conflict and wives’ marital satisfaction. Marriage order was less important than gender in how emotion regulation moderated the associations among marital conflict and marital satisfaction.

This study assessed, for the first time, the relationship between security attachment and marital satisfaction in an Arab country, Qatar. Accordingly, we used the marital satisfaction assessment, the Experiences in Close Relationships Revised attachment style questionnaire, and the Goldsmith Support Measure. Using a path analysis model, the results showed that secured attachment style positively influenced marital satisfaction but did not positively influence mutual support in a relationship. Unsecure attachment styles negatively influenced the level of mutual support and marital satisfaction. Importantly, the findings revealed a gender effect, with females receiving less mutual support from their male partners, than vice versa. We discuss the importance of these results in the context of Arab culture and gender differences.

Objective and background: The present study tested whether the similarity levels of relationship-oriented values among Chinese couples would be higher than those among randomly matched male–female pairs. Furthermore, we examined whether couple similarity of relationship-oriented values would predict spouses’ marital satisfaction and life satisfaction above the actor and partner effects of relationship-oriented values over time and the potential marriage cohort differences. Method: Data were retrieved from the China Family Panel Studies data set in 2010–2014. Our study included a nationally representative sample of 10,860 first-married couples who provided data on relationship-oriented values, marital satisfaction, and life satisfaction. Results: The average profile similarity on relationship-oriented values of the real couples was higher than that of the randomly matched male–female pseudo couples. Actor–Partner Interdependence Model analyses showed that (1) couple similarity of relationship-oriented values was positively associated with husbands’ and wives’ life satisfaction indirectly through wives’ marital satisfaction among couples with short to medium marital duration, even after controlling for life satisfaction 4 years ago and a set of sociodemographic variables; (2) husbands’ relationship-oriented values were positively associated with couples’ life satisfaction indirectly through husbands’ marital satisfaction among couples with short to medium and long marital duration. Conclusion: With a large dyadic sample of Chinese couples, our findings expand the literature on the significant role of couple similarity of relationship-oriented values in personal and relational well-being.

Marriage/commitment and retirement are two common experiences in an adult’s life. Marital satisfaction and retirement have been researched in multiple disciplines. The relationship between these two constructs has not been as widely researched. The purpose of this study was to determine whether retirement has an impact on marital satisfaction. Quantitative methods and analyses were used. The variables used accounted for 83% of the variance of satisfaction. Limitations and implications are provided to inform marriage and family pedagogy and practice.

Research about parental marital satisfaction and parent–child relationships is well established, but the effects of marital satisfaction on parental satisfaction require more explanation in a Korean sample. In total, 2,070 participants (51.0% mothers, 49.0% fathers) from a nationally representative sample of Korean people were selected from the 2015 Fact-Finding Survey in Families, and structural equation modeling was performed to examine the relationships between marital satisfaction, parent–child relational quality, and parental satisfaction. In support of the spillover hypothesis, marital satisfaction was significantly correlated with parental satisfaction and affected it directly and indirectly via positive and negative parent–child relationship quality. In addition, mediational pathways differed according to sex. The implications of the findings and directions for future research were discussed.

Nonsexual physical affection plays an important role in marital functioning, but not all individuals are satisfied with the intimate touch they receive from their partner. Differences in adult attachment tendencies may be one way to understand the individual differences in touch satisfaction. Using a sample of 180 different-sex married couples, we explored how attachment associates with touch satisfaction in marriage in a cross-sectional investigation. Consistent with predictions, we found that husbands with greater attachment anxiety were less satisfied with touch, except when engagement in routine affection was relatively high, but especially when low. Lower routine affection diminished touch satisfaction regardless of attachment style, but greater avoidance appeared to buffer this effect for wives. However, wives with greater avoidance had husbands who reported lower touch satisfaction. We also explored the interplay of touch satisfaction and marital quality, finding that they associated positively, even when routine affection is statistically controlled. Lastly, our exploratory analyses suggest that touch satisfaction may serve as a mediating link between anxiety and marital quality. Overall, our findings support that attachment insecurities associate with engagement in and satisfaction with touch and that these processes are relevant to the overall marital quality.

Individuals with high marital satisfaction tend to have better health and engage in healthier behaviors than those with low marital satisfaction. Multiple studies have explored satisfaction–health associations for married individuals in proximal relationships (PR), but no known study has tested these associations for married individuals in long-distance relationships (LDR). LDR is a relationship arrangement that challenges traditional conceptions of romantic relationships and physical closeness. Related, recent empirical work indicates marital satisfaction–health associations may be weaker in LDR than PR due to unique relational and individual factors. The current study tested whether marital satisfaction–health associations are moderated by relational proximity (i.e., LDR vs. PR). We used an adult, married sample of individuals in LDR and PR ( N = 293) who completed an online survey on relationships and health. Unexpectedly, moderation results suggested that associations between marital satisfaction and health did not differ by relational proximity. One potential difference emerged: Marital satisfaction was associated with social role satisfaction for those in PR, but not LDR. Simple main effects were consistent with moderation results, except regarding physical functioning. Marital satisfaction was not associated with pain for LDR or PR. Overall, study findings challenge recent empirical work reporting between-group, relationship health differences between PR and LDR. Clinicians can utilize our findings to improve treatment for couples and families in LDR. Future research should utilize actor–partner interdependence models and longitudinal studies to further elucidate the associations between marital satisfaction and health for individuals in this unique but increasingly prevalent relationship arrangement.

Background: Marital satisfaction is an integral part of the life of Pakistani women. Married women cannot get satisfied with their lives without marital satisfaction. But previous studies hint at the possible role of sexual satisfaction in addition to marital satisfaction to bring about overall satisfaction with life in married women. Aims: This study was designed with an objective to assess the mediating role of sexual satisfaction in marital satisfaction as a predictor and satisfaction with life as an outcome in married Pakistani women. Previous studies have demonstrated a possible link among marital satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and satisfaction with life. Settings and Design: One hundred married women of childbearing age (18-48 years, M = 29 years) were recruited by a convenient sampling method from the three hospitals of Bahawalpur in the South Punjab state of Pakistan. Methods and Material: Three questionnaires (a) Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale; (b) Index of Sexual Satisfaction, and (c) Satisfaction with Life Scale, were administered to collect the data. Statistical Analysis: The results were analyzed by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM, USA), version 25, and Process Macro, version 3.4, and expressed in the form of descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and frequencies), mediation analysis, analysis of co-variance, analysis of variance and t test. Results and Conclusion: The unstandardized indirect effects yielded a significant mediation (IE = 0.4757, SE = 0.1786, P < .05, LL = 0.1736, UL = 0.8681). The sexual satisfaction fully mediated the relationship between marital satisfaction and satisfaction with life in married women. It was concluded that married women cannot get marital satisfaction and satisfaction with life without a satisfied sexual life.

The majority of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese, and yet Western ideals of beauty include low body fat composition as a component of physical attractiveness. In turn, perceived discrepancies between actual and ideal body shape and weight mean that many adults experience weight concerns—and they also may be dissatisfied with their spouse’s weight. This study examined whether weight concerns were linked to romantic relationship quality, an important domain of adult development. Specifically, we applied the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model to test how wives’ and husbands’ weight concerns and perceptions of their spouses’ overweight contributed to their own and their spouse’s reports of marital satisfaction and conflict over time. The sample was 197 heterosexual married couples ( Mage = 40.85 and 42.81 years for wives and husbands, respectively; Mlength of marriage = 18.6 years at Time 1) with children, who participated in a short-term longitudinal study of family relationships and adolescent development. Two-way interactions between partner perceptions of spouses’ weight and gender indicated that husbands’ perceptions that their wives were overweight predicted decreases in wives’ marital satisfaction and increases in wives’ reports of marital conflict across 1 year. In contrast, wives’ perceptions of husbands’ weight were not associated with changes in husbands’ marital satisfaction or conflict. A two-way interaction between actor and partner weight concerns indicated that individuals reported more marital conflict when there was a discrepancy between their own and their spouse’s weight concerns. Finally, a two-way interaction between actor and partner perceptions of spouse’s weight indicated that, for individuals whose spouses rated them as below ideal weight, their perceptions of the spouse’s overweight predicted their own lower marital satisfaction. Findings suggest that concerns about one’s own and one’s spouse’s weight have negative ramifications for marital relationships.

Couples’ marital satisfaction is thought to decline over the newlywed years, but recent research indicates that the majority of spouses have high, stable trajectories during this period, and significant declines occur only among initially dissatisfied spouses. These findings are drawn from predominantly White, middle-class samples, however, which may overestimate marital stability compared to samples with higher levels of sociodemographic risk. Accordingly, the current study tested the generalizability of newlyweds’ marital stability by examining satisfaction trajectories among 431 ethnically diverse newlywed couples living in low-income neighborhoods. Consistent with previous work, most spouses had high levels of satisfaction, substantial declines were limited to spouses with lower initial levels of satisfaction, and divorce significantly differed between groups. Wives with higher levels of sociodemographic risk started marriage less satisfied and declined more in satisfaction. Overall, these findings reveal risky and resilient relationships among disadvantaged couples, with considerable stability during the newlywed years.

This study aims to illustrate the importance of cultural norms for marital satisfaction among young married Taiwanese couples. Data are taken from the Taiwan Youth Project, a longitudinal panel since the year of 2000, with 401 married couple data completed in 2015. Based on the resource theory and contextual cultural perspectives, results confirm that both resources and cultural factors produce significant effects on young couple’s marital satisfaction. As proposed, cultural norms have greater impact on wife’s marital satisfaction. The patrilocal coresidence between generations is especially harmful for wives with full-time job, while negative in-law relations reported by husbands produce more powerful negative influence on the couples. However, gender of the child does not attain expected significance. Findings suggest that both continuity and change of family dynamics is occurring in Taiwan. Future studies need to consider both cultural norms and individual resources in analyzing marital relations in changing East Asian societies.

The broader autism phenotype refers to sub-clinical autism spectrum disorder characteristics involving socially and emotionally aloof and rigid personality traits and social communication difficulties. Relatives of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, including parents, evidence an increased rate of broader autism phenotype. The goal of this study was to evaluate the association between actor (one’s own) and partner (their partner’s) broader autism phenotype and the self-reported, observed, and physiological (i.e. electrodermal reactivity) markers of the quality of videotaped couple problem-solving interactions in 158 couples, who had a child with autism spectrum disorder (aged 5–12 years). The mean age of mothers was 39.79 (standard deviation = 5.06) years and the mean age of fathers was 41.77 (standard deviation = 6.02) years for fathers, and 36.6% of parents did not have a college degree. Actor–partner interdependence models, using structural equation modeling in analysis of moment structures, were conducted. Results indicated that parent broader autism phenotype was positively related to adverse couple problem-solving interactions across all measurement methods (observed codes, self-reported affect, and electrodermal reactivity). These effects were independent of child-related challenges. The effect of parent broader autism phenotype occurred through both actor and partner pathways and was strongest for father broader autism phenotype.

The present study explored how Turkish husbands and wives in arranged or self-selected marriages differ in terms of the love, partnership, and problems components of marital satisfaction. Four hund...

We examined whether three types of husband–wife religious discordance (denomination, intensity, and attendance) were associated with the risk of marital dissolution over three decades. Using multigroup path analysis, we tested the mediating and moderating roles of husbands’ and wives’ marital satisfaction in the above associations in two generations. Using the Longitudinal Study of Generations data, we selected 193 second-generation married couples and 173 third-generation married couples. Results showed that denomination discordance was positively associated with marital dissolution in both generations, but discordance in religious attendance and intensity had no such association. Moderation was found with respect to wives’ marital satisfaction which reduced the risk of marital dissolution more in couples of different denominations compared with couples of the same denomination. Mediating effects were not found with respect to marital satisfaction. Implications are discussed in terms of the continued importance of religious identity to the long-term stability of marriages.

High marital satisfaction is associated with better individual health and health behavior. Gender moderates these associations; generally, they are stronger for women than for men. Theories such as subordination-reactivity attempt to explain marital satisfaction–health associations by gender. Extant research exploring this phenomenon focuses on individuals in proximal relationships, not those in long-distance relationships (LDR). LDR are prevalent, particularly among students, military personnel, and caregivers. They are also increasing both in number and cultural relevance. Current study participants ( N = 93) were ages 21+, married for 6+ months, and LDR, defined as living more than 50 miles apart and not able to see each other daily. Participants completed an online survey of relationship and health measures. We tested gender as a moderator of marital satisfaction–health associations. Unexpectedly, higher marital satisfaction related to better health for men more than for women on several health variables. Specifically, higher marital satisfaction related to significantly less drug use and less pain interference, and marginally better overall health, for men more than for women. No other marital satisfaction–health associations emerged. These results suggest marital satisfaction may be more important to health for LDR men than women, and in some cases, marital satisfaction may not relate to health for LDR individuals. Future research can explore these unique satisfaction–health associations in LDR. Therapeutic interventions for individuals and couples in LDR can consider these findings.

We sought to understand that individuals who sext in their marital relationships by looking at sexting behaviors in relation to both relationship status and marital satisfaction. Three hundred twenty-seven individuals completed the sexting behavior scales and the Kansas marital satisfaction scale. Results indicate that about 91% of the population report sending or receiving sext text messages. Although they still partake, this study also found that married individuals have a more negative view of sexting compared to other relationship statuses, except for younger females who despite their negative views of sexting, reported high marital satisfaction. Finally, sexting within the marital relationship does not seem to increase marital satisfaction.

How couples regulate their emotions and how they converge emotionally with one another can critically affect relationship quality. We examined individual differences in two different classes of interaction-relevant processes—emotion regulation (ER) and emotional contagion (EC), the tendency to catch and converge with the emotions of others—in long-term marital relationships. Results from the actor–partner interdependence model analyses indicated that (a) actors’ and partners’ levels of cognitive reappraisal (but not suppression) and EC were independently associated with higher marital satisfaction and (b) both partners’ and actors’ levels of EC moderated associations between cognitive reappraisal (but not suppression) and marital satisfaction, such that this association significantly increased for lower levels of EC. EC at couple level had a direct effect on marital satisfaction and overrode individual-level effects of EC. These results indicate that both automatic (EC) and controlled (ER) processes have independent and conjoint effects on marital satisfaction in long-wed couples and, to an extent, coincide in attempts to synchronize couples’ emotional linkage. The results point to intrapersonal and interpersonal mechanisms in the regulation of emotion in longer term marital relationships.

Participation in shared self-expanding activities benefits both relationships and the self. However, most studies use tasks that combine self-expansion and arousal within one activity, making it difficult to know what drives the benefits. We tested the distinct effects of self-expansion and arousal in four studies. In Studies 1 and 2, 35 married couples and 106 friend pairs completed experiments manipulating self-expansion and arousal. Self-expansion (and not arousal) predicted relationship and individual outcomes. In Studies 3 and 4, 200 married individuals and 202 individuals thinking of a close friend reported perceptions of self-expansion and arousal during activities. Simultaneous regressions showed self-expansion, controlling (or not controlling) for arousal, predicted relationship, and individual outcomes. Results suggest that self-expansion is central for deriving benefits of shared activities, while arousal does not seem to be necessary.

This study examines how gender and family attitudes moderate the relationship between domestic labor and marital satisfaction in Korea, where the heavy and unequal burden of domestic labor on women intersects with traditional familism and gender ideology. We analyze panel data from the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families ( n = 11,488). Our individual fixed-effect regressions reveal that women’s time spent on domestic labor is negatively associated with the marital satisfaction of younger wives (in their 20s and 30s) when they do not hold traditional family attitudes. However, younger women’s satisfaction is positively associated with their husbands’ share of domestic labor regardless of the women’s gender-role attitudes. For older women (in their 40s or older), we find no evidence for either interaction effect. With the continued erosion of traditional familism in Korea, the burden of domestic labor may become more problematic for younger women’s marriages.

The present study examined how Evangelical Christian women’s marital satisfaction is related to religiosity (i.e., religious commitment and sanctification of marriage), role ideology, and role congruence. Societal messages surrounding roles in marriage tend to conflict with conservative Christian messages, and therefore Evangelical women likely experience unique tension while attempting to negotiate roles in their marriages. Two-hundred forty-nine Evangelical Christian women from across the United States were administered a survey containing a measure of religious commitment, two sanctification of marriage scales, a role ideology attitudinal scale, and a role congruence scale. The results indicated that greater levels of religious commitment and sanctification predicted marital satisfaction. Furthermore, sanctification predicted satisfaction above and beyond religious commitment. Women who demonstrated role congruence were found to be more satisfied with their marriages. More egalitarian women were found to experience greater role congruence, though role ideology was not significantly related to marital satisfaction. The Manifestation of God facet of sanctification moderated the relationships between both role ideology and religious commitment, and marital satisfaction. The findings from this study suggest that religion has important implications for the marital satisfaction of Evangelical women, both in itself and through its interaction with role-related variables.

Relationship satisfaction has profound implications for psychological and physical well-being, yet it significantly decreases while couples are raising children. Perfectionism—the tendency to expect perfection from oneself, others, and/or to perceive expectations of perfection as coming from others—has generally been associated with lower relationship satisfaction. In a sample of 382 married and/or cohabitating U.S. adults, this study found that the interpersonal dimensions of perfectionism (partner-oriented perfectionism and partner-prescribed perfectionism) were negatively associated with relationship satisfaction, while self-oriented perfectionism was positively associated with relationship satisfaction. Raising children was negatively associated with relationship satisfaction, and moderated the association between partner-prescribed perfectionism and relationship satisfaction; the negative association was significant for both groups, but stronger for those raising children than those not raising children. This study highlights the importance of addressing perfectionism in intimate relationships, particularly for couples raising children, and informs possible interventions with couples and families.

Some couples find in infertility the bonding opportunities that reinforce their relationship. Using an interpretative phenomenological analysis, this study examined marital benefits in three couples seeking fertility treatment. Interviews revealed five types of benefits: being engaged in a shared hardship, feeling closer to one another, feeling reassured in the relationship, developing a satisfying communication and support behaviors, and having faith in the couple’s capacity to face adversity. A dyadic analysis also illustrated how marital benefits developed in each couple. Marital benefits nourished marital satisfaction, thus underscoring their importance to help couples cope through fertility treatment.

This paper presents an examination of how migration affects the marital stability of migrant workers, whether there is gender difference in migrant workers’ marital instability, and whether there is gender difference in the determinants of migrant workers’ marital stability. Poisson regression analysis of survey data related to Guangzhou rural–urban migrant workers showed that there is gender difference in marital instability, and that female migrant workers have a higher level of marital instability than male migrant workers. Migrating unaccompanied, inter-provincial migration, distance between the hometown of spouse from husband’s family’s location, and non-traditional gender views were found to be positively related to migrant workers’ marital instability. Some of these influences are mediated by marital satisfaction. In addition, the influence on marital instability of migrating unaccompanied, and distance between the hometown of spouse and husband’s family’s location were identified as more important for female migrant workers, while the influence of inter-provincial migration on marital instability is more important for male migrant workers. It was determined that there are gender differences in the influence of wife's income and gender views: the wife’s income relates positively to male migrant workers’ marital stability, but negatively to female migrant workers’ marital stability. The results show that migration has a stronger influence on female migrant workers’ perceptions of marital instability.

Based on three annual waves of data obtained from 265 Chinese couples during the early years of marriage and using an actor–partner interdependence mediation model with latent difference scores, this study examined the associations among adult children’s perceived parents’ satisfaction with their (i.e., adult children’s) marriage, in-law relationship quality, and adult children’s marital satisfaction. Results indicated that husbands’ and wives’ perceived parental satisfaction with their (i.e., adult children’s) marriage was indirectly associated with the changes in their (i.e., adult children’s) marital satisfaction via their (i.e., adult children’s) perceived relationship quality with either fathers-in-law (FILs) or mothers-in-law (MILs); however, when husbands’ and wives’ perceived relationship quality with FILs and MILs was considered simultaneously in a single model, only two indirect pathways were still retained: Husbands’ and wives’ perceived parents’ satisfaction (HPS and WPS) with adult children’s marriage was associated with the changes in wives’ marital satisfaction exclusively via wives’ perceived relationship quality with their MILs. Such findings suggest the particularly salient roles of the relationship between daughters-in-law and MILs in shaping Chinese adult children’s marital well-being and also highlight the importance of conceptualizing families as configurations of interdependent relationships across multiple households and examining marital well-being from ecological and social network perspectives.

Chronic pain is a common stressor in couples’ daily lives, but little is known about couples’ day-to-day pain concordance (i.e., agreement regarding one partner’s level of pain) and its relevance to both partners’ daily marital interaction quality. Using 22-day diaries of patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and their spouses, the current study sought to quantify the degree of daily fluctuation in both partners’ reports of patient pain, pain concordance, and marital interaction quality as well as assess the links between daily concordance and marital tension and enjoyment. Half of the variability in patient–spouse pain concordance and marital interaction quality was attributable to daily fluctuations in these experiences. Furthermore, after accounting for global marital satisfaction, on days when spouses overestimated pain, patients enjoyed marital interactions more, whereas spouses themselves experienced greater tension. Findings underscore the importance of examining pain concordance at the daily level, pain agreement’s significance for everyday marital function, and the potential challenge chronic illness poses for partners in daily life.

It has been found that the presence of negative communicative techniques and emotional flooding in marital relationships negatively relates to marital satisfaction. However, current literature has not consistently included known demographical differences (e.g., race, gender, etc.) to truly test how these variables impact marital satisfaction. This study investigated the specific impact that both emotional flooding and negative communicative techniques had on 591 married individuals’ marital satisfaction while controlling for gender, race, and length of relationship. The results indicated that emotional flooding tends to decrease as marriages go on, and refusing to talk with the partner had the greatest negative impact on relationship satisfaction regardless of demographical differences. Suggestions are provided for how therapists and practitioners can use these findings to assist couples who are using negative communication techniques and are, subsequently, experiencing marital dissatisfaction.

Research related to the process of communication among couples is central to the work of couple and family therapists. This study examines the relationship between couple’s conflict resolution styles, weekly church attendance, and marital satisfaction. Specifically, we surveyed 191 Latino couples using Gottman’s typology of conflict resolution styles (e.g., validator, avoidant, and volatile) to identify which style predicted marital satisfaction for both partners. Using the actor–partner interdependence model, we find a multifaceted picture of how partner’s conflict resolution style influences theirs and their partner’s marital satisfaction.

Applying the stress-divorce model to explain the impact of spillover stress, this study analyzes 1,961 married participants in the National Study of the Changing Workforce. Specifically, it tests the individual and combined effects of work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict, work-to-family enrichment, and family-to-work enrichment on marital satisfaction. Additionally, this study tests whether these effects are mediated by mental and physical health. The results suggest that mental health and physical health both fully mediate the effect of work-to-family conflict, while mental health and physical health both partially mediate the effect of work-to-family enrichment on marital satisfaction. On the other hand, neither of the health measures mediates the effects of family-to-work conflict and family-to-work enrichment on marital satisfaction. These results suggest the importance of examining both the positive and the negative aspects of work-family balance in understanding marital satisfaction and highlight the mediating effects of mental and physical health in shaping how work-family balance affects marital satisfaction.

Asian-involved intercultural couples are increasing as society becomes more open and accepting of intercultural relationships. Although issues and conflicts exist due to cultural differences, acculturation and personality characteristics may strengthen intercultural relationships. Ninety-two Asian and non-Asian individuals in Asian couples and Asian intercultural couples in the United States were compared based on the level of marital satisfaction, the level of acculturation, and personality characteristics. Findings indicated no differences in the level of marital satisfaction. However, significantly higher levels of acculturation in Asians in Asian intercultural couples and significantly higher levels of openness, conscientiousness, and extroversion in individuals in Asian intercultural couples were evident.

This study examined the relationship between stress and marital satisfaction from the perspective of the vulnerability–stress–adaptation model. We hypothesised that some stress factors were associated with lower marital satisfaction. Making use of the structure equation modeling, the results of data analysis on 462 Middle Eastern students in Malaysia, supported the hypotheses of our study and showed that a higher level of stress is strongly related to a negative marital satisfaction. Moreover, the results indicated that marital stress is the strongest stressors that negatively affect the marital satisfaction of the respondents. This research provides a general view of stressors that have an impact on the marital satisfaction of married Middle East students who live as sojourners in Malaysia.

Sex presumably facilitates pair bonding, but how do partners remain pair-bonded between sexual acts? Evolutionary perspectives suggest that sexual afterglow serves this purpose. We explored how long sexual satisfaction would remain elevated following sex and predicted that stronger sexual afterglow would characterize more satisfying partnerships. We pooled the data from two independent, longitudinal studies of newlywed couples to examine these issues. Spouses reported their daily sexual activity and sexual satisfaction for 14 days and their marital satisfaction at baseline and 4 or 6 months later. Results demonstrated that sexual satisfaction remained elevated approximately 48 hr after sex, and spouses experiencing a stronger afterglow reported higher levels of marital satisfaction both at baseline and over time. We interpret these findings as evidence that sexual afterglow is a proximal cognitive mechanism through which sex promotes pair bonding.

This study examined the relationships between marital satisfaction and trauma-related symptoms (i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety) among 105 couples of injured survivors of terror attacks and their spouses ( N = 210). Structural equation modeling and the actor–partner interdependence model were used to test the interdependence relationship between survivors’ and spouses’ marital satisfaction and trauma-related symptoms. The results demonstrated that the level of marital satisfaction reported by unexposed spouses was negatively associated with their own trauma-related symptoms as well as with the symptoms reported by the survivors. In contrast, the level of marital satisfaction reported by the survivors was negatively associated with their own trauma-related symptoms but had no connection with trauma-related symptoms reported by their spouses. Taken together, our findings shed new light on the potential links between marital satisfaction and trauma-related symptoms for survivors of terrorism and their spouses. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are also discussed.