(In)Congruence Effects of Expatriate & Partner Depression & Marital Satisfaction on Repatriation

Abstract

Building on and extending prior research that has identified the important influence of family on expatriate success, this study explores the simultaneous effects of expatriates and their partners’ joint attitudes on repatriation, an important expatriate outcome. Drawing from interdependence theory, we examine the effects of (in) congruence of two personal variables, depression and marital satisfaction, between expatriates and their partners on repatriation. Results from polynomial regressions coupled with surface response methodology of multi-wave, multi-source data from 244 expatriate-partner dyads, show that the congruence of expatriate-partner marital satisfaction is associated with a higher likelihood of expatriate’s repatriation. In contrast, the congruence of expatriate-partner depression did not relate to repatriation. Rather, results demonstrated that expatriates were more likely to repatriate when their own depression was higher than their partner’s depression. Interpretations of the findings and theoretical contributions of congruence perspective in international human resource management are discussed. Keywords: Expatriation; repatriation; interdependence theory; congruence; depression; marital satisfaction