Marital Satisfaction Is Associated With Health in Long-Distance Relationships

Abstract

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.