Mediating Role of Spousal Support on Internalized Stigma and Marital Satisfaction among depressive Patients

Abstract

There are surprising benefits of being married. Married people have lower stress and are less likely to be depressed. However, depression is not an exemption for married people. In our society people undergoing depression are stigmatized as mentally ill. Ideal marriage is supposed to have good understanding and friendly relationship. So the effect of spousal support received by diagnosed depression patient and the level of marital satisfaction attained by socially stigmatized spouse is the subject of this study. This is a cross sectional study. Purposive sampling was used to collect data from one hundred twenty individuals, in which one of the partners diagnosed with depression recruited from Services Hospital Lahore, CMH Lahore, Mayo Hospital and CMH Kohat. The minimum duration of illness was one year and minimum qualification was metric. After obtaining inform consent Beck Depression Inventory, Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale, Couple Satisfaction Index and spousal support scale respectively. Macro PROCESS for mediation, t-test analysis and ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The results revealed a strong relationship in mental illness related stigmatization and marital satisfaction in our society with mediating role of spousal support. Depressed husband showed lower marital satisfaction in spite of getting more support by their spouse. While depressed women seem to be satisfied as compared to men. Although demographic variables like love marriage, arrange marriage, education, family system and duration of illness had a greater impact on marital satisfaction. This study finding provide information for the therapist can work in areas of depressed married individuals those Internalized stigma affects the quality of life, self-esteem and sense of well-being that is indispensible to the marital satisfaction.