Measures Of Marital Satisfaction Research Articles

Forgiveness in Marriage: From Incidents to Marital Satisfaction

Although marital forgiveness has been found to increase marital satisfaction, no research to date has examined the actual mechanism. This could derive from the ABCM model of marital satisfaction (Hall, 2021), in which disposition to forgive is understood as one of the marriage maintenance strategies contributing to spousal happiness. In two cross-sectional studies, we examined the association between marital forgiveness and satisfaction. We also tested a model in which dispositional forgiveness mediates the link between forgiveness of a particular marital incident and satisfaction with spousal relationship, moderated by transgression severity and apology. The Marital Offence-Specific Forgiveness Scale, the Heartland Forgiveness Scale and measures of marital satisfaction were used. Positive main effects between forgiveness and multidimensional marital satisfaction emerged. Moderated mediation revealed the mediation effect of dispositional forgiveness, which did not depend on the level of the moderators (severity and apology).

Marital satisfaction as a potential moderator of the association between stress and depression

BackgroundStress and marital dissatisfaction have been identified as risk factors for depression in separate lines of research. However, the interaction between stress and marital satisfaction in predicting depression over time has rarely been examined, despite the fact that marital satisfaction may weaken (i.e., buffer) the impact of stress on depression. This longitudinal study evaluated marital satisfaction as a moderator of the association between stress and depressive symptoms in a probability sample of American married adults. MethodsMarried respondents from Wave I and Wave II of the Americans' Changing Lives (ACL) study (N = 1392) completed measures of marital satisfaction, stressful life events, and depressive symptoms at baseline and three-year follow-up. ResultsMarital satisfaction and stressful life events were significantly associated with depressive symptoms in cross-sectional analyses and uniquely predicted depressive symptoms three years later, controlling for prior depressive symptoms. However, marital satisfaction did not moderate the association between stressful life events and depression. A sensitivity analysis of data from Wave IV and Wave V of the ACL yielded similar findings, supporting the replicability of the results. LimitationsBroader assessment on stressful life events and assessment of perceived stress would provide a stronger test of the association between stress and depression as well as the degree to which this association is moderated by marital satisfaction. ConclusionsAttending to both stress and marital satisfaction may provide a more comprehensive understanding of risk for depression than exclusive focusing on either stress or marital satisfaction, which may have beneficial implications for preventing and treating depression.

A longitudinal study of “we‐talk” as a predictor of marital satisfaction

AbstractWe‐talk, the use of first‐person plural pronouns over the use of singular pronouns when describing relationship events, is regarded as a linguistic indicator of marital relationship functioning. A meta‐analysis revealed that we‐talk is positively associated with relationship satisfaction. However, this literature is based mostly on cross‐sectional studies. This study tested the hypothesis that we‐talk would be associated with greater marital satisfaction over time. The sample comprised 77 couples enrolled in a longitudinal study of parents of preschool‐aged children. We‐talk was assessed at baseline during a marital discussion task about parenting challenges. Couples completed a measure of marital satisfaction at baseline, 6‐ and 12‐month follow‐ups. An actor–partner interdependence model examined the effects of spouses' we‐talk on their own marital satisfaction (actor effects), and their partners' marital satisfaction (partner effects). Results indicated a positive partner effect of we‐talk at baseline, but not over time. Moreover, there was an actor effect of we‐talk on changes in marital satisfaction over time, whereby low actor we‐talk was associated with a reduction in marital satisfaction, but high actor we‐talk was not associated with such a decrease. These findings suggest that greater cognitive interdependence, as indicated by we‐talk, may protect from declines in marital satisfaction over time.

Relationship quality among dating adolescents: Development and validation of the Relationship Quality Inventory for Adolescents.

Relationship quality has implications for individuals’ and couples’ wellbeing, such as higher couple functioning and perceived quality of life. In adolescence, low relationship quality has been associated with poor mental health and relational outcomes. However, given the lack of instruments to assess satisfaction in dating relationships, most studies have relied on measures of marital satisfaction. The current study aimed to address this gap by elaborating and validating the Relationship Quality Inventory for Adolescents (RQI-A). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted among two samples of French-speaking dating adolescents (n1 = 310; n2 = 335). The two-factor structure (Connectedness and Commitment) was cross-validated, and dimensions showed high internal consistency coefficients (ω = 0.86–0.89). Results also provide evidence of convergent validity of the scale with related measures. The RQI-A may help study predictors and correlates of dating relationship quality.

Paternal postpartum depression's relationship to maternal pre and postpartum depression, and father-mother dyads marital satisfaction: A structural equation model analysis of a longitudinal study

BackgroundFathers' depression is an understudied subject, and the increasing participation of fathers on the care of their children, this is an issue of great importance. This study aimed to determine the relationship of paternal postpartum depression with prenatal and postpartum depression of mothers and their marital satisfaction. MethodsThis longitudinal study was conducted among 352 expecting couples in 28–40 weeks of pregnancy and 6–8 weeks after delivery from April to September 2019. Eligible participants were selected from primary health care centers in northern Iran using a two-stage sampling method. Socio-demographic information, Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, and ENRICH Couple Scale were used for data collection. The primary basis of data analysis was cross-lagged structural equation modeling to explore the underlying mechanism for paternal postpartum depression. ResultsThe results showed that a) maternal prenatal depression indirectly (βstand = 0.32, p = 0.004); b) maternal postpartum depression directly (βstand = 0.56, p <0.001); c) paternal prenatal depression indirectly (βstand = 0.11, p = 0.028) were associated with paternal postpartum depression. Also, marital satisfaction directly (βstand = -0.19, p = 0.002) and indirectly (βstand = -0.11, p = 0.007) had a relationship to paternal postpartum depression. LimitationsCulturally-sensitive measures of marital satisfaction, especially in conservative context of developing countries, along with self-reported data of psychological problems may lead to under-reported findings. ConclusionThe major contribution of marital satisfaction and maternal depression during prenatal period on the paternal postpartum depression, emphasizes on the prenatal period as the ideal time for fathers' mental health improvement.

How Couple's Relationship Lasts Over Time? A Model for Marital Satisfaction.

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.

Whose parenting stress is more vulnerable to marital dissatisfaction? A within-couple approach examining gender, cognitive reappraisal, and parental identity.

Conflict and tension in the couple relationship transfers to the parent-child relationship, amplifying the stress parents experience while parenting young children. Pinpointing moderating and individual-level factors that exist in this spillover process may identify both couple and individual areas where spillover might be mitigated. This study used a within-couple approach to test for gender differences in marital-to-parenting spillover and to examine the moderating roles of gender, parental identity, and the emotion regulation strategy cognitive reappraisal in the linkages between marital-parenting spillover. From a larger study of parenting experiences, 96 mother-father couples of young children (mean age = 3.22 years) reported on measures of marital satisfaction, cognitive reappraisal, parenting identity, and parenting stress. Using path model comparisons, we found more similarities than differences between mothers and fathers and, contrary to the hypothesis, that mothers experienced greater spillover between marital satisfaction and parental distress than fathers. Results differed between outcome measures, suggesting that parents experience more spillover from marital satisfaction to parenting in the context of parental distress than in dysfunctional interactions with their child. Importantly, we found that higher parental identity strengthened marital-to-parenting spillover for mothers in contrast to expectations based on theoretical assumptions, whereas cognitive reappraisal weakened marital-to-parenting spillover, supporting the broader emotion regulation literature. These results signify the importance of situating the marriage to parenting transfer in the context of affective experiences and intensified parenting expectations, wherein flexibility in role identity may help alleviate parenting stress.

Are measures of marital satisfaction valid for women with depressive symptoms? The examination of factor structure and measurement invariance of the Couple Satisfaction Index‐4 across depression levels in Portuguese women

Marital satisfaction (MS) is a key indicator of mental and physical health. Factor structure of MS measures in individuals with clinical levels of depression as well as their measurement invariance across groups with different levels of depressive symptoms were not yet explored. The lack of evidence of measurement invariance might compromise valid comparisons between individuals with elevated and minimal depressive symptoms in MS. This study examined the factor structure of the Couple Satisfaction Index-4 (CSI-4) among women with clinical levels of depression, tested the CSI-4 measurement invariance across depression levels groups, and investigated CSI-4 convergent and divergent validity. Participants were 891 heterosexual married/cohabiting women who were assigned into one of two groups based on assessment of their levels of depressive symptoms. Participants completed the CSI-4 and self-reported measures used to examine convergent and divergent validity. Support was found for the factor structure of the CSI-4 for the total sample and both elevated depressive symptoms and minimal depressive symptoms groups. Subsequent multigroup confirmatory factor analyses supported the measurement invariance of the CSI-4 across depression levels groups. The CSI-4 revealed excellent values of internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity. Our findings suggest that CSI-4 produces comparable response patterns across depression groups and thus meaningful comparisons between groups can be performed.

Preliminary development of the Vietnamese Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS-VN): a pilot study using a Vietnamese intellectual sample

BackgroundThe objective of the present study was to develop a scale to measure marital satisfaction within a Vietnamese context (Vietnamese Marital Satisfaction Scale – MSS-VN). Due to the lack of in-depth studies in Vietnam on marital satisfaction, as well as a paucity of specialized Vietnamese context measurement tools in this field, the marital satisfaction dimensions of the MSS-VN were based on extant research literature and the social-cultural context of Vietnamese intellectual couples.Participants and procedureA group of 10 Vietnamese intellectuals (ages 28 to 43 years, five males/five females) were used to vet the MSS-VN questions during the question development phase of the study. The final version of the MSS-VN was administered to a convenience sample consisting of 144 male and 145 female Vietnamese intellectuals (age 22 to 50 years, M = 31.60, SD = 5.40). Analysis involved tests of reliability and validity (internal consistency, content validity, and convergent validity).ResultsThe results in the exploratory factor analysis of the MSS-VN indicated the maintenance of 33 items, distributed in five factors: emotional support, division of responsibilities and housework, child-rearing, decision making and financial management, and cohesion. The convergent validity showed rather strong correlation between the final scale solution and the sub-scale “dyadic satisfaction” from the Dyadic Adjustment Scale of Spanier.ConclusionsThe MSS-VN was considered satisfactory for the proposed intent of developing a measure of marital satisfac-tion within a Vietnamese context, with consistency for application in other studies on Vietnamese intellectual’s marital satisfaction; however, due to the limitation of the convenience sample, further evidence on the valida-tion of the MSS-VN is required.

When life's good: Gendered marital satisfaction and work-pay satisfaction influences on organisational commitment of advancement-career-stage employees

We examined the influences of marital satisfaction and work-pay satisfaction on organisational commitment among advancement-career-stage employees while controlling for gender and a selection of socio-demographics. The sample consisted of 350 workers (females = 237; mean age = 32.44, SD = 9.99 years) from a large privately owned educational service provider. The employees completed measures of marital satisfaction, work-pay satisfaction, and organisational commitment. The data were analysed to predict the influence of marital satisfaction, and work-pay satisfaction on organisational commitment, while controlling for gender and socio-demographics. The results suggest that although happily married people with work-pay satisfaction had higher organisational commitment, those with marital satisfaction and older age were less committed to their employer organisations. We conclude that marital satisfaction interfered with advancement-career-stage employees’ loyalty to the organisation.

Deployment-Related Benefit Finding and Postdeployment Marital Satisfaction in Military Couples.

Extensive research has evaluated potential negative effects of military deployments on romantic relationships. Comparatively few studies have examined potential positive effects of such deployments. In stressful situations, benefit finding (BF) has been found to be linked with better functioning on both individual and interpersonal levels. This study reports on deployment-related BF in a sample of 67 male service members (SMs) who deployed at least once since 9/11/2001 and their wives. Couples completed measures of marital satisfaction at baseline (an average of 1year postdeployment) and follow-up 4-6months later. At follow-up, SMs also provided data on symptoms of posttraumatic stress, and both partners provided reports of deployment-related BF. Multivariate path analysis controlling for SMs' PTSD symptom severity revealed that wives' BF was positively associated with increases in SMs' relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that wives' responses to deployment may be more influential than SMs' responses to deployment on military couples' relationships. This pattern indicates that support for spouses during deployments is essential; furthermore, such support should include an emphasis on trying to facilitate personal growth in spouses.

Discovery of a Partner Affair and Major Depressive Episode in a Probability Sample of Married or Cohabiting Adults.

Prior research has found that humiliating marital events are associated with depression. Building on this research, the current study investigated the association between one specific humiliating marital event-discovering that one's partner had an affair-and past-year major depressive episode (MDE) in a probability sample of married or cohabiting men and women who were at high risk for depression based on the criterion that they scored below the midpoint on a measure of marital satisfaction (N=227). Results indicate that (i) women were more likely than men to report discovering their partner had an affair in the prior 12months; (ii) discovering a partner affair was associated with a higher prevalence of past-year MDE and a lower level of marital adjustment; and (iii) the association between discovering a partner affair and MDE remained statistically significant when holding constant demographic variables and marital adjustment. These results support continued investigation into the impact that finding out about an affair has on the mental health of the person discovering a partner affair.

Relationship education and marital satisfaction in newlywed couples: A propensity score analysis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether premarital relationship education and characteristics of relationship education in a community sample of newlywed couples predicted marital trajectories over 27 months. Newlywed couples (N = 191) completed measures of marital satisfaction 9 times over 27 months, and prior to marriage they provided information about relationship education and demographic, personal, and relationship risk factors for marital distress. Propensity scores (i.e., the probability of receiving relationship education) were estimated using the marital distress risk factors, and used to derive a matched sample of 72 couples who participated in relationship education and 86 couples who did not. Multilevel analyses of the propensity score matched sample (n = 158) indicated that wives who participated in relationship education had declines in marital satisfaction while wives who did not receive relationship education maintained satisfaction over time. Furthermore, the more hours of relationship education the couple participated in, the less steeply their marital satisfaction declined. Findings indicate that participation in community-based relationship education may not prevent declines in marital satisfaction for newlywed couples. A possible explanation is that the quality of relationship education available to couples is generally poor and could be greatly improved by inclusion of empirically based relationship information and skills training that are known to lead to stronger marriages.

Presentation of the French adaptation of the Parenting Alliance Inventory: Issues in defining and measuring coparenting

The Parenting Alliance Inventory (PAI) is a 20-item questionnaire designed to assess parental alliance as defined by Weissman and Cohen’s theory of parenting alliance. This article aims to describe the first steps in factor structure and construct validation of the French version. A total of 202 French cohabiting parents completed this questionnaire, with the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (a measure of marital satisfaction) and the Parental Stress Index. The results of French families differed from those of American families on the number of factors: first, four factors rather than the original two-factor solution more meaningfully described the French data; and second, only 17 items distributed into these four subscales. Then, these subscales correlated with measures of dyadic adjustment and Parental Stress Index. These findings support the construct validity of the French version of questionnaire, but lead to a discussion of issues in defining and measuring coparenting.

Predicting Change in Marital Satisfaction Throughout Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy.

Emotionally focused couple therapy (EFT) is an empirically validated approach to couple therapy that uses attachment theory to understand the needs and emotions of romantic partners. EFT is recognized as one of the most effective approaches to couple therapy, but to guide therapists in their use of EFT, a theoretically based model to predict change is needed. This study tested such a model by recruiting 32 couples, and 14 therapists who provided approximately 21 sessions of EFT. Couples completed self-report measures of marital satisfaction, attachment security, relationship trust, and emotional control at pre- and posttherapy and after each therapy session. Results of hierarchical linear modeling suggested that individuals higher on self-report attachment anxiety and higher levels of emotional control had greater change in marital satisfaction across EFT sessions. Assessing attachment security at the start of therapy will inform therapists of the emotion regulating strategies used by couples and may help couples achieve positive outcomes from EFT.

The Changing Pattern of Marital Satisfaction in Hong Kong

Whether the marriage institution is in decline has been a subject of debate for some time among family scholars. The same issue has lately been troubling the Chinese in Hong Kong. Premarital sex, late marriage, lifelong singlehood, voluntary childlessness and divorce are on the rise, signaling the weakening of traditional familism. However, it is unclear whether marital quality is deteriorating as the general public suspects. This study uses a global measure of marital satisfaction as an indicator of overall marital quality and decomposes it into four constituting domains, including the quality of (1) emotional support, (2) togetherness, (3) physical intimacy and (4) trust. By probing into the relative importance of these evaluative criteria, we intend to reveal respondents’ marriage expectations. This approach helps us to trace the considerations involved in evaluating a marriage among three cohorts of people born in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, respectively. After adjusting for life-course factors, we found no evidence of deterioration in marital satisfaction in our cohort comparison. Among the four evaluative criteria, our respondents emphasized emotional support and trust as the most important aspects of a satisfying marriage. More importantly, whereas emotional support became much more prominent, trust attenuated its influence slightly over time, indicating a change in the meaning of marriage. Despite this change, the traditional notion of mutual dependence, as expressed in the trust between partners, remains relevant to the concept of marital satisfaction.

Can Mixed Feelings About Your Spouse Harden Your Arteries

Studies linking measures of marital satisfaction with health outcomes have yielded variable results. Recognizing that real-life marital relationships are often characterized by perceptions of one's spouse as both helpful and upsetting (i.e., ambivalence), investigators examined spouses' ratings of social relationship and marital adjustment and used standard scans to assess coronary artery calcification. The 136 couples were married for a mean of 36 years (97% non-Hispanic white; mean age, 63; …

Integrative Self-Knowledge and Marital Satisfaction

ABSTRACT Married Iranian couples (N = 210) responded to the Integrative Self-Knowledge Scale along with a measure of marital satisfaction, the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) Big Five, and an index of interpersonal problems. Integrative self-knowledge correlated positively with marital satisfaction, positively with all but the extraversion Big Five traits, and negatively with three indices of interpersonal problems. Integrative self-knowledge also mediated a number of personality relationships with marital satisfaction. Spouse-ratings of personality confirmed the adaptive implications of integrative self-knowledge for marriage. Linkages with questionnaire response styles supported the description of integrative self-knowledge as a measure of both self-insight and self-development. Results confirmed the potential of integrative self-knowledge for studying self-regulatory processes and suggested that the enhancement of self-knowledge may be a useful goal in efforts to strengthen marriages.

Pengembangan Alat Ukur Kepuasan Pernikahan Pasangan Urban

The current study aims to validate the measure of marital satisfaction among young urban married couples. Marital satisfaction is defined as a individual’s subjective experience toward marriage or components within a marriage. The scale consists of 38 items measuring individual’s satisfaction in communication, division in roles, agreement, openness, intimacy, intimacy in social relationship, sexuality, finance, and spirituality. The results indicate that the instrument was found to be reliable (α= 0.920) and have low correlation with subjective rating of overall marital satisfaction (rs = 0.293, p &lt; 0.05).

Factor Structure and Reliability of the Spanish Version of the Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire for Older Persons

The Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire for Older Persons (MSQFOP) measures marital satisfaction in a manner relevant to older adults. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Spanish-language version with 81 Latino/Hispanic Spanish-speaking couples aged 55 to 93 residing in Puerto Rico. Results revealed a robust structure, confirming the composition of the original scale version. Three components summarized the scale items: Compatibility/Affective Quality, Communication, and Sex/Health. This factor structure was essentially consistent with that reported by questionnaire authors for the original English-language version. Internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) for the full scale and subscales ranged from .96 to .83. This corroborates the construct validity and the reliability of the MSQFOP, suggesting it is an adequate measure of marital satisfaction for use with Spanish-speaking older adults. Clinical and research uses of the MSQFOP are discussed.