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Updated: Jul 13, 2026
08:17
Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance
Published on: July 19, 2017
Associations between anxiety and marital adjustment.
Crystal Dehle1, Robert L Weiss
1Department of Psychology, Idaho State University, Pocatello 83209-8112, USA. dehlcrys@isu.edu
The Journal of Psychology
|September 11, 2002
Summary
Husbands' anxiety significantly impacts marital adjustment for both partners. This study reveals a key link between male anxiety and relationship satisfaction, offering insights for couples therapy and relationship research.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Relationship Science
Background:
- Cognitive-behavioral theories emphasize proximal affect states like anxiety in marital functioning.
- Existing research on intimate relationships lacks examination of state anxiety's role.
- Contextual models of close relationships underscore the influence of immediate emotional states.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between state anxiety and marital adjustment in couples.
- To determine if husbands' or wives' anxiety predicts subsequent marital adjustment.
- To explore the implications for the contextual model of close relationships.
Main Methods:
- Examined state anxiety and marital adjustment in 45 couples.
- Utilized hierarchical regression analyses to assess predictive relationships.
- Focused on anxiety levels at Time 1 and marital adjustment reports subsequently.
Main Results:
- Husbands' Time 1 anxiety significantly predicted their own marital adjustment.
- Husbands' Time 1 anxiety also predicted their wives' subsequent marital adjustment.
- Wives' Time 1 anxiety did not predict their own or their husbands' marital adjustment.
Conclusions:
- Husband anxiety is a significant predictor of marital adjustment for both partners.
- Findings support the importance of considering individual anxiety within couple dynamics.
- Further research should explore the contextual model of close relationships with a focus on husband anxiety.
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