Spousal characteristics as predictors of well-being in older couples

This study examined the relations between spousal variables and the psychological well-being of husbands and wives in older couples to determine if spousal characteristics were more important determinants of well-being for wives than for husbands. One hundred-twenty older married men and women completed standardized self-report measures and a short interview. The variables investigated included education, verbal intelligence, personality, physical health, marital adjustment, psychological well-being, as well as response bias to marital defensiveness. Spousal variables significantly predicted wives' well-being (R2 = 29%) with the three most influential predictor variables being the husbands' perception of the marriage, positive dimension of well-being and physical health. In contrast, spousal variables did not significantly predict husbands' well-being. The study supported the hypothesis of differential responsiveness of men and women to spousal variables and highlighted the importance of marital adjustment for the psychological well-being of older wives.