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Marital distress prospectively predicts poorer cellular immune function
Lisa M Jaremka1, Ronald Glaser, William B Malarkey
1Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 614, United States.
Psychoneuroendocrinology
|July 25, 2013
Summary
Marital distress prospectively predicts declines in cellular immune function over two years. This research highlights a pathway linking relationship quality to long-term health consequences.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Immunology
- Health Sciences
Background:
- Marital distress is linked to adverse health outcomes.
- Immune dysregulation is a potential mechanism connecting marital distress and health.
- Previous studies show cross-sectional links between marital distress and immune alterations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively examine the association between marital distress and immune alterations over a two-year period.
- To investigate if marital distress predicts changes in cellular immune function over time.
Main Methods:
- 90 newly married couples (180 individuals) provided baseline marital quality assessments and blood samples.
- Participants completed a two-year follow-up assessment, including blood samples.
- Cellular immune function was assessed using proliferative responses to concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA).
Main Results:
- Spouses in more distressed marriages exhibited greater declines in cellular immune function over two years.
- This finding was consistent across two different immune response indices (Con A and PHA).
Conclusions:
- Marital distress has demonstrable longer-term consequences for immune function.
- These findings provide evidence for a pathway through which marital distress may negatively impact health over time.
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