Direct and indirect effects of commitment on interdependence and satisfaction in married couples

This study tested the prediction that an individual's marital commitment would be positively associated with their own and their partner's marital satisfaction, and that one's own marital interdependence would be associated with one's own marital satisfaction. It also tested the prediction that there would be an indirect effect of marital commitment on marital satisfaction through higher marital interdependence for both the individual and the partner. Predictions were tested on 628 married couples. Overall, results were consistent with predictions. Tests of actor-partner interdependence mediation models revealed direct effects of marital commitment on marital satisfaction for both husbands and wives. Wives' commitment was also directly associated with husbands' marital interdependence and marital satisfaction, but husbands' commitment was not significantly associated with wives' interdependence or satisfaction. For both husbands and wives, their own marital interdependence was significantly associated with their own marital satisfaction. These same tests revealed indirect effects of marital commitment on marital satisfaction through higher marital interdependence for both husbands and wives individually. There was also an indirect effect of wives' commitment on husbands' marital satisfaction through wives' higher marital interdependence. These results are consistent with interdependence theory and the investment model of commitment.