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The Marital Satisfaction of Differently Aged Couples
Wang-Sheng Lee1, Terra McKinnish2
1Deakin University and IZA.
Journal of Population Economics
|October 11, 2019
Summary
Marital age gaps impact relationship satisfaction. Couples with age differences experience declining satisfaction over time, erasing initial benefits within a decade.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Family Studies
- Psychology
Background:
- Marital satisfaction is a key indicator of relationship quality.
- The influence of age-gap dynamics on long-term marital satisfaction remains an area of interest.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the effect of marital age gaps on the trajectory of marital satisfaction.
- To investigate if age differences impact marital satisfaction differently over time.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Australian household panel data.
- Analyzed marital satisfaction trends in relation to age differences between spouses and marriage duration.
Main Results:
- Both men and women report higher satisfaction with younger spouses initially.
- Satisfaction declines faster in differently-aged couples compared to similarly-aged couples.
- Initial satisfaction advantages for age-disparate couples diminish within 6-10 years.
Conclusions:
- Marital age gaps significantly influence the evolution of marital satisfaction.
- Differently-aged couples may be less resilient to marital shocks, contributing to satisfaction decline.
- Long-term marital satisfaction may converge between similarly-aged and differently-aged couples.
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