Microlongitudinal analysis of memory failures, negative affect, and marital interactions

Many older adults experience age-associated memory changes. Scholars have explored more intensive memory loss problems (i.e., dementia) within marriage, however minor memory failures may also impact older adults' relationships. Minor daily memory failures could bring frustrations that manifest as negative affect, which could then spill over into marital interactions. The current study utilized a daily framework to examine microlongitudinal pathways of memory to negative affect to marital interactions among 191 couples across 14 consecutive days. Dyadic multivariate multilevel structural equation models were used to explore daily positive and negative marital interactions as a function of 2 days prior (t-2) memory failures and prior day (t-1) negative affect. Findings suggest that between-person memory failures were consistently linked with negative affect, and between-person negative affect was linked to fewer daily positive and more daily negative marital interactions for husbands, as well as more daily negative marital interactions for wives. Within-person t-2 memory failures were linked to t-1 negative affect for husbands. Indirect associations linking memory failures with negative marital quality through negative affect were significant for wives, and only at a between-person level. The effects of daily memory failures have important implications for daily negative affect and negative marital interactions, and these effects may last for multiple days. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).