Examining the linkages between marital quality and anxiety: A meta-analytic review

This study examines the associations between marital quality and anxiety using meta-analytic techniques. A total of k = 151 effects published between the years 2000 and 2019 were analyzed. It was hypothesized that better overall marital quality would be associated with less anxiety. Results showed significant associations between marital quality and anxiety in such a way that higher overall marital quality was associated with lower anxiety. Post hoc analyses revealed that higher levels of positive marital behaviors (e.g., communication and intimacy) and fewer negative marital behaviors (e.g., criticism) were associated with lower anxiety. Additional results examined potential moderators of the association between marital quality and anxiety, including study design, direction of longitudinal associations (i.e., marital quality predicting anxiety or vice versa), gender, assessment of anxiety, and the use of control variables to account for comorbidities and demographic factors. Findings from this study provide a comprehensive review of the associations between marital quality and anxiety, which may be used to inform future research and treatment.