The relationship between depression and marital maladjustment. A descriptive study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Marital Therapy

Background:

• A strong association exists between depression and marital maladjustment in outpatient samples.
• The generalization of this relationship to inpatient psychiatric populations requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the correlation between depression and marital adjustment in psychiatric inpatients.
• To investigate potential sex differences in the relationship between depression and marital adjustment among inpatients.

Main Methods:

• Patients admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit and their spouses completed self-report measures of depression and marital adjustment.
• Therapists provided independent ratings of patient depression and couple's marital adjustment.

Main Results:

• A significant negative correlation was found between patient-reported depression and marital adjustment, consistent with therapist ratings.
• The established depression-marital maladjustment link was confirmed in this inpatient sample.
• No significant differences in depression severity were observed between men and women, but depressed men reported higher marital adjustment than depressed women.

Conclusions:

• The findings support the generalization of the depression-marital maladjustment relationship to inpatient psychiatric settings.
• Clinical interventions for depression should consider marital factors, particularly in inpatient care.
• Sex differences in perceived marital adjustment among depressed individuals warrant further clinical attention.