Marital dynamics and daily memory among aging same-sex and different-sex couples

In older adulthood, a spouse is often the closest relationship and a key source of support for health. Although prior research emphasizes the importance of marital dynamics for cognition, it predominantly focuses on different-sex couples. This leaves a critical gap in understanding how these processes might differ for aging same-sex couples. To address this gap, we examine how marital support and strain are associated with daily memory function among aging couples, exploring whether these associations differ between same-sex and different-sex marital dyads, with particular attention to gender differences.

Using 10-day dyadic diary data collected from 556 individuals aged 41-71 in same-sex and different-sex married couples, we estimate mixed-effects multilevel models to assess the associations between respondent- and spouse-reported marital dynamics and daily memory.

Marital strain-but not marital support-is significantly associated with daily memory failures among aging couples. This association is particularly pronounced for women in different-sex marriages compared to men and women in same-sex marriages and men in different-sex marriages. No significant partner effects are observed.

Our findings demonstrate that marital dynamics are linked to cognition and that these associations may vary in important ways for couples of different gender compositions. This study highlights the importance of identifying relationship-specific processes that may support or undermine cognitive health for aging couples across diverse marital contexts.