Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104.
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Original Article
Happy Marriage, Happy Life? Marital Quality and Subjective Well-being in Later Life
Article first published online: 2 SEP 2014
DOI: 10.1111/jomf.12133
Copyright © National Council on Family Relations, 2014
Additional Information
How to Cite
Carr, D., Freedman, V. A., Cornman, J. C. and Schwarz, N. (2014), Happy Marriage, Happy Life? Marital Quality and Subjective Well-being in Later Life. Journal of Marriage and Family, 76: 930–948. doi: 10.1111/jomf.12133
Publication History
- Issue published online: 2 SEP 2014
- Article first published online: 2 SEP 2014
- Manuscript Accepted: 3 MAY 2014
- Manuscript Revised: 26 MAR 2014
- Manuscript Received: 30 JUL 2012
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- actor–partner independence models;
- daily diary methods;
- experienced well-being;
- gender differences;
- happiness;
- life satisfaction;
- marital quality;
- older adults
The authors examined associations between marital quality and both general life satisfaction and experienced (momentary) well-being among older husbands and wives, the relative importance of own versus spouse's marital appraisals for well-being, and the extent to which the association between own marital appraisals and well-being is moderated by spouse's appraisals. Data are from the 2009 Disability and Use of Time daily diary supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (N = 722). One's own marital satisfaction is a sizable and significant correlate of life satisfaction and momentary happiness; associations do not differ significantly by gender. The authors did not find a significant association between spouse's marital appraisals and own well-being. However, the association between husband's marital quality and life satisfaction is buoyed when his wife also reports a happy marriage, yet flattened when his wife reports low marital quality. Implications for understanding marital dynamics and well-being in later life are discussed.
