Aging together: Dyadic profiles of older couples’ marital quality, psychological well-being, and physical health

The current study examined couple-level profiles to reveal systematic patterns of health and well-being in older couples. Using latent profile analysis, dyadic profiles were constructed in a national sample of 535 older, different-sex couples based on couples’ marital quality, psychological well-bei...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of social and personal relationships 2023-06, Vol.40 (6), p.1897-1919
Main Authors: Novak, Josh R, Wilson, Stephanie J, Ermer, Ashley E, Harper, James M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Couples
Dyads
Health
Health status
Husbands
Marital satisfaction
Marriage
Married couples
Mental health
Older people
Psychological well being
Well being
Wives
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Summary:The current study examined couple-level profiles to reveal systematic patterns of health and well-being in older couples. Using latent profile analysis, dyadic profiles were constructed in a national sample of 535 older, different-sex couples based on couples’ marital quality, psychological well-being, and physical health. Results revealed 4 distinct profiles: Maritally Satisfied and Healthy (63.5%), Maritally Dissatisfied and Moderately Healthy (14.7%), Maritally Satisfied with Unhealthy Wives (12.3%), and Maritally Satisfied with Unhealthy Husbands (9.3%). Husband age and education, wife education, and marriage length were significant predictors of class membership. Within-class partner concordance analyses confirmed that the latter two profiles featured the largest discordance between partners’ health and well-being. Most couples in this sample of older adults belonged to a class who demonstrated successful aging in all domains. A smaller group maintained high marital quality despite physical and psychological difficulties, and other couples were moderately healthy but maritally dissatisfied.
ISSN:0265-4075
1460-3608
DOI:10.1177/02654075221135451