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Commitment to one’s spouse as a predictor of marital quality among older couples

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Abstract

The present study examined the relationships between several independent variables (ego development, commitment to the spouse, length of marriage, church attendance, and sex of subject) and three marital quality variables (marriage problems, expression of love, and dyadic adjustment) in a community sample of 72 married couples age 50 and up. Commitment to the spouse was the strongest and most consistent predictor of marital quality; commitment was negatively related to marriage problems and positively related to expression of love and dyadic adjustment. The other independent variables were generally unrelated to marital quality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Purdue University, USA

    Clifford H. Swensen

  2. Department of Psychology, Indiana University Northwest, 3400 Broadway, 46408-1198, Gary, IN

    Richard Clements Ph.D.

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  1. Richard Clements Ph.D.
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  2. Clifford H. Swensen
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Correspondence to Richard Clements Ph.D..

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Clements, R., Swensen, C.H. Commitment to one’s spouse as a predictor of marital quality among older couples. Curr Psychol 19, 110–119 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-000-1007-7

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