The Actor-Partner Effects of Marital Satisfaction on Life Satisfaction in Middle-Aged and Older Couples: Focusing on the Mediating Effects of Health Behavior and Health

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the actor and partner effects of marital satisfaction on life satisfaction in middle-aged and older couples via their health behavior and health. The study participants included a total of 2,108 couples, aged 57 and over, from the eighth wave of data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA). The marital satisfaction, health behavior, health, and life satisfaction of the husbands and wives were measured to conduct the analysis. This analysis was conducted based on the Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM) with the bootstrapping technique being used as the mediating effect. The results indicated that there were significant actor and partner direct and indirect effects when it comes to the relationship between the participants’ marital satisfaction and their own life satisfaction, mediated by health behavior and health. However, no significant influences regarding the health of the participants on the life satisfaction of their spouses were found. These results suggest that it is important for middle-aged and older couples to improve their marital relationships in order to promote the health and life satisfaction of both parties. Doing so will help husbands and wives lead healthier lifestyles based on their positive relationships.