Marital Satisfaction and Depression: A Replication of the Marital Discord Model in a Latino Sample

Abstract

The Marital Discord Model of Depression maintains that marital discord is an important antecedent in the development of depression. Although empirical evidence supports this premise, none of this research has been done with Latinos. The purpose of this study was to test the longitudinal relationship between marital satisfaction and depression among 99 Brazilian women. Using structural equation modeling, results indicated that marital satisfaction was a strong predictor of depression 2 years later. Marital satisfaction was also related to cooccurring depression. These results provide evidence that the Marital Discord Model of Depression is an appropriate theoretical model for the conceptualization of marital discord and depression with Latina women and suggest the potential utility of using couples therapy for treating depression among this population.

Marital satisfaction and depressive symptoms in China.

“…Combined with the studies of marital satisfaction and depression among Brazilian women (Hollist et al, 2007) and Singaporean married adults (Sandberg et al, 2012), there is emerging evidence that marital dissatisfaction is a significant risk factor for depressive symptoms in collectivist societies.…”

“…One study was conducted in southem Brazil and found that marital dissatisfaction predicted depressive symptoms among 99 women two years later, controlling for initial levels of depression (Hollist, Miller, Falceto, & Femandes, 2007), The other study was conducted in Singapore and found that marital dissatisfaction was predictive of concurrent depressive symptoms among 1,026 individuals (Sandberg, Yorgason. Miller, & Hill, 2012), At a conceptual level, this issue evokes cross-cultural psychology's "emic-etic" dichotomy (Nelson et al, 2006;Berry, 1989).…”

Relationships between Self-Esteem and Marital Satisfaction among Women

“…Therefore, as self-esteem increases, women marital satisfaction rate also increases. Shafiee Kanjani (2008), Cohen et al (2009), Butzer and Campbell (2008), Hollist et al(2007), and Majidi ( 2007) have in their own researches affirmed the significant relationship between the two variables.…”

Alerta sobre a depressão pós-parto paterna

“…Para o pai, estava associado com relação conjugal problemática e baixo peso do bebê ao nascer, mas não com presença de transtorno mental nele 10 . Todos esses fatores associados são passíveis de intervenção de profissionais da saúde com potencial de boa resolutividade, em especial o tratamento dos transtornos mentais e das relações conjugais problemáticas 11,12 . É sabido que há consequências em longo prazo para o filho quando a relação pai-filho é conflituosa ou distante.…”