Two Sides of the Same Coin? The Differing Roles of Assets and Consumer Debt in Marriage

Abstract

This study examines whether assets and consumer debts relate to change in marital satisfaction and conflict in opposing ways or in independent ways. It also tests whether these relationships are direct or mediated. Using a nationally representative longitudinal sample, the results indicate that assets and consumer debt influence change in marital outcomes in mostly independent rather than complementary ways. Consistent with prior literature, assets work indirectly by decreasing feelings of economic pressure. Consumer debt, however, directly predicts changes in marital conflict, even after controlling for variables in the family stress model. Debts also act indirectly by decreasing depression once economic pressure is included in the model. This unexpected suppressor effect suggests that the meaning of debts may not be straightforward. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007Assets, Conflict, Debts, Marriage, Satisfaction,

Coping with Economic Stress: A Test of Deterioration and Stress-Suppressing Models

“…Being under greater economic stress was associated with greater time spent in bill management for the full and white sample and greater savings behavior for the full, white, and black samples. With respect to savings, these findings are consistent with previous studies that have found attempts at savings to be associated with lower stress and the ability to save as a mediator between economic stress and individual and family outcomes (Dew, 2007;Rothwell & Han, 2010). Financial therapists should encourage clients to save money no matter how small the amount and regardless of the client's income level; any amount of savings has been associated with reduced financial hardship (Levine, 2016).…”

Financial Declines, Financial Behaviors, and Relationship Satisfaction during the Recession

“…For example, consumer debt has been linked to both marital conflict and the likelihood of divorce (Dew, 2007;2011). Consequently, this study not only examined the financial strategies that households have taken to cope with the recession, but also examined whether they were associated with relationship quality for cohabiting and married couples.…”

“…Further, this study is among one of few to examine how actual financial management behaviors are associated with relationship quality. Most studies in this area (e.g., Dew, 2007;Gudmunson, Beutler, Israelsen, McCoy, & Hill, 2007) use actual financial well-being, such as assets or negative financial events. Finally, this is one of the first studies to test whether sound financial management behaviors mediate and/or moderate the relationship between financial declines and relationship happiness.…”

Ajustamento psicossocial, ajustamento diádico e resiliência no contexto de desemprego

“…Concluímos que os sujeitos que sentem dificuldade em pagar as despesas apresentam maior sintomatologia psicopatológica e pior QdV, principalmente nos domínios Físico, Ambiente e Faceta geral. Já no que diz respeito ao ajustamento diádico, não encontrámos diferenças significativas nos dois grupos, ainda que a coesão e o total da EAD tenham sido superiores nos sujeitos que referem sentir estas dificuldades (dados não apresentados) o que, de certo modo, reforça a importância da relação conjugal neste contexto de constrangimento económico, o que é consistente com as conclusões retiradas por alguns estudos que confirmam o impacto que a tensão económica tem no bem-estar individual e relacional (e.g., Dew, 2007Dew, , 2008Kinnunen & Felt, 2004;Vaz Serra, 2007).…”