Depression, marital satisfaction and communication in couples: investigating gender differences.
The correlation between depression and dysfunctional marital interaction is well documented, but only a few studies have examined gender-related differences in marital interaction patterns of couples with a depressed partner. In this paper we examined differences in observed marital communication in a sample of 62 Swiss couples presenting for treatment of depression. There were 16 maritally distressed couples with a depressed wife, 21 maritally nondistressed couples with a depressed wife, 18 maritally distressed couples with a depressed husband, and 7 maritally nondistressed couples with a depressed husband. Marital interaction behavior was found to depend on gender, depression, marital distress, as well as gender of the depressed partner. Our results suggest the need for a gender-sensitive model of the link between marital interaction and depression.
Gabriel
Barbara
B
University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. bar.gabriel@yahoo.com <bar.gabriel@yahoo.com>
Beach
Steven R H
SR
Bodenmann
Guy
G
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003142:Communication; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland