Actor and Partner Effects of Couple's Daily Stress and Dyadic Coping on Marital Satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the actor and partner effects of daily stress and dyadic coping on marital satisfaction using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediational Model (APIeM). Methods: Participants were 314 couples who met the study's eligibility criteria. Data were collected from March to April 2016 through apartment and cooperative company communities in Seoul. Two APIeMs of positive and negative dyadic coping were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 and Mplus 7.4. All measures were self-administered. Results: Daily stress and positive and negative dyadic coping in both spouses had direct actor effects on their marital satisfaction. Daily stress in both spouses had an indirect actor effect on marital satisfaction through their positive and negative dyadic coping. The husband's daily stress had an indirect partner effect on the wife's marital satisfaction through his positive dyadic coping, while the wife's positive dyadic coping had a direct partner effect on the husband's marital satisfaction. The husband's daily stress had an indirect partner effect on the wife's marital satisfaction through his negative dyadic coping, while the wife's negative dyadic coping had a direct partner effect on the husband's marital satisfaction. Conclusion: Dyadic coping is an effective way to deal with couple's daily hassles as it increase their satisfaction in marriage.