Date of Conferral

10-8-2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Magy Martin

Abstract

While extensive research has examined the impact of mental health challenges on academic and occupational functioning, the effect on marital satisfaction remains underexplored in the literature. Previous studies indicate robust correlations between happiness and mental health, but the specific mediating role of happiness in couples with mental health issues is unaddressed. This archival quantitative study, grounded in Bowen family systems theory, addressed happiness's mediating role on marital satisfaction in couples facing mental health challenges. Using data from the 2018 General Social Survey, this study analyzed a sample of married adults (N = 938) to explore whether happiness mediated the relationship between mental health and marital satisfaction. The multiple regression results indicated that both mental health and happiness are significant predictors of marital satisfaction (r = .413), accounting for 17% of the variance (r² = .171), a medium effect size. Mediation analysis confirmed that happiness partially mediates the relationship between mental health and marital satisfaction with a significant indirect effect (b = .346, SE = .028, p < .001, sr2 = .125), accounting for approximately 13% of the variability in marital satisfaction scores and moderately small effect size. These findings fill a critical gap in the literature by demonstrating the importance of happiness in enhancing marital satisfaction amidst mental health challenges. The findings also suggest avenues for future research and practical implications for therapeutic interventions aimed at improving happiness and marital satisfaction in affected couples, positively impacting society by bolstering marital satisfaction in couples navigating mental health challenges.

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