Relation between general health and marital satisfaction in employees of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

In recent decades, changes in marital patterns and lifestyles have lead to conflicts between couples, which affects their sense of psychological security and attachment to one another. In such environments, anxiety and depressive disorders are common and may lead to loss of satisfaction of marital life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between couple's general health and marital satisfaction.

Method and Materials: 

This was a descriptive, correlational study. One hundred 25-45 year old male employees of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, with high school to Bachelor degrees, were selected with c onvenience sampling in 2009. The GHQ-28 and Marital satisfaction Questionnaires were given to them. Data were analyzed by hierarchical regression and correlation between subscales of the questionnaires.

We used hieratical regression in order to predict marital satisfaction by mental health status. Results showed that increase in depression subscale causes a decrease in attraction subscale of marital satisfaction. Moreover, increase in depression was associated with decrease in rapport subscale of marital satisfaction. Increase in anxiety and depression was associated with attitude subscale of marital satisfaction. Increase in bodily factors was associated with increase in investment, but increase in anxiety and depression was associated with decrease in investment. Analyzed results indicate that about 28% of employees were suspected of having brief mental disorders; no relation between age, years of service, birth order and general health were found. In addition there were significant differences between educational level and marital satisfaction. Correlation between age, intimacy, investment attitudes and satisfaction was significant. On the other hand, simultaneous with increase in age and appearance of burnout, marital satisfaction was significantly reduced.

Result showed that subscales of marital satisfaction including attraction, rapport, attitude, and investment were associated with bodily factors, depression and anxiety subscales of mental health, and that we can predict marital satisfaction through mental health factors.