Marital Satisfaction, Cross-Cultural Adjustment Stress, and the Psychological Sequelae

Abstract

A population of missionaries experiencing the stress of cross-cultural adjustment in their first assignment abroad was used to examine the relationship of marital satisfaction and psychological symptoms. The study consisted of a mail survey in which 67 married missionaries completed self-report surveys of marital satisfaction, depression, and anxiety. No relationship was found between marital satisfaction and anxiety. A significant relationship between general marital satisfaction and depression was found. The quality of marriage appears to either exacerbate the stress leading to increased depression or to buffer the stress, leading to decreased depression. The study adds to a larger body of research indicating that social support systems are stress buffering. Post hoc analysis revealed that there exists an even stronger significant relationship between marital satisfaction about leisure time together and depression.