Wife’s Happiness Increases Husband’s Satisfaction in Life: Study

Study says men whose wives are happy tend to lead a happy and fulfilling life.

Earlier researches have confirmed that a happy marriage is the key to a healthy heart and mental well-being. Sociologists at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research say women who are happy in their marriages contribute to their husbands' satisfaction and emotional needs. The survey involved data from a sample research on 394 couples aged above 60. The participants were interviewed about their personal life, quality of personal relations, martial life and level of happiness.   The subjects were asked to maintain a journal to record their level of comfort and closeness they had with their spouses and also asked if they suffered from any anxiety and trouble.

The analysis revealed both men and women gave five on six as their overall life satisfaction. Their happiness scores were approximately close to five on six. Majority of men who gave high self-ratings on happiness and satisfaction quotient shared a healthy and fulfilling courtship with their wives.

"Older husbands and wives in better marriages are more satisfied with their lives. But overall life satisfaction for an unhappily married man depends on how his wife describes their relationship. If she describes their marriage as higher quality, his life satisfaction is buoyedeven if he gives the marriage a less glowing assessment," added Vicki Freedman, study author and professor at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, reports the Fox News.

The findings highlight the importance of developing deeper and meaningful relations for a happy and harmonious life. The authors add any imbalance can trigger marital disruptions that ultimately affect rapport between husbands and wives.

"Marital quality is an important buffer against the health-depleting effects of later-life stressors such as caregiving, and is a critical resource as couples manage difficult decisions regarding their care in later life," said Deborah Carr, co-author and sociologist at Rutgers University, reports the Fox News.

"For both husbands and wives, being in a better-rated marriage was linked to greater life satisfaction and happiness. But wives' assessments of the marriage are more important in some respects than their husbands' reports," quotes Carr.

More information is available online in the journal of Marriage and Family.