While other studies have shown that stress and negative marital quality can influence mortality and blood pressure, there has not been research that discussed how it might affect married couples over time. Using systolic blood pressure as a gauge, researchers assessed whether an individual's blood pressure is influenced by their own as well as their partner's reports of chronic stress and whether there are gender differences in these patterns.
The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences published these findings in the article titled, "Stress and Negative Relationship Quality among Older Couples: Implications for Blood Pressure" on April 7, 2015.
This article addresses several questions:
- Does chronic stress predict blood pressure?
- Does the association between chronic stress and blood pressure vary between husbands and wives?
- Does negative relationship quality predict blood pressure?
- Does the association between negative relationship quality and blood pressure vary bygender?
- Does negative marital quality moderate the stress-blood pressure link?
- Does the moderating effect of negative marital quality differ for wives and husbands?
The findings support previous research that asserts stress and relationship quality have both direct and moderating effects on the cardiovascular system. This research also indicates that it is important to consider the couple as a whole rather than the individual when examining marriage and health. Most importantly, this study revealed that wives' stress has important implications for husbands' blood pressure, particularly in more negative relationships. Specifically looking at the effects of negative relationship quality, researchers found that effects weren't recognized when examining individuals but there were when examining interactions between both members of couple.
"We were particularly excited about these findings because they show that the effects of stress and negative relationship quality are truly dyadic in nature," says lead author Kira S. Birditt, "An individuals' physiology is closely linked with not only his or her own experiences but the experiences and perceptions of their spouses. We were particularly fascinated that husbands were more sensitive to wives' stress than the reverse especially given all of the work indicating that wives are more affected by the marital tie. We speculate that this finding may result from husbands greater reliance on wives for support which may not be provided when wives are more stressed."
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While other studies have shown that stress and negative marital quality can influence mortality and blood pressure, there has not been research that discussed how it might affect married couples over time. Using systolic blood pressure as a gauge, researchers assessed whether an individual's blood pressure is influenced by their own as well as their partner's reports of chronic stress and whether there are gender differences in these patterns.
The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences published these findings in the article titled, "Stress and Negative Relationship Quality among Older Couples: Implications for Blood Pressure" on April 7, 2015.
This article addresses several questions:
- Does chronic stress predict blood pressure?
- Does the association between chronic stress and blood pressure vary between husbands and wives?
- Does negative relationship quality predict blood pressure?
- Does the association between negative relationship quality and blood pressure vary bygender?
- Does negative marital quality moderate the stress-blood pressure link?
- Does the moderating effect of negative marital quality differ for wives and husbands?
The findings support previous research that asserts stress and relationship quality have both direct and moderating effects on the cardiovascular system. This research also indicates that it is important to consider the couple as a whole rather than the individual when examining marriage and health. Most importantly, this study revealed that wives' stress has important implications for husbands' blood pressure, particularly in more negative relationships. Specifically looking at the effects of negative relationship quality, researchers found that effects weren't recognized when examining individuals but there were when examining interactions between both members of couple.
"We were particularly excited about these findings because they show that the effects of stress and negative relationship quality are truly dyadic in nature," says lead author Kira S. Birditt, "An individuals' physiology is closely linked with not only his or her own experiences but the experiences and perceptions of their spouses. We were particularly fascinated that husbands were more sensitive to wives' stress than the reverse especially given all of the work indicating that wives are more affected by the marital tie. We speculate that this finding may result from husbands greater reliance on wives for support which may not be provided when wives are more stressed."
Explore further: Researcher studies long-term marital happiness
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
Researcher studies long-term marital happiness
(Medical Xpress)—A husband who's unhappy with his marriage is still likely to be happy with his life—if his wife gives their marriage high marks, a new study shows.
Marriages benefit when fathers share household, parenting responsibilities, researcher says
Although no exact formula for marital bliss exists, a University of Missouri researcher has found that husbands and wives are happier when they share household and child-rearing responsibilities. However, sharing responsibilities ...
Study finds that wives' sleep problems have negative impact on marital interactions
The quality of interactions among married couples is affected by wives' inability to fall asleep at night, but not by husbands' sleep problems, suggests new research that will be presented Monday, June 13, in Minneapolis, ...
Husband's health and attitude loom large for happy long-term marriages
(Phys.org) —A husband's agreeable personality and good health appear crucial to preventing conflict among older couples who have been together a long time, according to a study from University of Chicago ...
Stress shared by same-sex couples can have unique health impacts
Studies of stress and its effects on health have typically focused on the worries of an individual: money, love, health, work. But what about stress shared by two people in a romantic relationship?
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Scientists find molecular trigger of schizophrenia-like behaviors and brain changes
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified a molecule in the brain that triggers schizophrenia-like behaviors, brain changes and global gene expression in an animal model. The research ...
Posttraumatic stress can have profound effects on sexual health
Although sexual dysfunction is not a specific symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is a frequent complaint among trauma survivors. The Journal of Sexual Medicine review finds that PTSD-related biological and co ...
The end of male supremacy?
Women and men have biological differences that give each certain advantages, but women's biological advantages are becoming more and more relevant in modern societies and helping shift the balance of power ...
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