@article {8672, title = {Chronic Stress and Negative Marital Quality Among Older Couples: Associations With Waist Circumference.}, journal = {J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci}, volume = {74}, year = {2019}, month = {2019 01 10}, pages = {318-328}, abstract = {

Objective: More than a third of the U.S. population of older adults is obese. The present study tests the Dyadic Biopsychosocial Model of Marriage and Health, which hypothesizes that, among married couples, individual and partner chronic stress predicts increased waist circumference and these links are exacerbated in negative quality marriages.

Method: Participants were from the nationally representative longitudinal Health and Retirement Study (HRS). A total of 2,042 married individuals (in 1,098 married couples) completed psychosocial and waist circumference assessments in 2006 and 2010. Analyses examined whether negative marital quality and chronic stress in Wave 1 (2006) were associated with changes in waist circumference over time.

Results: Actor-partner interdependence models revealed that greater partner stress, rather than individuals{\textquoteright} own reports of stress, was associated with increased waist circumference over time. Higher perceived negative marital quality among husbands and lower negative marital quality among wives exacerbated the positive link between partner stress and waist circumference.

Discussion: Consistent with the Dyadic Biopsychosocial Model of Marriage and Health, partner stress has direct associations with waist circumference among couples and this link is moderated by negative marital quality. Thus, dyadic perceptions of stress and negative marital quality are important to consider for understanding marriage and obesity.

}, keywords = {Family Conflict, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Marriage, Middle Aged, Obesity, Stress, Psychological, Surveys and Questionnaires, Waist Circumference}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbw112}, author = {Kira S. Birditt and Nicky J Newton and James A. Cranford and Noah J Webster} } @article {6443, title = {Stress and Negative Relationship Quality among Older Couples: Implications for Blood Pressure.}, journal = {J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci}, volume = {71}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Sep}, pages = {775-85}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: The cardiovascular system may represent a significant pathway by which marriage and stress influence health, but research has focused on married individuals cross-sectionally. This study examined associations among chronic stress, negative spousal relationship quality, and systolic blood pressure over time among middle-aged and older husbands and wives.

METHOD: Participants were from the nationally representative longitudinal Health and Retirement Study. A total of 1,356 (N = 2,712) married and cohabitating couples completed psychosocial and biomeasure assessments in waves 2006 and 2010. Analyses examined whether Wave 1 (2006) relationship quality and stress were associated with changes in blood pressure over time.

RESULTS: The effects of stress and negative relationship quality were dyadic and varied by gender. Husbands had increased blood pressure when wives reported greater stress, and this link was exacerbated by negative spousal relationship quality. Negative relationship quality predicted increased blood pressure when both members of the couple reported negative quality relations.

DISCUSSION: Findings support the dyadic biopsychosocial model of marriage and health indicating: (a) stress and relationship quality directly effect the cardiovascular system, (b) relationship quality moderates the effect of stress, and (c) the dyad rather than only the individual should be considered when examining marriage and health.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aging, Blood pressure, Family Relations, Female, Humans, Hypertension, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Marriage, Middle Aged, Stress, Psychological}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbv023}, url = {http://psychsocgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/04/06/geronb.gbv023.abstract}, author = {Kira S. Birditt and Nicky J Newton and James A. Cranford and Lindsay H Ryan} }