Dyadic Perspectives on Predictors of Marital Satisfaction in Heterosexual Japanese Couples

Predictions of marital satisfaction can be used to address individual well-being and family problems. This study investigated the factors predicting marital satisfaction from a dyadic perspective. Relational support, relationship-focused coping, and internal stressors were independent variables. I conducted a cross-sectional postal survey in 2019. In all, 89 heterosexual Japanese couples were analyzed. The results indicated that higher relational support and lower internal stressors predicted higher marital satisfaction for the respondent but not for the partner. These findings indicate the “closed” nature of relational support and internal stressors. Moreover, the frequency of the active engagement of the mother predicted higher marital satisfaction of the father. The positive effects of relational support and the adverse effects of internal stressors affected marital satisfaction at an intradyadic level. This study also demonstrated the need to develop partners’ coping skills, especially in terms of active engagement.