Effect of Participation in Leisure Activities on Marital Satisfaction among Elderly Couples: The Moderated Mediating Effect of Communication Time and Communication Satisfaction

This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of elderly couples’ communication time in the relationship between their leisure activities and marital satisfaction and the moderated mediating effect of communication satisfaction. The participants consisted of 918 men and 984 women, aged 60 to 75, who participated in the 2020 Family Survey (N=1,902). The study variables included leisure activities, marital satisfaction, communication time and communication satisfaction. Participants’ gender, age, length of marriage, employment status, socioeconomic level, and contemplation of divorce were controlled in the analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Process Macro models 4, 1, and 14 were used to investigate the mediating effect, the moderating effect, and the moderated mediating effect. The results were as follows. First, elderly couples’ leisure activities did not directly affect marital satisfaction, but communication time mediated the relationship between these two variables. Second, the level of communication satisfaction moderated the mediating effect of communication time in the relationship between leisure activities and marital satisfaction. These findings highlight the importance of leisure activities and communication time in improving marital satisfaction among the elderly. Furthermore, the results suggest that helping elderly couples increase communication satisfaction could be another effective way to enhance marital satisfaction.