Child, Youth, and Family Studies, Department of

 

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

December 2007

Comments

Published in Family Process 46:4 (December 2007), pp. 485–498; doi:10.1111/j.1545-5300.2007.00227.x Copyright © FPI, Inc.; Published by Blackwell Ltd. Used by permission. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/FAMP

Abstract

The Marital Discord Model of Depression maintains that marital discord is an important antecedent in the development of depression. Although empirical evidence supports this premise, none of this research has been done with Latinos. The purpose of this study was to test the longitudinal relationship between marital satisfaction and depression among 99 Brazilian women. Using structural equation modeling, results indicated that marital satisfaction was a strong predictor of depression 2 years later. Marital satisfaction was also related to co-occurring depression. These results provide evidence that the Marital Discord Model of Depression is an appropriate theoretical model for the conceptualization of marital discord and depression with Latina women and suggest the potential utility of using couples therapy for treating depression among this population.

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