Husbands' hostile, anti-social behaviour increase wives' symptoms of depression, researchers have found out.
Nearly 10 percent of the population suffers from a depressive disorder in the US, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. While the causes of depression vary, a new study at the University of Missouri reveals that marital hostility is one of the contributing factors. Researchers found that husbands' hostile and anti-social behaviour increased their wives' symptoms of depression over time.
In the study, husbands' marital hostility was significantly related to increases in wives' symptoms of depression; the more hostile and anti-social behaviour exhibited by husbands, the more depressed their wives were after three years. These findings suggest that husbands' treatment of their wives significantly impacts their psychological well-being and that hostile behaviour has a lasting effect, on couples, that continues throughout their marriages.
The researchers found no significant relationship between wives' hostile behaviour and husbands' depression, unless significant life events, such as a death in the family or a job loss, were present. Additionally, warm, positive behaviour from husbands lessened the negative impact of their hostile behaviour.
Anti-social behaviour can be being self-centered, defiant or showing a lack of constraint; hostile behaviour like anger, being critical or rejecting. To measure hostile and anti-social behaviour, the researchers watched and coded twenty-minute videos of couples interacting in their homes. Symptoms of depression were self-reported by those in the study.
It is important that professionals ask people experiencing depression about their close relationships and recognise that their spouse's behaviour influences how they feel about life and themselves, especially among women, say the scientists. It is important to intervene at the couple level and make spouses aware that how they act toward each other has a long-term effect on their emotional and physical well-being.
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