Relationship-oriented values and marital and life satisfaction among Chinese couples

• Published in: Journal of social and personal relationships Vol. 37; no. 8-9; pp. 2578 - 2596
• Main Authors: Chi, Peilian, Wu, Qinglu, Cao, Hongjian, Zhou, Nan, Lin, Xiuyun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.08.2020; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Age differences; Couples; Gender differences; Husbands; Interdependence; Interpersonal relationship satisfaction; Life satisfaction; Longitudinal studies; Marital satisfaction; Marriage; Married couples; Sociodemographics; Spouses; Values; Well being; Wives; relationship-oriented values; CFPS; couple similarity; life satisfaction; marriage cohort difference; Chinese couples; marital satisfaction
• ISSN: 0265-4075; 1460-3608
• DOI: 10.1177/0265407520928588

Objective and background: The present study tested whether the similarity levels of relationship-oriented values among Chinese couples would be higher than those among randomly matched male–female pairs. Furthermore, we examined whether couple similarity of relationship-oriented values would predict spouses’ marital satisfaction and life satisfaction above the actor and partner effects of relationship-oriented values over time and the potential marriage cohort differences. Method: Data were retrieved from the China Family Panel Studies data set in 2010–2014. Our study included a nationally representative sample of 10,860 first-married couples who provided data on relationship-oriented values, marital satisfaction, and life satisfaction. Results: The average profile similarity on relationship-oriented values of the real couples was higher than that of the randomly matched male–female pseudo couples. Actor–Partner Interdependence Model analyses showed that (1) couple similarity of relationship-oriented values was positively associated with husbands’ and wives’ life satisfaction indirectly through wives’ marital satisfaction among couples with short to medium marital duration, even after controlling for life satisfaction 4 years ago and a set of sociodemographic variables; (2) husbands’ relationship-oriented values were positively associated with couples’ life satisfaction indirectly through husbands’ marital satisfaction among couples with short to medium and long marital duration. Conclusion: With a large dyadic sample of Chinese couples, our findings expand the literature on the significant role of couple similarity of relationship-oriented values in personal and relational well-being.