Big Ten Universities Revisit Happy Wife, Happy Life Study
The results of a recent marital research study, published in the October issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family, further confirms that the key to a happy marriage is as simple as keeping the wife happy and content. Rutgers University, in collaboration with the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, revisited this marital landscape with a new twist. This time, the research team opted to consider the feelings of both spouses. The results indicate that the happier the wife is within the marriage the happier the husband is, no matter the negative marital connotations of the paternal persuasion.
Deborah Carr, a professor in the Department of Sociology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Michigan, concluded that if a wife considers herself relatively happy with her marriage she will opt to do more for her husband, therefore ultimately increasing the level of emotional well-being and also avoiding a consultation with an qualified divorce attorney. Even though men still remain less vocal about their marriages in general, this negative view of the marital union does not necessarily transfer to the wife.
The study, spearheaded by Carr and Vicki Freedman, a fellow research professor, focused on the marital forecast of older couples. The research team surveyed and analyzed data from 394 participating couples echoing the national study conducted in 2009. Subject matter concentrated on income, health and disability. The majority of the focus group participants had been married for an average of 39 years.
Survey questions ranged from appreciation of each partner to who watches more television. Housekeeping and home-related duties were also thrown into the mix. Throughout the course of the study, both Carr and Freedman requested that the couples keep comprehensive journals detailing how happy they were in a 24 hour period while tending to mundane chores or social activities.
Surprisingly, the men rated their marriages higher on the positivity scale than their wives, although all couples ranked their general life satisfaction high. Carr further concluded that both partners rated the marriage higher if there was notable evidence of satisfaction and happiness throughout their daily lives and the years spent together.
The research team believes that revisiting the concept of “Happy Wife, Happy Life” is extremely important as the quality of life for aging married couples often provides a barrier against health issues due to stress as well as addressing serious health and medical issues as a united team.
Grow old along with me, the best is yet to see. Robert Browning’s quote could very easily apply to the results of this study. In a few simple words, happiness appears to conquer the mountains and valleys of a marital road well traveled.
If you find yourself feeling less than satisfied with the quality of your marriage and are contemplating divorce, a Geneva divorce attorney can help. Douglas B. Warlick has been offering personalized divorce and family law legal services to clients throughout Kane, Kendall, Dekalb, and DuPage counties since 1981. Contact Attorney Warlick at 630-232-9700 to schedule your personal consultation today.
