The Relationship between Physical Health Problems and Couple Violence and Conflict in Survivors of the 2004 Tsunami: Mediation by Marital Satisfaction

Abstract

The impact of the 2004 East Asian Tsunami on Buddhist, Sri Lankan mothers’ relationships was investigated in this study. More specifically, the relationship between increased violence and conflict post-Tsunami and the daily intrusiveness of Tsunami-related persisting physical health problems was examined in a sample of 170 women, nearly four years after the disaster. Mediation by marital satisfaction, on the relationship between these variables, after controlling for mental health status was also tested. Increased couple violence or conflict post-Tsunami was significantly and positively related to the daily effect of persistent physical health problems resulting from the Tsunami. Full mediation was revealed through a pronounced path model negatively linking increased couple violence and conflict with marital satisfaction, and negatively linking marital satisfaction to the influence of physical health challenges.