Depression and Relationship Satisfaction Among Emerging Adults

Abstract

Research has shown associations between depressive symptoms and marital functioning (i.e., relationship satisfaction, commitment, and functioning); however, less is known about the association among emerging adults in committed dating relationships. We assessed this association in a large sample of emerging adults in college (N = 3447), and we found that higher relationship satisfaction prospectively predicted fewer depressive symptoms over the course of an academic semester, even when controlling for the stability of both of these constructs. However, depressive symptoms did not reliably predict relationship satisfaction. When using clinical cutoffs for relationship distress and clinically significant depressive symptoms, we found that relationship distress prospectively predicted a higher incidence of clinically significant depressive symptoms and vice versa, supporting a bidirectional view of the relationship between these constructs. Regarding gender differences, when examined continuously, the predictive power of relationship satisfaction on depressive symptoms was significant for women, but not men; when examining clinical cutoffs, the predictive strength of both predictors were statistically equivalent between men and women. The implications for clinicians in college settings are discussed.