Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
9-2021
Abstract
Objective and background: Previous research suggests that cultural adaptation is associated with Mexican-origin couples' marital outcomes, including marital distress and rates of dissolution. However, research on the marital implications of different types of spousal differences in cultural adaptation often omits important dyadic dynamics (i.e., incongruence between couples and with their partners); this, coupled with existing methodological issues, might contribute to the pattern of mixed findings in the literature. Method: Using data from 273 Mexican-origin couples, we conducted response surface analyses to examine how spousal congruence in four adaptation domains (acculturation, enculturation, English proficiency, Spanish proficiency) is associated with wives' and husbands' marital warmth, hostility and satisfaction. Results: Higher, versus lower, levels of couple matches (except for enculturation) were associated with better marital quality. Mismatches in American (acculturation, English) and Mexican (enculturation, Spanish) orientations were also associated with higher, and lower, marital quality, respectively. Conclusion and implication: Our findings highlight the importance of examining couple matching, which has historically been understudied. We also suggest that inconsistencies in prior work can be explained by discrepant associations between mismatches in American versus Mexican orientation and relationship outcomes.
Keywords
Cultural diversity, Hispanic/Latino/a, Immigrants, Marital quality, Methodologies
Discipline
Applied Behavior Analysis | Multicultural Psychology | School Psychology
Research Areas
Psychology
Publication
Journal of Marriage and Family
Volume
83
Issue
5
First Page
1420
Last Page
1438
ISSN
0022-2445
Identifier
10.1111/jomf.12799
Publisher
Wiley
Embargo Period
10-9-2023
Citation
SIM, Lester, CHEN, Shanting, ZHANG, Minyu, Edelstein, Robin S., & KIM, Su Yeong.(2021). Cultural adaptation congruence in immigrant spouses is associated with marital quality. Journal of Marriage and Family, 83(5), 1420-1438.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3798
Copyright Owner and License
Publisher
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12799
Included in
Applied Behavior Analysis Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons, School Psychology Commons