A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LINK BETWEEN MARITAL DISCORD AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMATOLOGY

In a community population of married couples (N = 328), correlations b etween depressive symptomatology and marital discord at 18 and 30 mont hs post-marriage were highly significant. Using cutoff scores on stand ardized measures of marital discord and depressive symptomatology, odd s ratios indicated that the odds of depressive symptomatology in a mar itally discordant individual were approximately ten times greater than the odds of depressive symptomatology in an individual without marita l discord. Loglinear models also yielded odds ratios reflecting a sign ificant association between depressive symptomatology and marital disc ord after controlling for the level of depressive symptomatology and d iscord in the partner. In short, using correlations, odds ratios, and log linear models, depressive symptomatology and marital discord were associated for both men and women.