Changes in marital satisfaction in three generations of Mexican Americans

Changes in marital satisfaction over 11 years are investigated in a three-g eneration sample of Mexican Americans from the San Antonio area originally interviewed during 1981-82 and reinterviewed in 1992-93. Among persons marr ied to the same spouses, results showed no significant changes in the negat ive sentiment component of the Guilford and Bengtson marital satisfaction s cale in any of the categories. However, significant declines in the positiv e interaction component were observed among women in all generations and am ong younger males. Declines among women over 11 years were consistent with cross-sectional findings at baseline showing successively lower positive in teraction from younger to older generations among women. Results are discus sed with regard to the U-shaped curve suggested by the literature on marita l satisfaction across the life cycle.