Depression in mature marriages: Impact and implications for marital therapy

Recent reviews of MFT literature have shown a failure to address mental hea lth issues of the aging. Chief among these issues is depression, one of the most common psychological disorders found in older people. Although the re lationship between depression and aging is a well-researched topic, few stu dies approach this common problem from a systemic perspective. Using data f rom a national survey of preretirement- and retirement-aged couples, this p aper discusses the association between depression and marital quality in ma ture marriages as well the possibility of mediating variables such as the p ersonality construct hardiness. Implications for marital therapy with older couples experiencing depression and future research are discussed.