Similarity between intimate partners for personality traits as related to individual levels of satisfaction with life

Spousal similarity in terms of personality is advanced as a theoretically i mportant factor to consider in subjective well-being (SWB). This is logical ly derived from four findings: (1) the consistent relationship between mari tal status and SWB, with married Ss having the highest SWB scores, which is attributed to good marriage quality; (2) good marriage quality is signific antly correlated with high SWB; (3) marriage stability and marriage quality are predicted by similarity between partners in terms of personality; and (4) homogamy in psychological distress and SWB is the rule in (non-clinical ) general population couples. The hypothesis that high similarity in person ality scores of intimate partners from the general population would correla te significantly with SWB (as assessed with the Satisfaction With Life Scal e or SWLS) was confirmed in both sexes. Other things (e.g., individual pers onality factors, marriage quality and marital intimacy) being equal, high p artner/spouse personality-similarity predicted high SWB in males, but not i n females. Potential explanations for this sex difference are briefly discu ssed, as are its clinical implications. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.