African American and European American Womens Marital Well-Being

Using a sample of 247 African American and European American women in their 3rd year of marriage, this study compared the predictors of marital well-being for each group by focusing on the influences of individual, interpersonal, and social and economic resources. Regression analyses revealed that emotional health (individual), trusting oneʹs spouse (interpersonal), and feeling underbenefited in the relationship (interpersonal) were significant predictors of marital well-being for both groups of women. Physical health (individual) and in-law relations (social and economic), however, affected the marital well-being of only African American women. Findings from this study suggest the need to examine marital well-being within the context of race.