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The Impact of Spousal Variables on Life Satisfaction of Individuals in Late Adulthood

The Israeli Case

Bar Ilan University, Israel, kulikl{at}mail.biu.ac.il

We examine whether homogamy (similarity) in sociodemographic variables and personality traits in late adulthood is greater among couples characterized by high life satisfaction than among those characterized by low life satisfaction. The research sample included 256 participants (128 husbands and 128 wives) in Israel. The findings on homogamy in sociodemographic variables reveal no differences between participants in the ‘high’ and ‘low’ satisfaction groups. However, with regard to personality traits (self-esteem and anxiety), there are differences between participants in ‘high’ and ‘low’ satisfaction groups. In the high satisfaction group, the husbands (and the wives to some extent) have more similar personality traits than their counterparts in the low satisfaction group. In general, the findings reveal greater similarity in sociodemographic variables than in personality traits among the spouses. The findings also indicate that in late adulthood wives are less satisfied with life, have higher anxiety, and lower self-esteem than their husbands.

Key Words: homogamy • late adulthood • life satisfaction • self-esteem

International Journal of Comparative Sociology, Vol. 47, No. 1, 54-72 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0020715206062962


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