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. 2023 Jun 22:14:1166049.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1166049. eCollection 2023.

From economic difficulties to psychological maladjustment in Italian women during the Covid-19 pandemic: does marital dissatisfaction moderate or mediate this association?

Elena Camisasca  1 , Venusia Covelli  1 , Dario Cafagna  1 , Gian Mauro Manzoni  1 , Manuela Cantoia  1 , Alessandra Bavagnoli  1 , Pietro Crescenzo  2 , Vincenzo Marsicovetere  1 , Mario Pesce  1 , Marina Angela Visco  1
Affiliations

From economic difficulties to psychological maladjustment in Italian women during the Covid-19 pandemic: does marital dissatisfaction moderate or mediate this association?

Elena Camisasca et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Introduction: The empirical study about the negative impact of economic difficulties due to Covid- 19 on the psychological well-being of Italian women by considering perceived stress and marital satisfaction is an area worthy of investigation. The study explored these variables by hypothesizing that marital satisfaction (DAS) could moderate or mediate the links between economic difficulties, perceived stress (PSS), and psychological maladjustment (PGWBI).

Methods: A total of 320 Italian women completed an online survey about the study's variables during the lockdown period. Women's perceptions of economic difficulties due to COVID- 19 restrictions were detected through an ad-hoc specific question. Perceived stress, marital satisfaction and psychological maladjustment were assessed by standardized questionnaires (Perceived Stress Scale 10, Dyadic Satisfaction Scale and Psychological General Well-being Inventory).

Results: 39.7% of women who answered the online survey said that the Covid-19 significantly impacted their family income. Results indicated that marital satisfaction did not moderate the associations investigated. Conversely, data showed how economic difficulties (X) predicted lower psychological maladjustment through the mediation of perceived Stress (M1), which, in turn, was associated with higher levels of marital dissatisfaction (M2).

Conclusion: The results of the present study confirm the significant role of marital dissatisfaction in explaining the indirect effects of economic difficulties on psychological maladjustment in women. In particular, they indicated a significant spillover effect which transmitted strains experienced in one domain (economic difficulties) to another (the dissatisfaction of the couple), which in turn affected the psychological maladjustment.

Keywords: COVID-19; economic difficulties; marital satisfaction; perceived stress; psychological maladjustment; women.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The moderated mediation model.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The serial mediation model.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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