Happy Wife, Happy Life: New Study Finds Link

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- You've heard the saying "happy wife, happy life."

It turns out that's true, at least according to a new Rutgers University study.

The research study published in the October issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family found that what drives men's overall satisfaction with life was their wife's marital happiness.

Researchers reportedly analyzed data of 394 couples who were part of a national study of income, health and disability in 2009.  At least one of the spouses was 60 or older and, on average, couples were married for 39 years.

Those involved in the study were reportedly asked several questions, such as whether their spouse appreciates them, argues with them, understands their feelings or gets on their nerves in order to assess marital quality. They were also asked to keep detailed diaries about how happy they were in the previous 24 hours doing selected activities like shopping, household chores and watching television.

Researchers found those involved in the study, on average, rated their general life satisfaction high, typically five out of six points, with husbands rating their marriage slightly more positive than their wives.

For more information, click here.

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