Marital and life satisfaction in Eastern Himalayan foothills: Role of partner responsiveness

Perceived Partner Responsiveness (PPR) is vital in establishing a sense of well-being within marital relationships. However, the existing corpus of research primarily relies on Western samples, thus limiting its generalizability. Therefore, the current study, focusing on 152 couples from Northeast India, explores the role of PPR in explaining the relationship between marital and life satisfaction through the lens of interpersonal flourishing and psychological needs fulfilment. Simultaneously, employing the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model extended to Mediation (APIMeM), we analyse the mediating role of PPR, uncovering significant actor effects. Our analysis considers covariates such as marital duration, income, number of children, family structure, and positive affect. The mediation results are explained under the framework that PPR is essential for fulfilling psychological needs and allowing for individual thriving. Consequently, the study’s findings underscore the importance of prioritising PPR in relationship interventions. Tailored strategies should guide couples in aligning their life and marital satisfaction goals to bolster individual well-being.