Depression among childless middle-aged and elderly people is a serious social problem in Korea. However, few studies examine the influence of life satisfaction on the depression of spouses as actors and partners. Hence, this study analyzes the influence of life satisfaction (a positive factor childless married couples may have) on depression. This cross-sectional study employed data on couples to analyze the effect of life satisfaction on the depression of childless married couples as actors and partners via the actor-partner interdependence model. The Korea Longitudinal Study of Aging was employed to investigate life satisfaction and depression among 207 childless middle-aged and elderly couples. Regarding actor effects, wives' (β = -0.285, p = 0.004) and husbands' (β = -0.403, p < 0.001) life satisfaction significantly affected individual depression. Regarding partner effects, husbands' life satisfaction (β = -0.255, p = 0.011) significantly affected wives' depression, and the wives' life satisfaction (β = -0.375, p < 0.001) significantly affected husbands' depression. A childless actor's life satisfaction affected own and partner's depression. Thus, spouses should work together to improve their life satisfaction, thereby improving their depression.
Keywords: Korea; actor-partner interdependence model; depression; family characteristics; personal satisfaction.