Profiles of Family Functioning and Their Associations with Physical and Psychological Health Outcomes

Using a pattern-centered approach, this investigation sought to identify latent subgroups of family functioning and evaluate their associations with health outcomes. A latent profile analysis was conducted using data from the National Study of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS). The sample comprised 5923 married adults between 25 and 74 years old who responded to items measuring family support, family strain, spousal support, spousal strain, and spousal agreement. These aspects of family functioning were used to identify four latent classes: Low Functioning (5.0%), Moderate Support with Elevated Strain (31.7%), High Support with Elevated Strain (13.7%), and High Functioning (49.6%). Compared to the other classes, individuals in the High Functioning class had greater psychological well-being and were less likely to have a chronic physical condition. The findings of this study highlight the importance of the systemic context of families in understanding the role of close relationships in health.