Published Paper Details:

Marriage is often regarded as one of the most meaningful and transformative milestones in life. It symbolizes love, commitment, companionship, and the hope of building a secure future together. However, for many young married couples in contemporary India, the transition from courtship to marital life is accompanied by increasing interpersonal stress that silently erodes emotional intimacy and relationship satisfaction. Rapid socioeconomic changes, evolving gender roles, financial pressures, technological dependence, changing family structures, and rising expectations have reshaped the institution of marriage, making young couples more vulnerable to psychological and relational conflicts (Fincham & Beach, 2018; Story & Bradbury, 2021). This review explores the hidden psychosocial determinants of interpersonal stress among young married couples in India by synthesizing contemporary evidence from psychology, family studies, sociology, and public health. The article highlights how individual psychological characteristics, ineffective communication, work-life imbalance, family dynamics, cultural expectations, economic uncertainty, and digital technology collectively influence marital relationships (Falconier et al., 2015; Karney & Bradbury, 2020). Furthermore, it discusses the emotional and mental health consequences of prolonged interpersonal stress, including anxiety, depression, marital dissatisfaction, emotional withdrawal, and reduced relationship quality (Rehman et al., 2018; Robles et al., 2014). Understanding these interconnected factors is essential for developing culturally appropriate preventive and therapeutic interventions. The review concludes that strengthening emotional intelligence, communication skills, resilience, family support, and evidence-based psychological interventions can significantly reduce interpersonal stress and promote healthier marital relationships among young Indian couples (World Health Organization [WHO], 2022).