Marital power, spousal relationship, and women's appearance management behavior

This study examines associations of marital power and spousal relationship quality with women's self‐esteem and appearance management behavior. Data from 681 Chinese married women collected in 2024 were analyzed using polynomial regression and response surface analysis. Results indicate that women in the high marital power–high relationship scenario reported higher self‐esteem than those in the low power–low relationship scenario. In incongruent scenarios, marital power showed a stronger association with self‐esteem than with relationship. Self‐esteem mediated the association between marital dynamics and appearance management behavior. These findings highlight the association between relational power structures and women's psychological well‐being and appearance management.