This study attempts to extend the existing literature about gratitude in the on-going relationship of married couples, and examined the dynamics thereof involved. N=100 dyads in Hong Kong were interviewed at three time points. T1 measures indicated that dispositional gratitude could predict not only the grateful mood one experienced in the past seven days but also the grateful mood one perceived from his/ her spouse. Both measures of grateful mood had similar actor and partner effects on the husbands' as well as wives' marital satisfaction. Between them, perceived mood of spouse was the stronger predictor, taking up virtually all the shared variance in explaining marital satisfaction. Longitudinal measures across the three time points showed that grateful mood of both spouses could be increased by about equal degrees via one of two interventions: having one of them keeping a private gratitude journal, or overtly expressing gratitude to the other. But the resulting changes in marital satisfaction differed for the actors (who assumed the role of beneficiaries) and their partners. Specifically, two moderators were identified: partners who judged their spouses' gratitude expressions as less sincere declined in their martial satisfaction, whereas, contrary to past research findings, actors who felt more obliged to their spouse became happier about their marriage. The results suggested involvement of different mechanisms for spouses on the two sides of the gratitude equation, and that feelings of obligation could be a protective factor in intimate relationships. The implications for research and counseling were discussed. / Leong, Lai Ting Joyce. / Adviser: Helene Fung. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 72-11, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-81). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.