IAHRW International Journal of Social Sciences Review

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Marital Quality and Life Stress:A Study of Urban Couples


Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The aim of the present research was to study life stress in relation to marital quality of couples in urban middle socioeconomic strata. A sample of 200 persons (100 married couples) was purposefully selected from Chandigarh and its neighbouring districts. Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scale (PSLES) by Singh et al. (1984) was used for measuring life stress (both for last one year and for the lifetime) and to measure marital quality, Relation Assessment Scale (RAS) by Hendrick (1988) was used. The average number of stressful events faced by these persons during their past one year and during lifetime came out to be 4.51 and 17.51, respectively. The average number of stressful events faced by these persons during their lifetime is more than the average number of events faced by an average Indian adult person without having these stressful events' adverse physical or psychological disturbance, but in case of the stress caused during the past year it is not so. When the couples were compared on life stress, husbands were found to be significantly more stressed than their wives. Overall marital quality was found to be high as experienced by both husbands and wives. Marital quality was found to have significant negative correlation with stress, both during the past one year (r= -0.223**) as well as for the lifetime (r= -0.152*).

Keywords

Gender Differences, Life Stress, Marital Quality, Satisfaction, Stressful Life Events.
User
Subscription Login to verify subscription
Notifications
Font Size

  • Bernard, C. (1865-1961). Introduction to the study of experimental medicine. Greene HC, trans. New York: Collier

  • Bradbury, T. N., & Fincham, R D. (1990). Attributions in marriage: Review and critique. Psychological Bulletin, 107, 3-33.

  • Cannon, W. B. (1929). Organization for physiological homeostasis. Physiological Review, 9, 399-431.

  • Elliot, M., Bingham, R D., Nielson, S. C, & Warner, P. D. (1986). Marital intimacy and satisfaction as a support system for coping with police officer stress. Journal of Police Science and Administration, 14, 40-44.

  • Ensel, W.M., Peek, M.K., Lin, N., & Lai, G. (1996). Stress and the life course: A life history approach. Journal of Aging and Health, 8, 389-416.

  • Furey, W.M., & Forehand, R (1984). An examination of predictors of mothers perceptions of satisfaction with their children. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 2, 230-243.

  • George, L. K., & Lynch, S. M. (2003). Race differences in depressive symptoms: A dynamic perspective on stress exposure and vulnerability. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 44(3), 353-369. Race, Ethnicity, and Mental Health, 44, 353-369.

  • Hawkins, J. L. (1968). Associations between companionship, hostility, and marital satisfaction. Journal ofMarriage andthe Family, 30, 647-650.

  • Hendrick, S. S. (1988). A generic measure of relationship satisfaction. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 50, 93-98.

  • Hughes, D. C, Blazer, D. G., & George, L. K. (1988). Age differences in life events: A multivariate controlled analysis. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 27, 207-220.

  • Jacobson, N. S., Schmalinc, K. B., & Holtzworth-Munroe, A. (1987). Analysis of behavioral marital therapy: 2-year follow-up and prediction of relapse. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 13, 187-195.

  • James, S. D., & Johnson, D. W. (1988). Social interdependence, psychological adjustment, and marital satisfaction in second marriages. The Journal of Social Psychology, 128, 287-303.

  • Knoblach, L. K. (2008). The content of relational uncertainty within marriage. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 25,467-495.

  • Korchin, S. J. (1976). Modern clinical psychology. New York: Basic Books Inc. Publishers.

  • Korchin, S. J. (1976). Modern clinical psychology. New York: Basic Books: Inc. Publishers.

  • Kotler, T., & Omodei, M. (1988). Attachment and emotional health: A life span approach. Human Relations, 41, 619-640.

  • Lavee, Y, McCubbin, H. I., & Olson, D.H. (1987). The effect of stressful life events and transitions on family functioning and well-being. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 49(&), 857-873.

  • Lazarus, R.S., & Delingis, A. (1983). Psychological stress and coping in aging. American Psychologist, 38, 245-254.

  • Margolin, G. (19 80). Behavior exchange in happy and unhappy marriages: A family life cycle perspective. BehaviorTherapy 12, 329-343.

  • Maroufizadeh, S., Amini, P., Samani, R. O., Hashiani, A. A., Navid, B., & Sobati, B. (2018). The Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS) in infertile patients: Areliability and validity study. Middle East Fertility Society Journal, https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.mefs.2018.04.001

  • Pearlin, L.I., Aneshensel, C.S., & Leblanc,A.J. (1997). The forms and mechanisms of stress proliferation: The case of AIDS caregivers. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 38, 223-236. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2955368

  • Pearlin, L., & Skaff, M.M. (1996). Stress and the life course: A paradigmatic alliance. Gerontologist, 36, 239-247.

  • Selye,H. (1956). The Stree of Life. NewYork:McGraw-HillBookCo.

  • Sharma, I., & Ram, D. (1088). Life events in anxiety neurosis. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 30(1), 61-67.

  • Singh, G.,Kaur, D., &Kaur, H. (1984). Presumptive Stressful Life Event Scale for use inindiei. Indian Journal ofPsychiatry, 26(2), 107-114.

  • Spanier, G. B., & Lewis, R. A. (1980). Marital quality: A review of the seventies. Journal of Marriage and Family, 42, 825-839.

  • Turner, R.J., & Avison, W.R. (2003). Status variations in stress exposure: Implications for the interpretation of research on race, socioeconomic status, and gender. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 44, 488-505.

  • Turner, R.J., Wheaton, B., & Lloyd, DA. (1995). The epidemiology of social stress. American Sociological Review, 60, 104-125.

  • Wheaton, B., & Gotlib, I. H. (1997). Turning points in midlife. In I. H. Gotlib and B. Wheaton (Eds.), Stress and adversity over the life course: Trajectories and turning points (pp. 215-231). New York, NY, US: Cambridge University Press.


Abstract Views: 197

PDF Views: 0




  • Marital Quality and Life Stress:A Study of Urban Couples

Abstract Views: 197  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Rohini Thapar
Department of Psychology, DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, India
Naveen Kumar
Department of Psychology, DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, India

Abstract


The aim of the present research was to study life stress in relation to marital quality of couples in urban middle socioeconomic strata. A sample of 200 persons (100 married couples) was purposefully selected from Chandigarh and its neighbouring districts. Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scale (PSLES) by Singh et al. (1984) was used for measuring life stress (both for last one year and for the lifetime) and to measure marital quality, Relation Assessment Scale (RAS) by Hendrick (1988) was used. The average number of stressful events faced by these persons during their past one year and during lifetime came out to be 4.51 and 17.51, respectively. The average number of stressful events faced by these persons during their lifetime is more than the average number of events faced by an average Indian adult person without having these stressful events' adverse physical or psychological disturbance, but in case of the stress caused during the past year it is not so. When the couples were compared on life stress, husbands were found to be significantly more stressed than their wives. Overall marital quality was found to be high as experienced by both husbands and wives. Marital quality was found to have significant negative correlation with stress, both during the past one year (r= -0.223**) as well as for the lifetime (r= -0.152*).

Keywords


Gender Differences, Life Stress, Marital Quality, Satisfaction, Stressful Life Events.

References