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P r o c e d i a - S o c i a l a n d B e h a v i o r a l S c i e n c e s 8 4 ( 2 0 1 3 ) 8 6 9 – 8 7 3
1877-0428 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Huseyin Uzunboylu & Dr. Mukaddes Demirok, Near East University, Cyprus
doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.664
The Relationship between Marital Satisfaction (Based on Religious
Criteria) and Emotional Stability
Javad Khalatbari a*, Shohreh Ghorbanshiroudi a, Kiomars Niaz Azari b, Nikta Bazleh a , Niayesh
Safaryazdi c
aDepartment of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch, Tonekabon, Iran
bDepartment of Educational Management, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran
cYoung Re searchers Club , Ton ekab on Br anch, Isla mic Aza d Unive rsity , Ton ekab on, Ira n
Abstract
This paper aims to examine the relationship between marital satisfaction and emotional stability with an analytical approach.
According to the aim of the study, 110 students from the Imam Sadegh University were selected by a random cluster method and
then responded to two questionnaires namely Islamic Marital Satisfaction and the five factor Personality Questionnaire of NEO-
FFI. The research results were analyzed using descriptive analysis and inferential analysis. The results indicate that there is a
significant relationship between marital satisfaction and emotional stability. This means that the more their marital satisfaction
grade, the less their neuroticism grade and people are more acquired with emotional stability. It i s achieved by this research that
there is a relationship between marital satisfaction and emotional stability.
Keyword s: marital sa tis factio n, emo tional sta bility, ma rital sat isfaction scale.
1. Introduction
People who are married expect to live with happiness and satisfaction and enjoy every moment. Therefore, what
is more important than marriage itself is getting succeeded in marriage or satisfaction between couples. Marital
satisfaction is a condition in which a married couple feels happy and satisfied with each other (1).
Yung
attitudes, having a relationship with causal relatives and friends and appreciating and supporting spouse as the
factors of marital satisfaction. Also, Kaslo, et al. (1994) believes that the couples who have a strong sense of
belonging and dependency are more acquir ed with marital satisfaction. He comes to this conclusion in his studies
that the highest amount of marital satisfaction is among the spouses who are compatible with each other concerning
philosophy of life, their perceptions of sexual satisfaction, the amount of time they spent with each other and how
they spend leisure time with each other.
* Co rres ponding a uthor : Ja vad Khalat bari
E-mail address: j.khalatbari@toniau.ac.ir
3rd World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and Guidance (WCPCG-2012)
© 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer review under the responsibility of Dr. Melehat Halat
Tel.: +00 00000000
Avai lab le on li ne at www.sciencedirect.com
© 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Huseyin Uzunboylu & Dr. Mukaddes Demirok, Near East University, Cyprus
870 Javad Khalatbari et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 84 ( 2013 ) 869 – 873
Some studies showed that components such as level of cooperation, emotional reactions, family relationships
financial issues management, sexual relationship, how to spend leisure time, ethical and religious beliefs and doing
them practically, social customs and traditions, emotional satisfying, cognitive and intellectual understanding, level
of education and beauty are among the factors affecting marital stability and satisfaction. Taking these factors into
consideration, marital satisfaction and dissatisfaction dimensions are identified and categorized by experts in various
areas (2). The emotional stability or instability, as a feature in the range of characteristics, can make clear an
important field of the issues related to family relationships in the form of interpersonal relationships; an issue that
has less been researched. Emotional intelligence includes: emotional development, being emotionally stable, being
calm and realistic in life, lack of nervous exhaustion and having comfort. The research shows that some strains of
negative emotion such as impulsivity, emotional instability, being fearful and depressed are poor predictors of
marital adjustment. The weaker the adjustment, the less the amount of satisfaction. Several studies examined the
effect of personality factor such as neuroticism in marital life (10,11,12,13).
People respond to these situations with general neurotic simulations in the form of fear, psychosomatic
disorders, sleep disorders associated with hysterical behavior and obsession. Neurotic people are usually anxious,
depressed with feelings of guilt, low self-esteem, irrational and angered state, shy, moody and emotional and have
physical pains such as headache, upset stomach, dizziness and unstable mood state. One of these five factors of neo
questionnaire is neurotic factor which is introduced as the N factor by Mercury and Kousta. These people are quirky
and oversensitive and are not satisfied with many aspects of life. In these individuals, there are high levels of
negative emotions and periods of psychological distress (15). These ones usually have low self-esteem and may also
have unrealistic ideas and expectations. They are usually concerned and have a sense of insecurity regarding
themselves and their future plan. These individuals are introduced by their friends and neighbors as anxious,
responsible with great anxiety and vulnerable compared with normal people. These people are usually anxious,
fearful and are prone to convergence and are usually angered by other people (16, 17)
Systematic desensitization,
with making lifestyle tranquil and training monotheistic detention with religious attitudes are among interferences
that increase the cause of emotional stability in individuals (18).
The main issue of this research is that whether there is a relationship between emotional stability and marital
satisfaction as a personality component which can be assessed within , such as five factor
test, in the way that its components are determined in Islam? In other words, if emotional stability is a personality
factor which determines most of neurotic components and if this factor has a relationship with marital satisfaction
based on conducted studies, is there any significant relationship between religious factors of marital satisfaction with
this factor? Therefore, the main issue in this study is the relationship between marital satisfaction marital stability
based on religious components as a preservative factor in marital life
2. Method
The current study is a correlation descriptive one. The statistical community includes all married men students
aged between 20-50 years at the Imam Sadegh University with undergraduate and postgraduate in the academic year
89-90 which at least one year of their marriage is passed over. Regarding the nature of the present study which is a
correlation type, 110 questionnaires were used for final analysis. Due to the fact that some questionnaires were not
returned and some others were defected, 110 questionnaires were obtained out of 200 distributed ones. The sampling
method in this study is a cluster random sampling. For this reason, 5 fields of economics, management, educational
sciences, theology, religious studies and psychology were randomly selected out of 12 active academic fields and
then 10 classes were randomly selected out of current classes in these fields in both undergraduates and masters.
Therefore, the entire people of the class including 20 ones formed the study sample. Having referred to classes and
presenting explanations regarding the questionnaire and research for considering their rights and satisfaction, they
are asked to cooperate in conducting this research. 110 people were analyzed among them. There is no information
available of those who did not return the questionnaire.
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Javad Khalatbari et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 84 ( 2013 ) 869 – 873
Marital satisfaction questionnaire based on Islamic criteria: this questionnaire includes 50 dimensions and 10
components which the amount of marital satisfaction is assessed. The components of this questionnaire include:
verbal and nonverbal communication, religious commitment, conflict resolution, financial management, sexual
relationship, free time activities, personality issues, children and parenting, the role of men and women and having
kind relationships. These components are achieved by religious text
narrations. The Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire validity was 81% by making a division and the internal
correlation. The criterion-related validity of the concurrent type was obtained using equivalent test. To check the
validity of this type of validity, the correlation coefficient between the aforementioned total score and total score of
on a significant
level. The obtained results indicate that the Islamic Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire is of high validity.
Neo-ffi Questionnaire: Kousta and McCarry designed a questionnaire in three stages of test construction
and revision which is known as the Revised Personality Questionnaire in which five main factors are assessed.
They firstly emphasized on three personality factors namely neuroticism, extraversion and openness and entitled
their questionnaire as the NEO Personality Questionnaire. Then, consensus-oriented and conscientious were added
to. In addition, the alpha coefficient of this questionnaire was between 0.86 - 0.95 in various stages of test.
Kosta and McCarry have also tried to more optimize and use the test. One of these efforts is providing
summarized test and its validity. This test is useful for the subjects who have not enough time or at the time which
general information is needed. This test has 60 dimensions and five main descriptions are assessed and 12 factors
are designed for each factor. Each dimension is graded between 0-40 based on the response achieved. It is worth
ension was 0.66, 0.79,
neuroticism, extraversion, experienced-based openness consensus and conscientious were 0.86, 0.73, 0.56, 0.68 and
0.87, respectively by Garousi Farshi. This test correlation reliability was used between two forms of personal report
factor and the minimum amount was 0.45 in consensus factor.
3. Findings
In the following tables, the relationship between neuroticism component and each sub-components of Islamic
marital satisfaction has been studied using stepwise regression analysis.
Table 1 : stepwise regression to pr edict neur otici sm variable with Islamic ma rital
satisfaction subscales
Significance
level
F
Mean square
Freedom rate
Total of
squares
Pattern
0001.0 (a)
590.14
983.404
1
983.404
Regression
1
-
-
757.27
108
287.2997
Remained
-
-
-
109
764.3402
Total
0001.0 (b)
879.9
202.265
2
405.530
Regression
2
-
-
844.26
107
359.2872
Remained
-
-
-
109
764.3402
Total
0001.0 (c)
549.6
353.177
3
058.532
Regression
3
-
-
-
109
764.3402
Remained
001.0 (d)
898.4
761.133
4
046.535
Regression
4
-
-
312.27
105
718.2867
Remained
-
-
-
109
764.3402
Total
1. Predictor variable (stable): the role of man and women
2. Predictor variables (stable): the role of man and women, religious commitment.
872 Javad Khalatbari et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 84 ( 2013 ) 869 – 873
3. Predictor variables (stable): the role of man and women, religious commitment, verbal communication.
4. Predictor variables (stable): the role of man and women, religious commitment, verbal communication and
sexual relationship
Dependent variable: neuroticism
Table 2: stepwise regression significance to predict neuroticism with sub-scales of
Islamic marital satisfaction
Statistical
changes
Standard
error
analysis
Adjust ed
square
R
Square
R
R
Pattern
Significance
level of F
variable
Freedom
rate 2
Freedom
rate 1
F
change
R
square
change
0001.0
10
1
590.1
119.0
265.5
111.0
119.0
345.0
(a)
1
033.0
107
1
672.4
037.0
181.5
14.0
156.0
395.0
(b)
2
805.0
106
1
061.0
0001.0
204.5
132.0
156.0
395.0
(b)
3
741.0
105
1
109.0
001.0
226.5
125.0
157.0
397.0
(d)
4
1. Predictor variable (stable): the role of man and women
2. Predictor variables (stable): the role of man and women, religious commitment.
3. Predictor variables (stable): the role of man and women, religious commitment, verbal communication.
4. Predictor variables (stable): the role of man and women, religious commitment, verbal communication and
sexual relationship
Dependent variable: neuroticism
As the above table illustrates, the role of man and woman variable is able to predict 0.12 of criteria variable
changes as one of the components of marital satisfaction scale. Having added the religious commitments vary as one
other variety of marital satisfaction variable to the explanation coefficient equation, it has increased almost 6.15. In
other words, among the various components of marital satisfaction, only 15.6 changes of criteria variable, that is
emotional stability, is resulted from marital satisfaction, especially two components of the role of man and woman
and religious commitment . The other two variables namely verbal communication and sexual relationships has no
significant role in predicting criteria variable, though having a significant correlation with criteria vary
Results and Discussion
This study examined the relationship between marital satisfaction based on religious criteria and emotional
stability. Therefore, the Pearson correlation method was used for this purpose. The results obtained from this study
otional
stability. Marital satisfaction is a condition in which couples are more satisfied to get married to each other and they
are happy and satisfied by being together. This feeling is occurred when a couple can significantly meet their needs
and expectations of their spouse in the marital relationship. On the other hand, emotional stability is as follows:
emotional maturity, emotionally stable, being calm and real, having no nervous exhaustion and having relaxation.
\The relationship between marital satisfaction and emotional stability has been confirmed in various studies.
In the research conducted by Bouth, Kordak (1997) and Jest and Gilbert, it was found out that there is a negative
relationship between neuroticism and various marital indicators. Danilan, Kanger and Brint, concluded, by
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Javad Khalatbari et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 84 ( 2013 ) 869 – 873
observing 400 couples relationship, that there is a positive correlation between neuroticism and negative interactions
for marriage and also a negative correlation with general assessments of marriage. The current research findings are
consistent with the one conducted in Iran.
Emotional stability or instability as one of the personality traits in marital life has an important and influential
role.
According to the research results and that neurotic factor can be changes affected by therapeutic interventions;
this factor can therefore be changed through interventions before or during marriage and help life to be stable.
To obtain a better result, this study can be performed for both couples. In addition, conducting this research is
more appropriate for the couples who are about to be divorced and increasing the sample volume can be more
trustful for the results.
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