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 Table of Contents  
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year : 2016  |  Volume : 2  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 54-59

Effectiveness of family life education on marital satisfaction of couples attending counseling center in Isfahan city


Department of Psychology, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

Date of Web Publication25-Jan-2016

Correspondence Address:
Mahboobe Rezaee
Afra Condominium-3 Unit, Golkhane Street, Khane Isfahan, Isfahan
Iran
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Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


DOI: 10.4103/2395-2296.174792

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  Abstract 

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of family life education on couple's marital satisfaction which was referred to counseling centers in Isfahan. Methods: Research method was quasi-experimental using pretest and posttest with the control group. Statistical population included all couples with marital dissatisfaction were referred to counseling centers in Isfahan. Using the method of random sampling selected 30 couples with marital dissatisfaction, that they were referred to counseling centers in Isfahan from July to end of August 1393, and were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. For the experimental group, life skills training sessions were held over 10 sessions for 2 h. These sessions included information about family and marriage, conflict resolution skills, conversation skills, gender roles, and child-rearing skills. All couples completed 47 questions marital satisfaction questionnaire (1989) before and after the implementation of the independent variable (family life education). Data analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance. Result: Mean scores of marital satisfaction was significant at posttest in experimental and control groups (P = 0/001). In other words, we can say family life skills training has improved marital satisfaction scores in the experimental group at posttest. The effects of group membership or family life skills training, in improving marital satisfaction is 90/8%. Conclusions: The results showed that using the model of family life education in this study can change marital satisfaction. This means that, an increase in marital satisfaction through family life education program content reduce stress and dissatisfaction and improve feelings of competence and couple health.

Keywords: Couples, family life education, marital satisfactionAddress for Correspondence:


How to cite this article:
Rezaee M, Foruzandeh E. Effectiveness of family life education on marital satisfaction of couples attending counseling center in Isfahan city. Int J Educ Psychol Res 2016;2:54-9

How to cite this URL:
Rezaee M, Foruzandeh E. Effectiveness of family life education on marital satisfaction of couples attending counseling center in Isfahan city. Int J Educ Psychol Res [serial online] 2016 [cited 2024 Mar 19];2:54-9. Available from: https://www.ijeprjournal.org/text.asp?2016/2/1/54/174792


  Introduction Top


Although marriage as a relationship is healthy and desirable, the data indicate that marital satisfaction cannot be easily achieved.[1] In other words, lack of marital satisfaction has been an unavoidable issue. On the one hand, due to lack of marital satisfaction and incompatibility of couples, injury and other dangerous situations such as social and ethical misconduct, impaired in social interaction, and eventually divorce will follow.[2] On the other hand, marital satisfaction and couples compromise leading to psychological and physical health, longevity, reduce feelings of loneliness, climbing faith, reducing suicides, the decrease of the obliquity.[3]

Hopelessness of improving couples' relationships, biased and inaccurate insights, false relations, in addition to the adverse effects that affect the relationship between spouses, undoubtedly, the family structure is unstable. Family instability has a devastating impact on children's mental health and on their normal growth. Therefore, considering family and improve relations between couples, that are primarily and original patterns, it seems necessary.[4]

Marital satisfaction is compliance between the current situation and the expected situation. When marital satisfaction is ensured that the current situation in a marital relationship with what he had expected to conform. Believe Winch (2000) is the relationship with spouse is a source of emotional and social development and lack of marital satisfaction will damage the ability of couples in relationships with each other, children, and others.[5]

Whatever the cause of conflict, if it continues, the results can be harmful. Many researchers believe that lack of marital dissatisfaction in life would jeopardize the couple and their children's physical and mental health.[6] Hence, in order to prevent the negative consequences of this conflict, it is necessary to investigate and resolve these conflicts.

Satisfaction in social situations of life is directly linked to the provision of all basic needs. Gutman and Lonsun in their study found that divorce among satisfied couples is predicted by examining the style of interaction between the couple. In short, researchers are significant factors in marital satisfaction:

(1) Cognitive factors, irrational beliefs, inconsistent citations, and erroneous interpretation,[7] (2) emotional factors, (3) physical, physiological factors, (4) patterns of behavior, (5) social protection, (6) violence, (7) the presence of children, (8) history and characteristics of the individual, (9) stress, (10) economic issues, (11) religion, (12) the power structure of the family and marital satisfaction, (13) traditions and social cultural, language, norms and intellectual understanding and religious agreement, (14) mate selection criteria, (15) ways of mate selection.[8]

Family life education program formed aimed at preventing. This preventive education, including improving and increasing awareness, information and skills that formed given the central role of the family in order to increase satisfaction and increase the stability of families.[9]

Family life education, which has historically started in 1960, is parent group training that addition to given the growth family potential, can solve the problem, be placed on knowledge upgrade or be considered the attitudes and skills.[10] Family life education programs can become norm given to individuals and families and their special conditions. Usually, family life education should be based on the immediate needs of individuals and families.[11]

Family life education programs can teach mothers how to provide appropriate models, to play more positive role for children, to learn healthy lifestyles and to transfer their children. In such a case, with the increase capacity of the mother, problems within the family are reduced. As a result, combination of family support, parenting services, quality of education in childhood, leads to prevent problems in adolescence and young. Therefore, investment in prevention programs to support families such as the family life education, reduce costs associated with crime, legal and social services, and reduces the educational system burden.[12]

According to research conducted in the family life education, this study seeks to answer the question of whether family life education sessions on marital satisfaction influences?


  Methods Top


Research method is quasi-experimental using pretest and posttest that was performed with both the control and experimental groups [Table 1].
Table 1: Research project

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The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of family life education on marital satisfaction and experimental groups compared to the control group. Semi-experimental testing method was suitable for this purpose.

In order to run this study and according to the availability of counseling centers in eight municipalities in Isfahan and cooperation with research, this centers were selected for couples choice and training. Of couples referred to these centers, were selected 30 people randomly. After the description of the subject, was held a briefing; after obtaining the consent of the individual to participate in a research project, were randomly assigned 15 patients in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. Furthermore, follow-up failed due to the limited suitable physical space for sessions and the unwillingness of participants to attend. Do not follow-up on this research, makes a valuable index for evaluating the achievement of considered objectives is not available.

For review, marital satisfaction was selected Enrich questionnaire. The questionnaire was used as a validated research tool in several studies for marital satisfaction. This questionnaire designed by Olson, Fournier, and Drakmn in 1989, and is used to assess potential problem areas or identify areas of strength and for enrich marital relations.[13] There are 115 questions in the original version of the test. The questionnaire with 12 scale (marital satisfaction, personality issues, communication, conflict resolution, financial supervision, activities related to leisure, sexuality, the role of the equality of men and women, relatives and friends, religious orientation, children and child rearing, idealistic distorted) is used to measure marital satisfaction. Of course, in short form, scale equalization has been removed.

Cronbach's alpha coefficients in Olson and DeFrain report [14] for subscale, ideal distorted, marital satisfaction, personality issues, communication, conflict resolution, financial supervision, activities related to leisure, sexuality, children and child rearing, relatives and friends, the role of the equality of men and women, respectively, was 0/90, 0/81, 0/74, 0/68, 0/75, 0/74, 0/76, 0/48, 0/77, 0/72, 0/71. In several studies, Enrich subscales alpha coefficient has been different from 68% for egalitarianism to role to 86% for marital satisfaction with an average of 79%. Retest reliability of the questionnaire had been within 4 weeks 77% for leisure activities, to 92% for sex and idealistic distortion with an average of 86%. In the retest (within a week) was obtained for men 0/93 and for women 0/94 and for women and men 0/94. In this study, coefficients for small-scale distortion of the idealistic, marital satisfaction, personality problems, communication, conflict resolution, financial management, leisure activities, sex, children and child rearing, family and friends, role of equalization and religious orientation in men and women, respectively, are as follows: 0/73, 0/95, 0/76, 0/76, 0/76, 0/81, 0/64, 0/69, 0/87, 0/69, 0/62, 0/73.[15]

Implementation and scoring

The questionnaire has five options (the Likert-type). From strongly agree to strongly disagree that each item is rated one to five (score one is a sign of intense dissatisfaction and five score indicate high satisfaction). In this questionnaire, the maximum score of the subject is 235. The calculated scores are from the T scale, in which is the mean of 50 and standard deviation 10. Score above 70 indicates extramarital satisfaction, scores between 60 and 70 indicates high satisfaction, scores between 40 and 60 represents the relative and moderate satisfaction, scores between 30 and 40 indicates lack of satisfaction and score below 30 indicates severe dissatisfaction.

Data analysis

To investigate this hypothesis, the obtained data were analyzed using analysis of covariance.

Based on the results in [Table 2], the mean scores on all variables and its subscales at posttest in the experimental group were higher than the control group. In comparison, the pretest and posttest scores in each group can be seen that the average score of all variables in the experimental group at posttest is much higher than the pretest scores. However, in the control group posttest scores compared to pretest, or increased very slightly or remained unchanged.
Table 2: Compares descriptive findings of the study variables in two separate groups

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The results of analysis of covariance are provided in the [Table 3].
Table 3: Comparing the results of the research groups

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Based on the findings obtained in the [Table 3], there were significant differences in mean scores of marital satisfaction at posttest in control and experimental groups (P = 0/001). The results have shown that nearly 93% of individual differences are related to differences between the two groups. Hence, the hypothesis has been confirmed. Statistical power is also equal to 1/000.

Based on the results in [Table 4], mean scores with the exception of the subscale of marital satisfaction, communication, conflict resolution and sex, on the other subscales, have a significant correlation with the posttest. With control of the correlation, the results indicate that all subscales, at posttest in the experimental and control groups had significant differences (P = 0/001). The results have shown that approximately 92/7% of individual differences, within the 11 subscales, is relevant the difference between the two groups. Therefore, the hypothesis is confirmed. Statistical power is also 1/000 which shows the high accuracy of the test, and also indicates the adequacy of the sample size for the hypothesis study.
Table 4: Compares the results of the two groups in marital satisfaction score and subscale

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The results of the univariate analysis to compare the two groups in two separate measures of marital satisfaction provided in [Table 4].

Based on the results in [Table 5], the mean distortion of the ideal, marriage, personality problems, communication, conflict resolution, financial management, leisure, sex, children, family, friends, religious orientation in both experimental and control groups significant posttest (P = 0/001). In other words, we can say that family life skills, scores of distortion of the ideal, marriage, personality problems, communication, conflict resolution, financial management, leisure, sex, children, family, friends, religious orientation in group stage the test is improved. The effects of group membership or family life skills training, equal to 97% improvement in distortion of the ideal, marriage at 75, in matters of personality, communication, and conflict resolution in the order of 74/8, 72/6, 75/6% in financial management, leisure, and sex, respectively, 48/9, 60/6, 67/8 of the children, their families, and friends, as well as religious orientation, respectively equal to 23/2, 59/7, and 31% is obtained.
Table 5: The results of the univariate analysis

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  Discussion and Conclusion Top


The results showed that the family life education program has a significant impact on marital satisfaction (0/05 < P). In other words, the family life education program will increase marital satisfaction. This research at personality problems is consistent with Thomson (2002), that our findings showed people who have emotional problems such as depression and anxiety, they has been reported further turmoil in their marital relationship.[16] At the field of idealistic distorted, this research is consistent with Mohammadpour et al. (2010) that he examined the cognition, understanding, acceptance, empathy with other people's feelings and gratitude or acceptance unique view of the world among the couples.[17] At the field of communication skills, Olson and Olson (1999) showed the persons who are into the relationships, by the inability to establish social relationships, detachment, and negative emotions are at risk of marital discord or divorce.[18] At the field of conflict resolution, this research is consistent with Shafienia research (2002) that in his study, showed teaching conflict resolution skills, is effective to improve the relationships couples.[19] At the field of financial issues, this research is consistent with White and Rogers research (2000). They found that husband's job insecurity had high relationships with women reports of marital conflict and divorce thoughts.[20] At the field of leisure time, this research is consistent with Been et al. research (1989) that at their study, showed one of the reasons for the dissatisfaction of wives, at mid-life, is the lack of spending their leisure time with their spouses. Furthermore, at the field of sex, the present study is in line with studies conducted by Christopher and Sprecher (2000). Their findings indicated that sexual satisfaction is associated with high levels of marital satisfaction.[21] At the field of children and child-rearing, Yang and Tang (2007), in their research stated transition to parenthood, lead to some of the consequences which reduce marital satisfaction. This finding is countercurrent with the findings of the present study.[22] At the field of family and friends, this research is consistent with Roberts research (2009) that stated high dependence on the couple to relatives and friends and a lot of family involvement in the lives of couples, it can reduce marital satisfaction.[23] At the field of religious belief, this research is consistent with Ellison research (1991) that stated whatever the religious conflict at couples is higher, the difference will be greater.[24] Investigate at the role of life skills training on marital satisfaction shows by changing emotions (emotional problems) and attitudes (life satisfaction) about the life and environment, can be improved mental health and wellbeing. By teaching skills such as coping skills, communication, assertiveness, and self-expression can increase the level of health. Although the change in sentiments could lead to a change in attitude about things, change in sentiment, rooted in a set of skills and abilities, and the abilities are learned. Critical events and ongoing psychological pressures that affect the whole family and spouses brings risks for individual performance, also for communication conflicts and family breakdown. Therefore, we can by design appropriate training programs, created sentiments, and attitudes in the people. Including the impact of this training on the couples is to close relationships with family and friends, positive view of self and confidence in their abilities and strengths, ability to manage strong and impulsive emotions, good communication skills and a better sense of the issues, sense of control, seeking help and use of resources, see yourself as a flexible man not as a victim, coping with stress in a healthy way and avoid harmful coping strategies (such as drug addiction), helping others, find positive meaning in life despite the difficult events.

The limitations of this study include the lack of follow-up in this study, which makes lack of access to a valuable indicator to evaluate the achievement of desired goals. It is recommended family life education effects compared with other similar intervention methods. Also, the survey, instead of focusing on the dysfunctional couples and how to defeat them, emphasis on efficient couples, and their strength and success.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

 
  References Top

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  [Table 1], [Table 2], [Table 3], [Table 4], [Table 5]



 

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