The purpose of this study was designed to explore whether marital satisfaction can be predicted by using Holland's theory of person-environment interaction.The sample consisted of thirty-seven married couples affiliated with Ball State University.Holland's Self Directed Search (SDS) provided a measure of husband-wife congruence. The Locke-Wallace Short Marital Adjustment Test (SMAT) provided a measure of husband-wife satisfaction. Also, a Personal Data Sheet furnished a classification according to personality congruency and occupational congruence.The hypotheses tested in this study were the following: Hypothesis 1 -- Marital satisfaction, as measured by the SMAT, will be significantly different for congruent and incongruent couples, as measured by the SDS. Congruent couples will have significantly greater marital satisfaction. Hypothesis 2 -- Marital satisfaction, as measured by the SMAT, will be significantly different for congruent and incongruent couples, as measured by the person's stated occupation. Congruent couples will have significantly greater satisfaction. Hypothesis 3 -- Marital satisfaction, as measured by the SMAT, will not be significantly different for males and females.A multivariate analysis of variance, followed by a univariate analyses was performed on the data.The results of the findings was that spousal congruence tends not to be associated with marital satisfaction. The sex of the spouse was found to be significantly related to marital satisfaction as defined by each spouse. None of the other hypotheses of the study was supported. However, a trend was observed for a sex by SDS congruence interaction.

The aim of this study was to look at the vocation of the Afrikaans-speaking male between 30 and 40 years within the family, church and society. The following procedure was followed: A base theoretical investigation was undertaken to establish Scriptural perspectives on the subject. The model of Zerfass was used. It was found: The male as representative of God on earth must live in an intimate personal relationship with God. He should therefore be peacemaker, acting in love towards all, even his enemies. A man should accompany his wife as his equal with unconditional sacrificial love so that she is able to grow spiritually. His family should be the highest priority in his daily programme. Metatheoretical perspectives were subsequently obtained from the two disciplines, namely Psychology and Sociology. An empirical study was simultaneously undertaken in order to determine the shortcomings in a man's life. The following conclusions were made: The male between 30 and 40 years-old is in a phase where he critically evaluates certain religious systems and values. The male between 30 and 40 years regards his marriage and family as one of his four "enemies" because it feels as if his family expects too much of him. The male between 30 en 40 years also struggles to maintain a balance between time at work and time with his family. Theoretical guidelines from practice were subsequently established by synthesising the above information in an hermeneutical way. The following guidelines were set: Through the love of Christ a man should be "the salt of lie" to counteract perdition and a "light for this world" to indicate direction in life. A husband should make time for his family in order to spend quality time with them. His behaviour and the way that he communicates with them will show them that he loves them, appreciates them and understands them. A man should do his work as if were doing it for Christ, and not for people. This, however, means that he should work in such a way that he does not lose valuable time that he could have spent with his family. A man must be aware of his own sinful nature and continuously profess his sins before God and his neighbour. This study aimed to give men a vision so that they would have a conception of what it means to be a man of God in a troubled world. / Thesis (M.Th. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

The purpose of this research was to determine to what degree the married male educator experiences role conflict. The study was piloted by means of a literature study and thereafter an empirical investigation. The purpose of the literature study was to identify possible causes of role conflict and the empirical study was to determine the degree of role conflict experienced by the respondents. The problem statement and research objectives were formulated in Chapter 1. the objective of the study was formulated and the method of research was discussed. A study population was determined and the chapter is concluded with the chapter division. Chapter 2 concentrated on a few descriptions that are related to the concept "role". The nature of the role of the man was discussed from a judicial perspective. The chapter was concluded with the nature of the man's role in and outside the home. The nature of the role conflict was discussed in Chapter 3. Concepts such as inter role conflict and intra role conflict received attention. Possible factors that contribute to the experience of role conflict in the married male educator were identified from the literature. These factors that lead to experiencing role conflict are divided into three categories, namely in the family, at work, and in the family and at work. The purpose of Chapter 4 was to empirically determine whether the respondents really experience role conflict as a result of the discussed factors and to what degree role conflict is experienced. The research design, questionnaires as research instrument as well as the composition in the questionnaire was discussed in this chapter. The completed questionnaire was empirically analysed and certain interpretations were formulated from it. A summary of all the chapters was done in Chapter 5, findings were formulated and a few recommendations, based on the findings, were made. The findings indicated that role conflict is indeed experienced by the respondents and that the causes that lead to conflict originate in the family, society and the workplace. It was also found that practical meaningful differences exist between certain biographical data of the respondents and single factors that lead to experiencing role conflict. Minimal sing of these factors is a theme that can receive attention in future research. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Economics, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on March 27, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-98). Also issued in print.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Heidelberg.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Erlangen.

Univ., Diss.--Lausanne, 2000.

“Does marital rape exist?” Gelles (1987) asked this question in the early days when the judicial system started grappling with the matter. Prior to this legal debate, the sexual conduct of the husband towards his wife had not been treated as a crime, no matter how violent it could be. As Peacock states “the antiquated laws exempted a husband from charges of raping his wife” (1998: 226). However, the Rideout case in 1978 (cf. Russell 1982) brought much needed awareness to the issue of marital rape, thereby enabling all sectors of the social structure to publicly debate the merits and demerits of the spousal exemption law. Ever since then, many scholars in the legal, sociological, psychological and other sectors have produced well-researched documents that answer Gelles‟ question beyond doubt that marital rape does exist. 'Spousal exemption'1 came under rigorous revision in many countries as scholars and feminist organizations started to ask questions about this violation of the rights of women. Having said that, one may wonder what purpose this research study will then serve. The author would like to make it clear that the question was asked in the Western context. For the West, it has been a clearly defined matter that marital rape is a criminal offence. However, the question still needs to be asked in the African context. This study has been undertaken to explore the painful and traumatic experiences of Indigenous African (Black) married women who experience repeated sexual violence from their husbands. In the cause of the author's work as a minister in the Black Pentecostal church, I have come across women who have challenged my pastoral care praxis with their selfless giving to the church and community yet they have to live with terrible pain, shame and degradation in their homes because of the way their husbands treat them sexually. These women bear their lot with such courage and they have made me feel that we as ministers are not doing enough to lighten their burden. This study seeks to present the African community with well-researched evidence that African women are also crying out for liberation from the pain of marital rape. This study echoes Gelles' question ”does marital rape exist?” from an African pastoral perspective. Copyright / Dissertation (MA(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

A study was conducted to examine the effects of unemployment on the couple relationship, including each spouse's perception of self, other and the family environment during the period of unemployment. Fourteen couples were interviewed. Following the interview, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale(DAS), (Spanier, 1976) and the Family Environment Scale FES, (Moos & Moos, 1976) were administered. DAS results for the couples interviewed in this study suggest very little perceived difference in the marital relationship pre and post unemployment. As a group, the sample studied fell within the normal range of adjustment suggested by Spanier. Only two couples fell below one standard deviation of Spanier's mean for married couples. FES results for the couples interviewed were, on the whole, high in the areas of expressiveness, independence, achievement orientation, active-recreational orientation, moral-religious emphasis and conflict. These results suggest that, as a group, the couples interviewed were able to cope with higher than normal levels of conflict through a high level of cohesion and expressiveness along with an emphasis on personal growth. During the period of unemployment, changes in events or behavior that were self generated tended to have a positive effect on individuals. Changes which occurred outside of their control tended to have a negative effect on individuals and couples. Effective coping strategies clustered around increased involvement in parenting, attending support groups and personal growth workshops, relying on friends and exploring alternative, self-employment possibilities. The wives of the unemployed tended to cope with unemployment of their spouse by being supportive and encouraging. These results may help other individuals and couples find effective ways of coping with unemployment. These results may also aid counsellors in understanding how couples cope with unemployment and lead to more effective interventions for this population. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to determine how hostility from either partner in a marital interaction affected marital partners' perceived general physical health, while investigating for indirect effects of partners' depression. A total of 296 married couples who participated in Waves 1 and 2 of the Flourishing Families Project were videotaped while completing a marital discussion task. Their interaction was coded for hostile behaviors using the Iowa Family Interaction Rating Scales, IFIRS. Structural equation modeling was used to examine how hostility in marital interactions at Wave 1 was related to partners' self-reports of physical health as measured by the RAND Health Survey 1.0 and depression as measured by the CES-D at Wave 1. Health of partners was controlled for at Wave 1. Findings from structural equation modeling showed that the husband's hostility directly affected his own general physical health and indirectly affected it through his depression. His hostility indirectly affected his wife's general physical health through her depression. The wife's hostility indirectly affected her physical health through her depression.