Marital roles have become a subject of major concern in recent years. Many critiques consider traditional marriage roles to be responsible for hindering appropriate social-emotional development of the wife, in particular, and also the husband. Past research in assessing the relationship between marital roles and the happiness and well-being of husbands and wives is limited in quantity and generally is inconclusive or controversial. This study was designed to clarify the relationship between marriage roles and two dependent variables, marital happiness and self concept. The sample population consisted of 124 volunteer couples selected from the teaching staffs of eight school districts in Southeastern Idaho and Northern Utah. Each participant provided information for this study by completing a questionnaire, the Tennessee Self Concept Scale, the Marriage Adjustment Scale, and the Marriage Role Expectation Inventory. Forty-three variables were generated from these measures which, when factor analyzed produced 12 factors for husbands and 10 factors for wives, served as dependent and independent variables for this study. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to identify relationships between dependent variables (self concept and marital happiness of husbands and wives) and independent variables {i.e., level of education; hours spent as an employee, religious volunteer, and in community service; freedom to choose present role; income level). Husbands and wives were assessed independent of each other. None of the independent variables explained a significant amount of the variance on marital happiness or self concept neither when considered alone nor when stepped together in the multiple regression model. Thus, no significant relationship was determined between marital roles and marital happiness or self concept. Recommendations were made for studying more diversified populations and for controlling sample bias resulting from the use of volunteers.

AFRIKAANS: In hierdie navorsing is die huwelik met voorskoolse kinders in Suid-Afrika aan die begin van die een-en-twintigste eeu ondersoek. Hierdie huweliksfase, met sy vele uitdagings en huwelikstake, word beskou as die fase met die laagste huweliksaanpassing en die hoogste voorkoms van egskeiding. Die sin en betekenis van hierdie uitdagings (spirituele intelligensie of SQ), sowel as die emosionele belewenis, verstaan en hantering hiervan (emosionele intelligensie of EQ), asook die rol wat dit in huweliksaanpassing speel, is ondersoek. Eerstens is ’n vraelys ontwikkel wat SQ-eienskappe kan meet (MMV-SQ-vraelys), naamlik: (i) die vind van sin en betekenis in ’n gegewe situasie, (ii) motiveringsbronne van gedrag, en (iii) die waardes wat uitgeleef word. Data van 198 respondente het gedui op betroubaarheid van subskale wat wissel van 0.47 tot 0.80. Bevredigende konstrukgeldigheid is verkry deur die verhouding tussen die subskale van die SQ-vraelys en waardeskaal te ondersoek (r het gevarieer van 0.15; p ≤ 0.05 tot 0.54; p ≤ 0.01). Sowel kwantitatiewe as kwalitatiewe navorsing is vervolgens gebruik. In die kwantitatiewe navorsing is die MMV-SQ-vraelys, die huweliks-aanpassingsvraelys van Spanier (Dyadic Adjustment Scale), asook die SSRI (Schutte Self-Report Inventory) op 84 deelnemers toegepas. Die deelnemers het 84 getroude persone, waaronder 34 egpare ingesluit. Die verband tussen huweliksaanpassing en EQ is ondersoek deur korrelasies te bereken tussen die subskale van die DAS en SSRI. Dit het geblyk dat ʼn optimistiese gemoedstemming ʼn verband toon met al die subskale van huweliksaanpassing. Die herkenning van die eie en die huweliksmaat se gevoelens, sosiale vaardighede, en die toepassing van emosies blyk verband te hou met hoër huwelikstevredenheid asook huwelikskonsensus. Sosiale vaardighede het ook ʼn verband getoon met affeksionele uitdrukking. EQ het egter nie ’n sterk verband met huwelikskohesie getoon nie. Die verband tussen die subskale van die DAS is vervolgens vergelyk met dié van die MMV-SQ-vraelys. Betekenisvolle korrelasies tussen enkele skale van huweliksaanpassing en SQ het voorgekom, veral wat die motiveringskaal betref: egpaarlede wie se gedrag deur die motiveringsbron bemeestering gemotiveer word, blyk ʼn hoër mate van huweliksaanpassing te hê, terwyl die negatiewe motiveringsbronne, waaronder selfgesentreerdheid, drange en vrees, ’n negatiewe verband met huweliksaanpassing toon. Min verbande is egter gevind tussen huweliksaanpassing, en sin en betekenis (wel tussen meditatiewe bewustheid en huwelikskonsensus, asook tussen empatiese aanvaarding en openheid, en affeksionele ekspressie). Geen verbande is ten opsigte van waardes gevind nie. Verskille tussen mans en vroue se EQ en SQ is ook ondersoek, maar geen groot verskille is verkry nie. Deur ’n meervoudige regressie is enkele verdere biografiese veranderlikes geïdentifiseer wat ʼn verband met huweliksaanpassing toon. In die kwalitatiewe navorsing is verskeie aspekte ondersoek en bespreek: die rolverdeling ten opsigte van kinderopvoeding en huistake, die balans tussen beroep en gesin, persoonlike tevredenheid (SQ) in die huwelik, asook die begrip en hantering van gevoelens (EQ). Die waarde van hierdie navorsing lê veral in die grondleggingswerk van die SQ-vraelys, asook bruikbare inligting ten opsigte van die huwelik met voorskoolse kinders in Suid-Afrika. Leiding aan egpare in die hantering van gevoelens (EQ), asook insig in hulle motiveringsbronne (SQ) behoort dus hulle huweliksaanpassing te verhoog. ENGLISH: In this research, the South-African marriage with preschool children was investigated. This phase of marriage, full of challenges and marital tasks, is regarded showing the lowest degree of marital adjustment and the highest incidence of divorce. The meaning, (spiritual intelligence or SQ), emotional experience, understanding and dealing with these challenges (emotional intelligence or EQ), as well as the relation to marital adjustment, were investigated. Firstly, a questionnaire was developed that could measure the characteristics of SQ, namely: (i) finding purpose and meaning in a given situation, (ii) motivations of behaviour, and (iii) values. Data from 198 respondents indicated the reliability of the subscales, which vary from 0.47 to 0.80. Satisfactory construct validity was obtained by researching the relation between the subscales of the SQ questionnaire and the value scale (r varied from 0.15; p ≤ 0.05 to 0.54; p ≤ 0.01). Next, both qualitative and quantitative research were utilised. In the quantitative research, the MMV SQ questionnaire, the marital adjustment questionnaire of Spanier (Dyadic Adjustment Scale), as well as the SSRI (Schutte Self-Report Inventory) were completed by the respondents. The respondents were 84 married individuals, including 34 couples. The relationship between marital adjustment and EQ was investigated by calculating correlations between the subscales of the DAS and SSRI. It transpired that an optimistic frame of mind showed a correlation with all the subscales of marital adjustment. It also appeared that the recognition of the own and the spouse’s feelings, social skills, and the application of emotions were related to increased marital satisfaction as well as marital consensus. Social skills also displayed a correlation with affectional expression. EQ, however, did not show a strong correlation with marital cohesion. Next, the relation between the subscales of the DAS was compared to that of the MMV-SQ questionnaire. Meaningful correlations between some scales of marital adjustment and SQ occurred, in particular with regard to the motivational scale: couples whose behaviour are motivated by mastering, appear to display a higher degree of marital adjustment, while the negative sources of motivation like self-centredness, craving and fears, display a negative correlation with marital adjustment. Few correlations were found between marital adjustment and purpose and meaning (between meditative awareness and marital consensus; between empathetic acceptance and openness, and affectional expression). No correlation was found with regard to values. Differences between the EQ and SQ of men and women were also investigated, but no major differences were observed. By means of multiple regressions it was indicated that some biographic variables did show a correlation with marital adjustment. Valuable information was obtained in the qualitative research regarding the couple’s roles in child-raising and domestic chores, the balance between career and family, personal satisfaction (SQ) in the marriage, as well as the understanding and handling of feelings (EQ). The value of this research lies in the foundational work of the SQ questionnaire in particular, as well as useful information with regard to South African marriages with preschool children. Guiding couples in their dealing with feelings (EQ), as well as providing an insight into the sources of motivation (SQ), should therefore enhance their marital adjustment. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Psychology / unrestricted

Text in English / The transition from traditional to non-traditional marital roles was brought about by changes in the political, social and economic spheres. Within this transition, a new family arrangement has emerged in which traditional marital roles of breadwinning husband and care-giving, nurturer-wife are replaced by a breadwinning wife and a care-giving, nurturer-husband, the so-called stay-at-home husband. Various factors contributed and necessitated this change in marital roles, such as, but not limited to, the feminist movement, the economic recession, changes in legislation, retrenchments and so forth. However, making this transition is not easy. These couples, fulfilling non-traditional marital roles, are faced with stigmatisation and negative attitudes that make them want to conceal their marital roles from family, friends, the community and society as a whole. This state of affairs results in a situation where these couples stay in the closet and as consequence the topic is ill-researched and ripe for further investigation. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach, this study explored and described the challenges, experiences and coping resources of couples fulfilling non-traditional marital roles in order to propose practice guidelines to support these couples from a social work perspective. A total of ten couples participated in the study. Independently, the working wives and stay-at-home husbands provided separate accounts of realities related to fulfilling the non-traditional marital roles within their respective marital relationships. Themes that emerged from the in-depth description of their experiences reflected the benefits accrued, the challenges experienced, their needs and coping resources. From the information provided suggestions were derived for social workers to assist couples in a similar working wife and stay-at-home husband marriage set-up to deal with situations encountered. In consulting extant literature, research on this phenomenon appeared to be totally neglected both internationally and nationally. Hence this study sought to address this lacuna by specifically investigating the situation in South Africa. It also appeared that existing research tended to focus on either the stay-at-home mother or the dual career family. Research on the experiences of stay-at-home husbands was thus severely lacking as were ways in which such couples in these roles could be supported. Therefore, making use of the ecological and role theory perspectives, attention is given to exposing their experiences, challenges and coping resources with a view to developing practice guidelines for helping social work practitioners to adequately support these couples practising non-traditional marital roles. / Social Work / Ph. D. (Social Work)

The transition from traditional to non-traditional marital roles was brought about by changes in the political, social and economic spheres. Within this transition, a new family arrangement has emerged in which traditional marital roles of breadwinning husband and care-giving, nurturer-wife are replaced by a breadwinning wife and a care-giving, nurturer-husband, the so-called stay-at-home husband. Various factors contributed and necessitated this change in marital roles, such as, but not limited to, the feminist movement, the economic recession, changes in legislation, retrenchments and so forth. However, making this transition is not easy. These couples, fulfilling non-traditional marital roles, are faced with stigmatisation and negative attitudes that make them want to conceal their marital roles from family, friends, the community and society as a whole. This state of affairs results in a situation where these couples stay in the closet and as consequence the topic is ill-researched and ripe for further investigation. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach, this study explored and described the challenges, experiences and coping resources of couples fulfilling non-traditional marital roles in order to propose practice guidelines to support these couples from a social work perspective. A total of ten couples participated in the study. Independently, the working wives and stay-at-home husbands provided separate accounts of realities related to fulfilling the non-traditional marital roles within their respective marital relationships. Themes that emerged from the in-depth description of their experiences reflected the benefits accrued, the challenges experienced, their needs and coping resources. From the information provided suggestions were derived for social workers to assist couples in a similar working wife and stay-at-home husband marriage set-up to deal with situations encountered. In consulting extant literature, research on this phenomenon appeared to be totally neglected both internationally and nationally. Hence this study sought to address this lacuna by specifically investigating the situation in South Africa. It also appeared that existing research tended to focus on either the stay-at-home mother or the dual career family. Research on the experiences of stay-at-home husbands was thus severely lacking as were ways in which such couples in these roles could be supported. Therefore, making use of the ecological and role theory perspectives, attention is given to exposing their experiences, challenges and coping resources with a view to developing practice guidelines for helping social work practitioners to adequately support these couples practising non-traditional marital roles. / Social Work / Ph. D. (Social Work)