Marital quality is examined with sexual behavior and interest, morale, and sex role orientation for two groups of men and women, aged 60 years and older, living in a retirement community or in the community-at-large. Analysis of data from 488 men and women indicates that their marital quality is not related to their residential location. The respondents claiming the highest quality marriages are significantly more likely to be sexually active and to report the highest frequencies of intercourse. The "younger" men express more sexual interest and feelings than do the women and the "older" men. Those expressing the most sexual interest are also the most active sexually. Current patterns of sexual behavior and interest reflect gradual declines from their early married years. Individuals with high morale also express high marital quality, high sexual interest, and greater sexual activity. Previous reportings relating morale to residential location, education, and sex role sharing are not supported. Marital quality is not related to sex role orientation among these elderly respondents who are all healthy, well-educated, financially stable, and religiously-oriented. Those living in the retirement community are significantly more egalitarian in their sex role beliefs and enactments than are the residents in the community-at-large. Retirement community members think they are more egalitarian than they should be; whereas, community-at-large respondents think they are less egalitarian than they should be. Those who are the least traditional in their sex role orientation report the highest levels of sexual activity during their early married years. Previous research linking sex role orientation to marital quality and education is not supported. Finally, no differences are found between members of the two residential environments in activity levels or friendships as / reported previously. Abelson's Constancy Theory is supported by the finding of a positive correlation between age and marital quality controlling for residential location. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-07, Section: A, page: 2258. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1983.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75122 |
| Contributors | ADE-RIDDER, LINDA SUE., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 334 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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