Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 1995. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary objectives of the present research were to predict the quality of
relationships of gay male couples, as well as those of the members of the couples,
on the basis of chosen variables. These chosen variables were taken along an
ecological framework, which took into account variables from a personal,
psychological, interpersonal and social context. Five variables received wide
coverage in the present research: The sexual behavioural status of the relationship,
sex role self-concept, sex role behaviour, perceived social support from family and
friends, and passing. Partner-homogamy was also an important variable in the
present research. This resulted in differences in the chosen variables within couples
being used to predict the quality of the relationships of gay male couples.
A sample of 30 couples was obtained through advertisements in the local gay
press. The sample comprised mostly middle and high-class whites who had been
involved in well-functioning, long-lasting (:t 8 years) relationships and who had lived
together. Each couple received by mail two identical sets of measuring
instruments - one for each member of the couple - to complete independently from
the other. The measuring instruments, which were all self-reporting scales, were
the Biographical and Personal Questionnaire, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, the Bern
Sex Role Inventory, the Shared Decision Making Scale, the Perceived Social Support
Scale, the Being Known to Distant Others Scale, the Being Known to Significant
Others Scale, and the Desire to Pass Scale.
Results were obtained through statistical analysis with both the couples (N = 30)
and the partners (N = 60) as the unit of analysis. When the respective results are
viewed together, the most important correlates of the quality of relationships were
an increase in the length of the relationship, a female self-concept among both
partners, the viewing of shared decision making within the relationship, and overtly
maintaining a gay lifestyle, together with partner-homogamy with regard to a
female self-concept, perceived social support from friends, and the level of
overtness concerning sexual preferences. Furthermore, it was important that
psychological masculinity had to be vested in one member of the couple only.
The most important predictors of the quality of well adjusted relationships were an
increase in the length of the relationship, a female self-concept among both
partners, the viewing of shared decision making in the relationship, little perceived
social support from friends and family, and maintaining an overt gay lifestyle,
together with the homogamy of partners towards perceived social support from
friends, being known as gay to significant others, and the view of shared decision
making in the relationship respectively. Furthermore, it was important that one of
the members had to have previous experience of gay relationships.
The greatest limitation of the present research was the small sample which resulted
in low statistical power. The research has, however, made a contribution by
shedding light on the functioning of gay male couples within the South African
context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primere doelstellings van die huidige ondersoek was om die verhoudingskwaliteit
van manlike gay pare, sowel as die van die paarlede, te voorspel aan die hand van
sekere gekose veranderlikes. Die gekose veranderlikes is saamgevat binne 'n
ekologiese raamwerk wat veranderlikes vanuit 'n persoonlike, sielkundige,
interpersoonlike en sosiale konteks behels het. Veral vyf veranderlikes het wye
dekking in die huidige ondersoek geniet, naamlik die seksuele gedragstatus van die.
verhouding, geslagsrolselfkonsep, geslagsrolgedrag, waargenome sosiale
ondersteuning van gesin en vriende, en verskansing. Ook paarlid-homogamie was 'n
belangrike veranderlike in die huidige ondersoek, met die gevolg dat verskille in die
gekose veranderlikes binne pare gebruik is as 'n verdere voorspelling van die
verhoudingskwaliteit van manlike gay pare.
'n Steekproef van 30 pare is bekom deur middel van advertensies in die plaaslike
gay pers. Die steekproef het hoofsaaklik uit middel- en hoeklas blankes bestaan wat
in goed-funksionerende, samewonende verhoudings van hoe tydsduur (:f: 8 jaar)
betrokke was. Elke paar het per pos twee identiese stelle meetinstrumente
ontvang - een vir elke lid om in onafhanklikheid van sy maat te voltooi. Die
meetinstrumente, almaI selfbeoordelingskale, was die Biografiese en Persoonlike
Vraelys, die "Dyadic Adjustment Scale", die "Bem Sex Role Inventory", die "Shared
Decision Making Scale", die "Perceived Social Support Scale", die "Being Known to
Distant Others Scale", die "Being Known to Significant Others Scale", en die
"Desire to Pass Scale".
Resultate is verkry deur statistiese ontledings uit te voer met onderskeidelik die paar
(N = 30) en die paarlede (N = 60) as eenheid van analise. Indien die verskillende
resultate gesamentlik in oenskou geneem word, was die belangrikste korrelate van
verhoudingskwaliteit 'n toename in verhoudingslengte, 'n vroulike selfkonsep by
beide paarlede, die beskouing van gedeelde besluitneming binne die verhouding en
die handhawing van 'n openlike gay lewenstyl, tesame met paarlid-homogamie ten
opsigte van 'n vroulike selfkonsep, waargenome sosiale ondersteuning van vriende
en die vlak van openlikheid met betrekking tot seksuele voorkeure. Verder was dit
ook van belang dat slegs een van die paarlede oor psigologiese manlikheid moes
beskik.
Die belangrikste voorspellers van verhoudingskwaliteit was 'n toename in
verhoudingslengte, 'n vroulike selfkonsep by beide paarlede, die beskouing van
gedeelde besluitneming binne die verhouding, min waargenome sosiale
ondersteuning van vriende en die gesin, en die handhawing van 'n openlike gay
lewenstyl, tesame met paarlid-homogamie ten opsigte van onderskeidelik
waargenome sosiale ondersteuning van vriende, bekendheid as gay aan
betekenisvolle ander en die beskouing van gedeelde besluitneming binne die
verhouding. Daarby was dit ook belangrik dat een van die paarlede vorige ervaring
van gay verhoudings moes gehad het.
Die grootste enkele beperking van die huidige ondersoek was die relatief klein
steekproef wat lae statistiese kragdoeltreffendheid tot gevolg gehad het. Die
ondersoek het egter 'n bydrae gelewer deur lig te werp op die funksionering van
manlike gay verhoudings binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20966 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Boshoff, Stephanus Cornelius |
| Contributors | Le Roux, J. A., Kotze, H. F., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 127 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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