Effect of Personality Styles and Marital Disillusionment on Relationship Satisfaction in Married Women

Abstract

Aim of the Study: The present study investigates the relationship between personality styles, marital disillusionment and relationship satisfaction in married women.

Methodology: The study was quantitative in nature and sample was recruited using purposive sampling (N=61). Brief Version of Big Five Personality Inventory (Rammstedt & John, 2007), The Marital Disillusionment Scale (Niehuis & Bartell, 2006) and Relationship Assessment scale (Hendrick, Dicke, & Hendrick, 1998) were employed as measures.

Findings: The correlation indicates that neuroticism and conscientiousness have significant positive correlation with marital disillusionment and negative correlation with relationship satisfaction. Extraversion and openness to experience have negative correlation with marital disillusionment and positive correlation with relationship satisfaction. Middle age adults are significantly high in conscientiousness and neuroticism. Working women are significantly high in agreeableness and relationship satisfaction. Married women living in nuclear family system is significantly high in marital disillusionment.

Conclusion: Study concluded that Females in middle age had a higher score on neuroticism and conscientiousness, which could be developmental stressors of care giving and life changes. Agreeableness and relationship satisfaction were also higher among working women, which indicates that occupational involvement can lead to autonomy, social competence and relationship balance. Moreover, women in nuclear families were found to be more disillusioned with marriage, which might have been caused by a lack of extended family support and a role strain. All in all, the research paper points to the multifaceted interaction between the personal characteristics and the situational influences on marital quality.