Content Analysis of Reasons for Marital Satisfaction : Comparison of Sources of Marital Satisfaction Among Men and Women

기혼남녀의 결혼만족 이유에 대한 내용분석 : 결혼만족 근원의 유사점과 차이점

This study examined reasons for marital satisfaction among men and women, and explored how sources of marital satisfaction varied with gender. Data were drawn from a sell-administered questionnaire study in which 173 married people residing in Seoul participated. Although the majority of both men and women in this study were at least somewhat satisfied with their marital life, men were, on average, more satisfied with their marriage than were women. Content analysis of reasons for marital satisfaction, obtained through an open-ended question, revealed that both men and women mentioned most frequently as their sources of marital satisfaction in this order: spouse, family, and children. However, while a large proportion of men's reasons for satisfaction concerned spouse, particularly affective relationship with their spouses, women's reasons indicated more diverse sources of marital satisfaction, including spouse, family, children, stability of living and of economy. Analysis of specific reasons for satisfaction in each source revealed that marital satisfaction was intimately connected with one's experience of happiness, love, stability, harmony, and peace, and that respondents experienced such positive emotions, leading to marital satisfaction, not only through relationship with their spouses, but also through other sources, such as children, family members, and respondents themselves. Moreover, good personality and health of spouse, family members, and children were frequently cited as reasons for marital satisfaction, and these reasons were more common among women's responses. Based on these results, both universal and cultural characteristics of marital satisfaction were considered, and gender differences in satisfaction with marital life were discussed. Finally, implications for clinical social work practice from this study were provided.