Abstract
The present study sought to assess important factors in marital adjustment and their interrelatedness. The explored factors were (a) sexual satisfaction and adjustment, (b) verbal and nonverbal communication, and (c) several demographic variables (e.g., age and number of years married). Marital adjustment was found to be significantly related to verbal and nonverbal communication, but not to sexual satisfaction and adjustment. Demographic variables were not found to be related to marital adjustment, but some were significant predictors of verbal and nonverbal communication and sexual satisfaction and adjustment. The implications of these findings for assessment and intervention in marital and sexual counseling and for future research are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Balswick, J. O. The effect of spouse companionship support on employment success.Journal of Marriage and the Family 1970,32 212–215.
Balswick, J. O., and Peck, C. W. The inexpressive mate: A tragedy of American society.Family Coordinator 1971,29 363–368.
Bovet, T.A handbook to marriage. New York: Doubleday, 1969.
Burgess, E. W., and Cottrell, L. S., Jr.Predicting success or failure in marriage. New York: Prentice-Hall, 1939.
Cutler, B. R., and Dyer, W. C. Initial adjustment processes in young married couples.Social Forces 1965,44 195–201.
Hartman, W. E., and Fithian, M. A.Treatment of sexual dysfunctions. Long Beach, Calif.: Center for Marital and Sexual Studies, 1972.
Hastings, D. W.A doctor speaks on sexual expression in marriage. New York: Bantam Books, 1972.
Hickman, M., and Baldwin, B. Use of programmed instruction to improve communication in the marriage.Family Coordinator 1971,20 121–125.
Hurvitz, N. Marital strain in the blue collar family. In A. Shostak and W. Gomberg (Eds.),Blue collar world. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1964.
Jourard, S. M., and Lasakow, P. Some factors in self-disclosure.Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 1958,56 91–98.
Kaplan, H. S. Fiction and fantasy: No-nonsense therapy for sexual dysfunctions.Psychology Today 1974,8(5), 77–86.
Katz, I., Goldstein, J., Cohen, M., and Stucker, S. Need satisfaction, perception, and cooperative interaction in married couples.Marriage and Family Living 1963,25 209–214.
Kamarosky, M.Blue collar marriage. New York: Random House, 1962.
Levinger, G. Supplementary methods in family research.Family Process 1963,2 357–366.
Locke, H. J., and Wallace, K. M. Short marital adjustment and prediction tests: Their reliabiity and validity.Marriage and Family Living 1959,21 251–255.
Locke, H. J., Sabagh, G., and Thomas, M. M. Correlates of primary communication and empathy.Research Studies of the State College of Washington 1956,24 116–124.
LoPiccolo, J. Personal communication, Dec. 11, 1976.
LoPiccolo, J., and Steger, J. C. The sexual interaction inventory: A new instrument for assessment of sexual dysfunction.Archives of Sexual Behavior 1974,3 585–595.
Masters, W. H., and Johnson, V. E. Human sexual inadequacy and some parameters of therapy. In M. Diamond (Ed.),Perspectives in reproduction and sexual behavior. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1968.
Masters, W. H., and Johnson, V. E.Human sexual inadequacy. Boston: Little, Brown, 1970.
Masters, W. H., and Johnson, V. E. Principles of the new sex therapy.American Journal of Psychiatry 1976,133 548–544.
Miller, S., Corrales, R., and Wackman, D. B. Recent progress in understanding and facilitating marital communication.Family Coordinator 1975,24 143–152.
Navran, L. Communication and adjustment in marriage.Family Process 1967,6 173–184.
Nie, N. H., Hull, C., Hadlai, J., Jenkins, J. G., Steinbrenner, K., and Bent, D. H.Statistical Package of the Social Sciences (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975.
Rainwater, L.Family design: Marital sexuality, family size, and contraception. Chicago: Aldine, 1965.
Sager, C. J. The role of sex therapy in marital therapy.American Journal of Psychiatry 1976,123 555–558.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tucker, C.M., Horowitz, J.E. Assessment of factors in marital adjustment. Journal of Behavioral Assessment 3, 243–252 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01350828
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01350828