J Korean Acad Nurs.  2008 Aug;38(4):550-560. 10.4040/jkan.2008.38.4.550.

Impact of Psychological Factors on Marital Satisfaction and Divorce Proneness in Clinical Couples

• Kong SS

• KMID: 820109
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2008.38.4.550

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the psychological factors that affect marital satisfaction or divorce likelihood in clinical couples. METHODS: Clinical couples (n=57) who visited "M" couple clinic participated in the study. Data was collected from September 2005 to June 2006 using a Marital Satisfaction Scale, a Marital Status Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory, and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. RESULTS: The couples showed high scores on depression, obsessive-compulsion, personality factors and divorce probability and a low score on marital satisfaction. The wife's obsessive-compulsion was a predictor of her marital satisfaction, and the wife's social introversion and depression, and husband's obsessive-compulsion were predictors of the wife's prospect of divorce. The husband's hypomania and depression were predictors of his marital satisfaction, and there were no predictors of the husband's prospect of divorce. CONCLUSION: Obsessive-compulsion is a significant factor in a couple's relationship, although previous studies have not been interested in obsessive-compulsion. Divorce likelihood should be evaluated for clinical couples as well as marital satisfaction, because it is more important for divorce prevention. Each spouse who has a psychological problem such as depression, obsessive-compulsion, and deviated personality needs individual therapy as well as couple therapy.

Keyword

Depression; Obsessive-compulsion; MMPI; Marital satisfaction; Divorce

MeSH Terms

Adult
Demography
Depression
Divorce/*psychology
Female
Humans
Male
*Marital Status
Marriage/*psychology
Middle Aged
Personal Satisfaction
Spouses/psychology

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