Personal resources and marriage satisfaction among women

Processes of children’s in the family are partly related to the quality of their parents’ marriage, which is influenced by various factors. Different factors have significant influence on marital quality. In particular, the link between personal characteristics of spouses (e.g. personality traits, attitudes, and values) and marital satisfaction has received much attention. However, there have been few studies concerning partners’ personal resources. The current research examined the effect of self-efficacy and resiliency on marital satisfaction among women. The study has covered 239 married women. Three questionnaires were used: the Wellmatched Marriage Questionnaire (KDM-2; Plopa, 2008), the Resiliency Assessment Scale (SPP-25, Ogińska-Bulik, Juczyński, 2008), and the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES, Polish adaptation, Juczyński, 2001). Correlation and regression analyses were performed in this study. Both general self-efficacy and resiliency proved to be positively associated with marital satisfaction in general terms. Self-efficacy also correlated positively with intimacy and similarity, while resiliency correlated positively with all favorable dimensions of marital relation, and negatively with disappointment. Regression analyses showed that one aspect of resiliency – openness to experience and sense of humour – was a significant positive predictor of marital satisfaction.