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Intimacy maturity and its correlates in young married couples
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|January 1, 1986
Summary
This study explored intimacy maturity in marriage, finding no gender differences in intimacy or adjustment. However, gender roles and their relation to marital adjustment differed between husbands and wives, suggesting distinct marital experiences.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Relationship Science
Background:
- Intimate relationships, like individuals, undergo developmental processes.
- Five key dimensions of intimacy maturity were identified: relationship orientation, caring-concern, commitment, sexuality, and communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe an approach for assessing intimacy maturity across its five dimensions.
- To analyze intimacy maturity, gender roles, and marital adjustment in young married couples.
- To investigate gender-based variations in the correlates of marital experiences.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 31 young married couples.
- Assessment of five dimensions of intimacy maturity.
- Utilized an adaptation of the Bem Sex Role Inventory (1974) for gender role assessment.
- Analyzed scores in relation to gender and marital adjustment.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found between husbands and wives on intimacy or marital adjustment scales.
- A marginal difference was observed on one gender role scale (agency).
- Correlations between intimacy, marital adjustment, and gender role scores varied significantly by gender.
Conclusions:
- While overall intimacy and adjustment may be similar, the relationship between gender roles and marital adjustment differs between genders.
- The findings suggest that each marriage may encompass distinct "his" and "hers" experiences.
- Understanding these gender-specific correlates is crucial for comprehending marital dynamics.
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