Marital Quality in Middle Aged Women: A Qualitative study

ABSTRACT

Background: Marital quality is an essential feature of family life that affects one’s wellbeing; higher marital quality is linked to less vulnerability to depression, self-rated health, less physical ailments and subjective well-being and happiness. Cross sectional studies have found low marital satisfaction and happiness in middle aged adults compared to the younger or older adults, whereas cohort studies have revealed that marital quality tends to decrease after the initial of marriage years and into the middle adulthood and then either steadies or continue to decrease after midlife. This study explored marital quality in women and the dimensions that contribute to greater marital quality in midlife stage of marriage. Methodology: The sample consisted of 15 middle aged married women. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to explore their marital quality and the dimensions related to marital quality. The interviews were analysed using content analysis method. Results: The results showed that aspects such as handling problems and disagreements, communication, having an egalitarian approach, making compromises or adjustments, support of extended family were related to better marital quality. Conclusion: The study highlights that marital enrichment programs that focus on communication between partners, problem solving strategies and effective handling of disagreements can increase the marital quality and strengthen the marital relationship.