[[alternative]]The Relationships among Family-of-Origin Experiences, Separation-Individuation, and Marital Satisfaction

[[abstract]] The theoretical framework for this study lies mainly within the mode established by object-relations theorist Margaret S. Mahler. The sample consisted of 433 married teachers and their spouses with mean age of 38.98 years. Instruments included the Chinese Family-of-Origin Scale, the Chinese Separation-Individuation Scale, and the Chinese Marital Satisfaction Scale. Data were analyzed by t-test, canonical correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Results were as follows: 1. Adult females had a significantly higher score in Engulfment Anxiety than adult males. 2. When the perceived family-of-origin experiences were high Intimacy and moderate Dependence, separation-individuation tended to be more Rejection Expectancy, more Dependency Denial, and more Engulfment Anxiety. 3. When the perceived family-of-origin experiences were high Autonomy and low Intimacy, separation-individuation tended to be more Practicing Mirroring, and more Authority Enmeshment. 4. The order of the importance in family-of-origin experiences and separation-individuation that could be used to explain marital satisfaction was Intimacy, Autonomy, and Practicing Mirroring. Based on these findings, implications for practice and further research were addressed as well.