The relationships among separation-individuation, marital beliefs, interpersonal efficacy, conflict-coping and mental health of couples

[[abstract]]The relationships among separation-individuation, marital beliefs, interpersonal efficacy, conflict-coping and mental health of couples Ming-ju Liao Abstract The present study was to explore the relationships among separation-individuation, marital beliefs, interpersonal efficacy, conflict-coping and mental health of couples. And to test: (1)the differences between couples in those of variables, (2)under the difference degree of separation-individuation disposition tests the couples differences in marital beliefs, interpersonal efficacy, conflict-coping of couples and their mental health, (3) the predictability of separation-individuation, marital beliefs and interpersonal efficacy on each of the conflict-coping patterns of couples or their mental health, (4)whether the interpersonal efficacy plays the moderating role between the separation-individuation and marital beliefs or between the marital beliefs and conflict-coping patterns in couples. The participants of this research were 232 married pairs couples ( 464 people) who live in the north Taiwan including Keelong County, Taipei City, and Taipei County. The five questionnaires were performed which are the Separation-Individuation Test, Marital Coping Inventory, Interpersonal efficacy Test, the Marital Coping Inventory, and the Chinese Health Questionnaire. This data furthermore were analyzed through the method of Pearson product-moment correlation, canonical correlation analysis, one-way /two way MANOVA and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The major findings of the study were as follows: There was significant difference between wife and husband on separation-individuation including husband was more self centeredness disposition than wife, and on conflict-coping strategies including wife used more conflict, introspective self-blame and seeking social support than husband. There was significant difference of husband who with low separation-individuation disposition has more believed marriage can help personal growth than high ones. Separation-Individuation, growth beliefs, interpersonal-efficacy can significantly predict couples’ conflict coping patterns. Separation-individuation, growth beliefs, interpersonal-efficacy and conflict coping also can significantly predict individual’s mental health. For couples their perceived interpersonal efficacy played a moderator variable between separation-individuation and marital beliefs, meanwhile also moderating between marital beliefs and conflict coping. The conclusion and suggestions are based on the result of the data analysis which is expected to contribute to the further research in the related topic of marriage. Keywords: separation-individuation, marital beliefs, interpersonal efficacy , conflict coping,