Correlates of marital adjustment among couples in Kachery, Kerala, India

This study attempted to analyze the role of marital communication in marital adjustment and to identify the significant differences between wives and husbands in their level of perceptions of those aspects. For marital adjustment the dimensions considered were companionship, sexual fulfillment and parenting the children. The influence of age, education, and religion in marital adjustment was likewise analyzed. The study utilized the descriptive correlational research design using the survey technique. The instrument used was a questionnaire which consisted ot two parts. Respondents of the study were 100 wives and 100 husbands residing at Kachery who were selected by random sampling. Statistical lists used included Pearson Product Moment Correlation tests. The findings revealed that there is a significant difference (+ + 4.47 p = .000) between the perceptions of wives and husbands with regard to marital communication and marital adjustment. Thus the first hypothesis that there is a significant difference between their perceptions was accepted. The second hypothesis was likewise accepted based on the result which showed a highly significant correlation (.970) between marital adjustment and marital communication. For the third hypothesis, age proved to be negatively correlated (.637), while education had a significant positive correlation (.704) with marital adjustment. Religion had a very low correlation (-.077) which showed its minimal influence in marital adjustment. Based on the findings it was concluded that marital communication does have a bearing on marital adjustment. With regard to the intervening variables, age and educational attainment were significantly related with marital adjustment. The data also showed that there is a significant difference between wives and husbands in their level of perceptions of marital communication and marital adjustment. Based on the results, the researcher recommended that marital communication be included as a topic in premarital courses. Appropriate measures to awake