Females' Appraisal of own Ego Function by Self and Spouse and its Relation to their Quality of Marital Life

Abstract

Background:  Prior study (Kurdek , 1993) pointed out that spouses with differences in attitudes, values and beliefs may have impact on marital relationship . But spouse appraisal or views regarding other partners also may have impact on marital relationship which is not yet explored.

Objectives: The present study aimed to study the relationship between the females' perception of their spouses' appraisal of females' ego function and its relationship to different components of females' marital quality. 

Materials and Methods:

The sample is comprised of 50 married females (age from 25-35 years).They were administered Ego function Assessment scale (Bellak ,1973) and Marital quality scales (Shah, 1991) .

Resuts: Results revealed that greater appraisal of autonomous functioning was positively correlated with total marital quality of the females, signifying poorer quality of marital lives of females. It may be due to a   mismatch with females' greater value for enjoying a socially prescribed dependent role.

On the other hand, deficit appraisal of stimulus barrier that signify females' appraised their husband's evaluate them (females)as less efficient in  motoric  behavior,  affective  states  and  cognitive  processes is well received by the female, enhancing their quality of marital life. Moreover, deficit appraisal of drive control is positively correlated with poor marital life of married females which may be attributed to a sense of personal inferiority in married young women. Deficit appraisal of synthetic integrative function in female by the male spouse, most intimate person, is self derogatory to the females. This underestimation by the male spouse in the domain of one's inner integrity may explain the poor marital quality in the female. 

Conclusion:Our findings may have therapeutic implication in understanding the female psyche