Abstract
Based on previous work on factors predicting marital satisfaction in Emirati society, this study aimed at examining whether anxiety and depression as well as perceived family functioning would predict marital satisfaction among a sample of 1,041 Emirati married individuals. Participants responded to the Emirati Marital Satisfaction Scale along with an Arabic translation of the General Functioning (GF12) subscale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device and the Primary Care Anxiety and Depression Scale. Marital satisfaction negatively correlated with lower levels of family functioning as well as to depression and anxiety. Lower levels of depression and anxiety as well as healthy family functioning together explained about 50% of the variance in the marital satisfaction. The interaction between gender and depression and anxiety was insignificant. Findings are discussed within the United Arab Emirates cultural context.
Keywords
Scores of studies have demonstrated the relationship of marital satisfaction with psychological distress and perceived family functioning. However, very little research has been carried out to examine these relationships in non-Western and indigenous cultural contexts such as the Emirati cultural context. One significant advancement in this regard was the development of the Emirati Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMSS, Al-Darmaki et al., 2014). The EMSS scale allowed the authors to explore the construct of marital satisfaction from the native population’s perspective, as well as examine the relationship of marital satisfaction with variables such as life satisfaction, self-esteem, general health, and gender-role attitudes (Al-Darmaki et al., 2017) in an Emirati sociocultural context. Prior to these studies, relatively little was known about marital satisfaction beyond the statistical reports that consistently revealed high divorce rates among Emirati couples (Safdar, 2009).
The pioneer EMSS studies contributed significantly to understanding the Emirati context by helping to develop a culturally relevant conceptual framework and definition of marital satisfaction. The present study relies on this culturally derived framework and definition, and helps further understand marital satisfaction and its relationship to two other variables: perceived family functioning and psychological distress (i.e., anxiety and depression), both in the Emirati cultural context.
The focus on the Emirati population and the choice of variables in this study are motivated by several important considerations. Of utmost importance is the urgent need and relevance of understanding marital satisfaction in a rapidly changing Emirati sociocultural context. The forces of modernization and globalization have adversely affected the institution of marriage, something that is integral to Emirati social, cultural, and religious identity. The rising divorce rates in the nation have been an issue of concern to policy makers and the general public (Safdar, 2009). If these are any indication of changing attitudes and values toward marriage, there are also broader implications for family and societal well-being. Historically, collective Emiratis put family at the core of their culture, heritage, and identity (Barakat, 1993). The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and neighboring Gulf States (Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia) are collectively known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Despite the GCC states’ overlap of history, language, religion, values, norms, and beliefs with the broader Islamic Arab society, GCC countries preserve unique cultural, political, economical, and social traits that differentiate them from other Arab countries (Crystal, 1996; Ewers, 2016; Gause, 1997; Wiseman & Al-Bakr, 2013). This distinctness in sociocultural contexts and in cultural processes calls for a separate consideration of a distinct subculture within the broader Arab world. Such a separation is warranted and needed for homogeneity in sampling as well as for the continuous validation of the research instruments used in this study.
Marital satisfaction in an Islamic Arab sociocultural context cannot be studied without a deep understanding of the cultural meanings ascribed to the institution of marriage. Western views of marital satisfaction emphasize themes such as romantic love, companionship, intimacy, affection, sexual exclusivity, and individual choice. In contrast, marriage in an Islamic Arab context implies a sacred and religiously obligated social union or contract primarily for building a family through procreation (Arnett, 2008). It is characterized by pragmatic and utilitarian considerations such as structuring family life, preserving family lineage and kinship-ties, upholding values and beliefs, and fostering community belonging and social cohesion. Overall, the focus of a marital dyad is more on the function it serves than on affection. As Arnett (2008) noted about marriage in non-Western and collectivistic societies, it is more of a social responsibility than an individualistic pursuit. Certainly, these ascribed cultural meanings have profound implications for understanding marital satisfaction and its relationship to family functioning and psychological distress. This is clearly reflected in Al-Darmaki et al.’s (2014) culturally derived definition of marital satisfaction, which emphasizes the contribution to positive family functioning as equally important as personal fulfillment in the dyadic relationship. Accordingly, they defined marital satisfaction as follows: the degree to which spouses in a marital dyad perceive their relationship with their spouse to be personally fulfilling and contributing towards positive/healthy family functioning. It constitutes seven general components classified under two broad dimensions: personal factors (personality traits, marital values, perceived sense of intimacy, and sense of compatibility) and functional family factors (effective communication, roles and responsibilities, and problem resolutions). (Al-Darmaki et al., 2014)
The definition is consistent with Abudabbeh and Nydell (1993), as well as several other authors, who contend that Arabs may not expect their spouse to meet all of their emotional needs. Arabs are culturally conditioned to have their emotional needs fulfilled by members of their family of origin. They may do so by maintaining close emotional bonds with these family members. Indeed, these cultural understandings urge us to rethink the conventional assumption that marital satisfaction is primarily determined by the extent to which a couple can meet each other’s emotional and psychological needs. Extensions of this assumption are found in several explanatory mechanisms used to describe the positive associations between marital satisfaction and family functioning. For instance, according to Feldman, Wentzel, Weinberger, and Munson (1990) marital satisfaction provides couples with the emotional resources needed to create a nurturing family environment. Also as Mikulincer, Gillath, and Shaver (2002) noted, marital satisfaction is grounded in attachment security which also has an impact on family dynamics. This and similar theories have explained the positive link between marital satisfaction and family functioning. However, these theoretical underpinnings may not be relevant in an Arab Gulf cultural context due to the very reasons we noted earlier. Two points are worth careful consideration in this regard. First, the association between marital satisfaction and family functioning, as well as the mechanisms by which marital satisfaction influences family functioning, may be characteristically different in an Emirati cultural context. Second, the emphasis on the family of origin as the primary source of emotional support suggests that marital dissatisfaction may not correlate as strongly to psychological distress compared with other cultural contexts.
Based on this work and to extend our understanding of variables that affect marital satisfaction in an Arab Gulf culture, this study aimed at examining psychological distress, specifically depression and anxiety as they are the most common mental health problems in Arab populations (Hamdan, 2009). It also examined family functioning in relationship to marital satisfaction and whether these two variables contribute to the reported levels of satisfaction among a sample of married individuals from the UAE. The findings of this study will help guide future research as well as provide possible implications for the practice of family counseling in the UAE.
Marital Satisfaction and Family Functioning
The association between marital satisfaction and family functioning is one that is well documented in the literature, with scores of studies showing that marital satisfaction is related to positive family functioning outcomes. In general, it has been linked to many intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual constructs (see Bradbury, Fincham, & Beach, 2000; Ernst & Cacioppo, 1999; Hojat & Crandall, 1989; McWhirter, 1990, for reviews). The family systems perspective provides an important theoretical basis for the positive relationship between the two concepts. As Cox and Paley (1997) note, family relationships are interdependent and reciprocal thereby rendering family functioning and marital satisfaction correlated and functionally related. Several other studies (e.g., Cowan, Cowan, Schulz, & Heming, 1994; Lindahl & Malik, 2011; McHale, 1997) have confirmed this hypothesis with findings that happy couples are more engaged with each other and provide more support and warmth during family interactions, when compared with dissatisfied couples. It is important to consider that most of these studies are carried out in a western context.
Even while the explanations and contexts may differ, the few reported studies from the Arab world do suggest a relationship between family functioning and martial satisfaction. These studies (Al-Krenawi, 2010; Al-Krenawi & Graham, 2006) clearly demonstrate the effect that culturally bound phenomena, such as polygamy, can have on the relationship between marital satisfaction and family functioning. The findings in these studies indicated a clear relationship of marital satisfaction to family structure and function in polygamous families. Other studies such as those by Al-Krenawi (1998) and Elbedour, Bart, and Hektner (2000) have also established that polygamous families experience a higher rate of marital conflict, family violence, and family disruption than do monogamous families. The Arab Gulf states share the cultural phenomenon of polygamous marriages with the greater Arab world (Crabtree, 2007). Therefore, it is safe to extend these findings to the Emirati context.
Marital Satisfaction and Psychological Distress
A great deal of research on the relationship between marital satisfaction and mental health suggests that the quality of the marriage has an impact on the psychological well-being of individuals (Cohen, Geron, & Farchi, 2009; Holt-Lunstad, Birmingham, & Jones, 2008; Moore et al., 2004; Waite, Luo, & Lewin, 2009). A happy marriage also seems to have a protective function on the physical health of married individuals. According to Holt-Lunstad et al. (2008), high marital satisfaction is related to lower blood pressure, lower stress, less depression, and high satisfaction with life. In another study, Waite et al. (2009) found that the psychological well-being of happily married couples was positively affected. According to Wilson and Oswald (2005), there is convincing longitudinal evidence in the literature for increased physical and psychological well-being when couples are satisfied with their marriages.
Perhaps, of all the different distress conditions studied in relation to marital satisfaction, the most common is depression. Several theoretical assumptions have been put forward in this regard, the marital discord model of depression being the most cited. According to the model, marital discord is a significant risk factor for depression (Beach, Sandeen, & O’Leary, 1990). Two assumptions are central to the model in explaining how marital distress can precipitate depression. The lack of social support and the higher levels of hostility that couples experience in their relationship are found to be predictive of depression.
As is the general case related to research on marital satisfaction, literature on the relationship between marital satisfaction and psychological symptoms is very limited. Relevant to the Arab culture, two studies by Al-Krenawi (2010) and Al-Krenawi, Graham, and Al Gharaibeh (2011) are worth noting. These studies examined psychological symptoms, family function, and marital and life satisfaction of polygamous and monogamous Jordanian and Palestinian women. They found women from polygamous marriages to report more problems in family functioning and in marital satisfaction compared with monogamous women. In addition, women in polygamous marriages experienced low self-esteem and an increase in psychological symptoms such as somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and hostility. In the UAE context, at least one study seemed to suggest a relationship between marital satisfaction and the individuals’ well-being (Abou-Saleh, Ghubash, & Daradkeh, 2001). In their study, Abou-Saleh et al. (2001) reported an association between the quality of the marital relationship and psychiatric disorders among a sample from a UAE community.
Marital Satisfaction and Demographic Factors
Scholars studying marital satisfaction have long understood that many demographic variables act as potential moderators that influence the relationship between marital satisfaction and other factors. Variables such as gender (e.g., Alqashan, 2008; Guo & Huang, 2005), age (e.g., Alqashan, 2008; Glenn, 1990; Orathinkal & Vansteenwegen, 2007), and number of children (Botha, van den Berg, & Venter, 2009; Faulkner, Davey, & Davey, 2005) have all been found to make significant contributions to marital satisfaction. Other variables consistently identified as potential contributors include education level (Alqashan, 2008; Moore et al., 2004; Pimentel, 2000; Trudel, 2002; Zainah, Nasir, Hashim, & Yusof, 2012), income (Alqashan, 2008; Kamo, 1993), employment status (Orathinkal & Vansteenwegen, 2007), and religiosity (Ahmadi, Azad-Marzabadi, & Ashrafi, 2008; Moore et al., 2004; Parker, Mandleco, Roper, Freeborn, & Dyches, 2011). While this list may not be exhaustive, as Zainah et al. (2012) noted, the variables that influence or contribute to marital satisfaction may differ across cultures. Results from the foundational Emirati marital satisfaction studies (Al-Darmaki et al., 2014; Al-Darmaki et al., 2017) concur with this perspective. Some variables found to be significant include religious commitment and living location. Given the understanding from these, as well as the other studies noted above, some demographic variables considered in this study are gender, educational level, employment status, income, family background, and nationality of the spouse.
Based on the above foundation, the purpose of this study is twofold: To examine the relationship between martial satisfaction, family functioning, and depression and anxiety among a sample of married individuals from the UAE community, and to investigate whether marital satisfaction can be predicted by family functioning and by depression and anxiety. We hypothesize that marital satisfaction will be associated positively with less problems in family functioning and lower levels of depression and anxiety. It is also hypothesized that both family functioning as well as depression and anxiety will predict marital satisfaction.
Method
Participants
This study employed a convenience sample, a total of 1,051 Emirati married men and women were recruited from the community through trained research assistants by the second author. Participants’ recruiters were instructed to recruit married persons from the UAE community, including friends and relatives. To increase the community representation in the sample and to ensure that the final sample represented a wide range of demographic variables, the recruiters were instructed to invite participants from different ages, genders, and places of residence. All participants recruited for this study were married individuals whose spouses were not part of the sample.
Of those participants, a total of 1,041 provided usable surveys. The sample consisted of 29.2% males (n = 304), 70.4% females (n = 733), and 0.4% (n = 4) did not indicate their gender. The average age of the participants was 33 years (SD = 10.16), and the participants’ spouse’s age was 35 years (SD = 10.30). The average length of marriage was 10 years (SD = 9.60). The majority of the participants (90.2%, n = 939) had an Emirati spouse, while 9.1% (n = 95) had a spouse from another nationality. Over half (58.3%, n = 607) of the participants did not marry a relative, 40.9% (n = 426) were married to a relative, and eight participants (0.8%) did not provide data.
With regard to education level, 5.8% had graduate degrees, 61% reported a university-level education, 25.1% had at least a high school degree, 6.9% of the participants had an education level less than high school, and 1.2% (n = 13) did not reveal their educational level. Almost half the participants were employed (50.5%; n = 526). The majority of the sample had working spouses (75.9%). Income levels of the participants seemed to be equally distributed. Almost of third of the participants reported a range of monthly income of more than AED30,000 (32.5%, equivalent to $8100), 27.8% reported a monthly income of AED21,000 to AED30,000 (equivalent to $6,000-$8,100), and 25.5% a monthly income of AED11,000 to AED20,000 (equivalent to $3,000-$5,500). Those who earned less than AED11,000 made up 13.4% and 1% did not reveal their monthly income.
Measures
Emirati Marital Satisfaction Scale
The EMSS (Al-Darmaki et al., 2014) is a 30-item Likert-type scale designed to measure marital satisfaction within an Emirati context. Sample items are “My spouse and I treat each other fairly” and “My spouse and I respect each other’s privacy.” Responses on the EMSS are measured on a 4-point scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). Two items (Item 10 and Item 14) were negatively worded and so are reversed in scoring. Total scores range from 30 to 120, with high scores on the EMSS indicating higher marital satisfaction levels. It is important to note that at the time the EMSS was developed, a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) was used and, therefore, the scores for the scale ranged from 30 to 150. In the current study, the neutral choice was removed, as suggested in the literature (Albert, 1965; Hodge & Gillespie, 2003) to allow two levels of disagreement (disagree and strongly disagree) and two levels of agreement (agree and strongly agree). The scale was found to be a culturally relevant, reliable, and valid measure for marital satisfaction in the UAE (Al-Darmaki et al., 2014). Factor analysis of the EMSS scale indicated that a unidimensional factor accounted for 42% of the overall variance of marital satisfaction. Authors’ study reported a Cronbach’s α coefficient of .95, indicating high internal consistency; similar to what it was found in the current study. In addition, the EMSS was found to be related to measures of state self-esteem and life satisfaction (Al-Darmaki et al., 2014).
General Family Functioning Scale
The General Family Functioning Scale (GF12) is a subscale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD; Epstein, Baldwin, & Bishop, 1983; Ridenour, Daley, & Reich, 1999). The GF12 is composed of 12 items drawn from the other six subscales of the FAD (i.e., Problem Solving, Communication, Roles, Affective Responsiveness, Affective Involvement, and Behavior Control) to measure increasing levels of pathology in family functioning. The GF12 was selected to help keep the length of the survey shorter in order to reduce any negative effect a longer survey may have on participants’ motivation. Wei, Russell, Mallinckrodt, and Vogel (2007) noted this concern when research participants must sustain focus and attention to complete large numbers of items. They contended a larger number of survey items in a measure may cause a decreased response rate.
Six of the 12 items describe unhealthy family functioning and the other six items that describe healthy family functioning are reverse scored. Sample items are “We avoid discussing our fears and concerns” and “We confide in each other.” The GF12 is rated on a 4-point Likert-type scale ranging from strongly agree (4) to strongly disagree (1). Thus, a higher score indicates a higher the level of pathology.
The scale was translated for this study using translation–back translation procedures. Two bilinguals translated the scale and two bilinguals who were experts in psychology back translated it. Discrepancies in the translations were resolved and the translation–back translation was then checked by an expert in psychology to ensure accuracy. The reliability estimates of this scale had a Cronbach’s α of .79, indicating an acceptable internal consistency. The original developers of the English language scale reported high reliability for the GF12 (Cronbach’s α .92) based on a student sample. The validity of the scale was also demonstrated by its ability to discriminate between clinical and nonclinical samples and by its ability to predict 28% of the variance on the Locke–Wallace Marital Satisfaction Scale. This was true for both husbands and wives analyzed separately (Epstein et al., 1983). Other research on Arab samples also found the GF12 to be related to measures of marital satisfaction (Al-Krenawi, 2010; Al-Krenawi et al., 2011; Balderrama-Durbin, Snyder, & Semmar, 2011).
Primary Care Anxiety and Depression Scale
The Primary Care Anxiety and Depression Scale (PCAD; El-Rufaie, Absood, & Abou-Saleh, 1997) consists of 12 items designed to measure anxiety and depression (e.g., “Do you experience sudden feelings of panic?”). The PCAD is rated on a 4-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (noncase) to 4 (severe), with high scores indicating high levels of anxiety and depression. El-Rufaie et al. (1997) reported a Cronbach’s α of .91 for its reliability and found the scale to be a valid instrument for detecting clinically significant anxiety and depression in Arab populations. El-Rufaie et al. (1997) found PCAD to be correlated strongly with the psychiatrist’s assessment (r = .61), as compared with its correlation with the general practitioners’ assessments (r = .23). Al-Darmaki (2014) reported Cronbach’s α of .89 for groups of users and nonusers of counseling services. In the current study, the Cronbach’s α was .84 suggesting good internal consistency reliability.
Procedure and Data Analysis
The questionnaire consisted of demographic questions, the three measures of the EMSS, the GF12 of the FAD, and the PCAD, along with a consent form given in a sealable envelope. Participants were informed that the survey was voluntary and that the data provided were confidential. Data were analyzed to examine the hypotheses using the variables under investigation. Correlations were performed to examine the relationship between the EMSS, the GF12, and the PCAD, and regression analysis was conducted to investigate whether the GF12 and the PCAD would predict marital satisfaction as measured by the EMSS.
Results
Before conducting the regression analysis, the mean scores for each of the three scales were obtained. Results showed that the mean scores for EMSS (M = 97.6, SD = 13.3), family functioning (M = 24.7, SD = 4.9), and depression and anxiety (M = 23.1, SD = 6.1) indicate that, overall, participants were reporting high levels of marital satisfaction, moderate levels of problems in family functioning and less than moderate levels of depression and anxiety. There were no significant gender differences in the mean scores of marital satisfaction or general family functioning. However, on PCAD, married women showed significant mean difference (M = 23.77, SD = 6.01) as compared with married men (M = 21.48, SD = 5.83), t = −5.61, p < .05; Cohen’s d = .39) suggesting that women reported more symptoms of depression and anxiety than men.
The correlations among the three variables were calculated and are presented in Table 1. Significant negative correlation was observed between marital satisfaction and family functioning (r = −.69, p < .01) and between marital satisfaction and depression/anxiety (r = −.41, p < .01).
Correlations Between Marital Satisfaction, Family Functioning, and Depression and Anxiety.
Correlation is significant at the .01 level (two-tailed).
A standard multiple regression analysis was performed between the dependent variable (marital satisfaction) and the independent variables (family functioning, depression and anxiety), including the interaction between depression and anxiety and gender (PCAD × Gender). The gender interaction was added to examine whether there was an effect on the overall regression model based on the gender differences found in the mean scores of the PCAD. Analysis was performed using SPSS REGRESSION. Assumptions were tested by examining normal probability plots of residuals and scatter diagrams of residuals versus predicted residuals. No violations of normality, linearity, or homoscedasticity of residuals were detected.
Using the enter method, it was found that family functioning along with depression and anxiety levels explain a significant amount of the variance in marital satisfaction, F(3, 1030) = 345.416, p < .05, R2 = .502, R2Adjusted = .501.
Table 2 displays the unstandardized regression coefficients (Β), intercept, and standardized regression coefficients (β) for each variable. The analysis shows that family functioning significantly predicted level of marital satisfaction, β = −1.7, t(1034) = −26.2, p < .05, and depression and anxiety significantly predict level of marital satisfaction as well, β = −.3, t(1034) = −4.4, p < .05. Together, the two variables accounted for approximately 50% of the variance in marital satisfaction. The interaction between depression and anxiety and gender was insignificant, t(1034) = −.1, p >.05.
Regression Coefficients. a
Note. SE = standard error; EMSS = Emirati Marital Satisfaction Scale; GF12 = General Functioning subscale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device; PCAD = Primary Care Anxiety and Depression Scale.
Dependent variable: [EMSS_AVG] Marital satisfaction.
Discussion
The purpose of this study was to investigate marital satisfaction in relation to family functioning and psychological distress (depression and anxiety). Building on our previous work, this study provides further evidence of the validity and reliability of the EMSS. Similar to previously reported reliabilities (Al-Darmaki et al., 2014; Al-Darmaki et al., 2017), this study revealed high internal consistency for the scale. In addition, the significant correlations observed between EMSS and GF12 and PCAD were in the expected directions and provide additional evidence for the validity of the EMSS and the other two scales. The moderate internal consistency of the GF12 and its significant association with the EMSS and PCAD support the utility of the General Functioning subscale of the FAD with samples from the UAE. Similarly, the PCAD has an acceptable reliability, although the obtained alpha was lower than what was reported in previous research (Al-Darmaki, 2014; El-Rufaie et al., 1997).
Overall, the results from the study reveal that marital satisfaction in the UAE is fairly high, suggesting that participants reported having meaningful and fulfilling marital relationships with their spouses. This result is similar to what Al-Darmaki et al. (2014) and Al-Darmaki et al. (2017) found using samples from the community. However, it is acknowledged that a social desirability effect may be influencing the results, or it may be due to the selection bias in the sample as less satisfied individuals might be less inclined to participate. Family functioning, as measured by the GF12, where a higher score indicates greater pathology, showed a healthy level of family functioning on average. In the Emirati culture, family unity and happiness are given a great deal of attention from the government since these are foundational building blocks of the society. Therefore, family-related organizations such as the Family Development Foundation, the Higher Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and the Dubai Community Development Authority have been established to provide family-related programs and interventions with goals to strengthen family ties and well-being. The mean score for the depression and anxiety scale (PCAD) showed a less than moderate level of symptoms.
Results revealed no significant gender difference in the reported level of satisfaction with marriage or with level of family functioning. However, gender differences were observed in the mean scores of the PCAD showing that married Emirati women endure more symptoms of depression and anxiety as compared with married Emirati men. This result is consistent with the literature on gender in relation to depression and anxiety (Hamdan, 2009; Nolen-Hoeksema, 1987; Piccinelli & Wilkinson, 2000). Although the results for gender differences in marital satisfaction are inconsistent with previous findings (e.g., Al-Darmaki et al., 2014, Al-Othman, 2012, Alqashan, 2008, Asamarai, Solberg, & Solon, 2008), in which men were found to be more satisfied with their marriages than women, it is possible that both married men and women surveyed in this study have fulfilling and satisfying marital relationships. In the UAE, the family is considered a source of support and meaningful life, so it is possible that respondents were considering the importance of being in a relationship when they considered their overall satisfaction with life (Diener, 1984; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2008, Soons & Liefbroer, 2008).
Findings also showed no correlation between marital satisfaction and the demographic variables of gender, employment, marrying from the same family, length of marriage, and number of children. These results are inconsistent with previous findings (e.g., Al-Othman, 2012; Botha et al., 2009; Lev-Wiesel & Al-Krenawi, 1999; Orathinkal & Vansteenwegen, 2007). However, the small negative relationship found between marital satisfaction and marrying from different nationality is worth further investigation.
This study found marital satisfaction to be negatively related to poor family functioning and to depression and anxiety, providing support for the first hypothesis. The relatively high negative correlation between marital satisfaction and poor family functioning suggests a link between how family functioning is perceived by married individuals and their rating of marital satisfaction. Similarly, the negative correlation shown between marital satisfaction and depression/anxiety revealed that lower psychological distress seems to be associated with more satisfaction with the marriage. These results are consistent with previous findings (Abou-Saleh et al., 2001; Al-Krenawi, 2010; Al-Krenawi et al., 2011; Balderrama-Durbin et al., 2011; Cohen et al., 2009; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2008; Moore et al., 2004; Sacco & Phares, 2001; St. John & Montgomery, 2009; Waite et al., 2009). These results indicate that open communication, intimacy in a marriage, shared interests and values, family responsibility, and compatibility not only contribute to marital satisfaction but also contribute to healthy family functioning, as well as the overall well-being of couples.
Supporting the second hypothesis, this study shows marital satisfaction was predicted by family functioning and psychological distress (i.e., depression and anxiety). Together, family functioning and psychological distress explained about 50% of the variance in marital satisfaction. This result suggests that there may be other variables contributing to marital satisfaction (Al-Darmaki et al., 2017). Findings revealed gender differences in the mean scores of the PCAD and, therefore, the PCAD by gender interaction was calculated. Results showed no effect on the overall regression model.
In conclusion, this study has broadened our understanding of additional factors that help predict and contribute to marital satisfaction among Emirati married individuals. Results showed that problems in family functioning as well as in psychological distress were negatively related to marital satisfaction, thus providing further evidence of the validity of the EMSS. These results help confirm that marital satisfaction is predicated by good psychological health and better family functioning.
Limitations
Results showed that, in general, Emirati married individuals are satisfied in their marriages and yet divorce rates among Emiratis are high compared with world averages (Dubai Statistics Center, 2016). As mentioned earlier, the convenience sample based on voluntary participation might explain the discrepancy between the results in this study and state reported statistics, as less satisfied individuals could be less willing to participate. Although divorce rates among Emiratis have begun an encouraging downward trend (Altaher, 2016; Dubai Statistics Center, 2016), the mismatch between a relatively high average rate of marital satisfaction and the high rate of divorce alludes to a possible social desirability effect in the data. The use of the self-report method means participants may respond favorably to the EMSS to protect the honor of the family. Interviews or a multimethod approach may yield interesting data in future research.
Although participants were recruited from a wide range of demographic variables such as different ages, genders, places of residence, and monthly incomes, and so on, the generalizability of the findings should be treated with caution, as this study only surveyed the husband or the wife. Therefore, we only have the perspective of one of the spouses. Including both spouses in future studies may reveal interesting results. Other matrimonial aspects of the UAE’s culture that may affect the generalizability of results are as follows: within-kin marriages, arranged marriages, and polygamous marriages (Al-Shamsi & Fulcher, 2005; Crabtree, 2007). While the current study identified if participants were married to relatives, its correlation with marital satisfaction was yet to be explored. A participant’s type of marriage may have moderating or mediating effects on marital satisfaction that may affect generalizability of results.
Future Directions
As there might be other factors contributing to marital satisfaction, such as personality characteristics and problem-solving approaches, future research exploring the contribution of such variables on marital satisfaction would certainly expand our understanding of this social construct in the Arab Gulf culture. Marital satisfaction research conducted using Emirati samples was limited to participants from one spouse in a marital dyad. Paring responses of both spouses could lead to insights in our understanding of marital satisfaction. Furthermore, including additional demographic items regarding arranged marriages or polygamous marriages might be useful in determining the differences in reported marital satisfaction levels, as spouses in these types of marriages may perceive marital satisfaction differently.
Insights gained from our research on marital satisfaction can help shape premarriage counseling, increasing awareness of the causes and effects of marital satisfaction on individuals, as well as on the society as a whole (divorce, etc.). Educational programs addressing healthy family functioning can be useful for couples who are reporting issues in their marriages. The EMSS can be used to help track the effectiveness of couples’ interventions, with a preintervention base measurement of marital satisfaction and a postintervention measure of the effectiveness of a particular marriage relationship intervention. In a clinical setting, besides giving an overall picture of the client’s level of marital satisfaction, the client’s responses to individual items on the EMSS can be a source of insight into healthy areas of their marriage relationship, as well as factors that have potential for improvement.
The EMSS can be considered as part of a broader strategy to promote the benefits of marriage and family counseling. Given that couples’ counseling is still in its infancy in the UAE, efforts to bring a broader exposure of the concepts of marital satisfaction to the Emirati population will improve awareness of and proactive pursuit of improved marital satisfaction. This in turn will drive participation in programs designed to grow the general level of happiness and well-being of Emirati couples, as well as programs designed to improve healthy family functioning. This increased level of exposure, along with a more positive vocabulary related to marriage counseling, will help ameliorate stigma related to couples’ interventions.
Broadening out the research by using a mixed methods approach can offer a more in-depth examination of the variables that predict and define marital satisfaction. Qualitative research, with critical attention to measurement and design, can examine the importance of emotional intimacy and commitment between spouses. Interviews will allow researchers to explore and observe the relative importance of family functioning and the culturally and personally defined roles for each spouse in this evolving culture.
As all cultures grow and adapt over time, the Emirati society is also experiencing adjustments and modernization changes, one example being the current downward trend in the rate of divorce (Dubai Statistics Center, 2016). Thus, a longitudinal study should be considered to help track and better understand such trends. Although the EMSS is designed to measure marital satisfaction in the UAE, the UAE has significant cultural similarities with neighbouring Gulf States (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia). Based on shared cultural and historical heritage, the Gulf States constitute the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Future studies can examine the reliability of this scale in the broader context of GCC countries other than the UAE itself.
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study was funded by Emirates Foundation.