Harmony of couple in population of older people: differences between sexes

Main Article Content

Pedro Salmerón-Sánchez
Rafael Ballester-Arnal
Cristina Giménez-García
Jesús Castro-Calvo
Irene Díaz-Rodríguez

Abstract

Dyadic adjustment is an essential factor related to durability and quality of partner relationships. Moreover, this factor could affect its membership’s personal life and health. The present study explores the dyadic adjustment (present or past) perceived by elderly people in Spain, analyzing the  differences between men and women. The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) was administered to 80 people ranged from 51 to 81 years old. Fifty five per cent were women. According to marital status, 66.3% were married, 21.3% separated or divorced, and 12.5% were widow. As proposed in the literature, a score of 107 was considered the cut-point of a positive dyadic adjustment. The global mean score in the entire sample was 101.47 (SD = 21.75). Men got higher scores than women in the global scale and in each dimension, although statistical differences were observed in Consensus dimension only (men: 48.87 vs. women: 4.17; p=0.042). Our results show the influence of traditional gender roles on the perceived partner relationship valuation. Clinical and social strategies are needed in order to improve the enjoyment and the harmony of elderly people involved in a partner relationship.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Salmerón-Sánchez, P., Ballester-Arnal, R., Giménez-García, C., Castro-Calvo, J., & Díaz-Rodríguez, I. (2016). Harmony of couple in population of older people: differences between sexes. International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology. Revista INFAD De Psicología., 1(1), 275–282. https://doi.org/10.17060/ijodaep.2016.n1.v1.204
Section
Articles
Author Biographies

Pedro Salmerón-Sánchez, Universitat Jaume I de Castellón.

Departamento de Psicología Básica, Clínica y Psicobiología. SaluSex - Unisexsida

Rafael Ballester-Arnal, Universitat Jaume I de Castellón.

Departamento de Psicología Básica, Clínica y Psicobiología. SaluSex - Unisexsida

Cristina Giménez-García, Universitat Jaume I de Castellón.

Departamento de Psicología Básica, Clínica y Psicobiología. SaluSex - Unisexsida

Jesús Castro-Calvo, Universitat Jaume I de Castellón

Departamento de Psicología Básica, Clínica y Psicobiología. SaluSex - Unisexsida

Irene Díaz-Rodríguez, Universitat de Valencia.

Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación. Estudi General

References

Bodenmann, G., Pihet, S. & Kayser, K. (2006). The relationship between dyadic coping and marital quality: a 2-year longitudinal study. Journal of Family Psychology, 20 (3): 485.

Bodenmann, G., Ledermann, T., & Bradbury, TN. (2007). Stress, sex, and satisfaction in marriage. Personal Relationships, 14 (4): 551-569.

Bornstein, PH., & Bornstein, MT. (1988). Terapia de pareja. Enfoque conductual-sistémico. Madrid: Pirámide.

Busby, DM., Christensen, C., Crane, DR., & Larson, JH (1995). A revision of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale for use with distressed and nondistressed couples: Construct hierarchy and multidimensional scale. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 21: 286-308.

Cáceres, J. (2004). Violencia física, psicológica y sexual en el ámbito de la pareja: papel del contexto. Clínica y salud, 15 (1): 33-54.

Cáceres, J. (2012). Separación y diovorcio. En L. Llavona & MX. Méndez (Coord.) Manual del psicólogo de familia. Madrid: Pirámide.

Crane, DR., Allgood, SM., Larson, JH., & Griffin, W. (1990).

Assessing marital quality with distressed and nondistressed couples: A comparison and equivalency table for three frequently used measures. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 52: 87-93.

Crane, DR., Middleton, KC., & Bean, RA. (2000). Establishing criterion scores for the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale and the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 25: 53-60.

Cuenca , ML. (2013) Ajuste diádico en la pareja: revisión teórica. Psicopatología Clínica, Legal y Forense, 13: 177-189.

David, C., Steele, R., Forehand, R., & Armistead, L. (1996). The role of family conflict and marital conflict in adolescent functioning. Journal of Family Violence, 11: 81-91.

Graham, JM., Liu, YJ. & Jeziorski, JL. (2006). The dyadic adjustment Scale: A reliability generalization meta-analysis. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 68: 701-717.

Karney, BR. (2001). Depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction in the early years of marriage: Narrowing the gap between theory and research. En Beach, Steven R. H. (Ed), (2001). Marital and family processes in depression: A scientific foundation for clinical practice. Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.

Kurdek, LA. (1998). The nature and predictors of the trajectory of change in marital quality over first 4 years of marriage for first-married husbands and wives. Journal of Family Therapy, 22: 453-465.

McLeod, JD (1994). Anxiety disorders and marital quality. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 103: 767-776.

Moral de la Rubia, J. (2008). Predicción del ajuste diádico en una muestra nuevoleonesa. Revista Iberoamericana de Psicología, 42 (2): 247-256.

Peixoto, MM., & Nobre, P. (2015). Distressing Sexual Problems and Dyadic Adjustment in Heterosexuals, Gay Men, and Lesbian Women. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy. DOI:10.1080/0092623X.2015.1053020

Prigerson, HG., Maciejewsky, PK., & Rosenheck, RA. (1999). The effects of marital dissolution and marital quality on health and health service use among women. Medical Care, 37: 858-873.

Proulx, CM., Hesms, HM., & Buehler, C. (2007). Marital Quality and Personal Well Being: A Meta Analysis. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69 (3): 576-593.

Robles, TF., & Kielcolt Glaser, JK. (2003). The physiology of marriage: Pathways to health. Physiology & Behavior, 79 (3): 409-416.

Santos-Iglesias, P., Vallejo-Medina, P., & Sierra, JC. (2009). Propiedades psicométricas de una versión breve de la Escala de Ajuste Diádico en muestras españolas. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 9 (3): 501-517.

Spanier, GB (1976). Measuring dyadic adjustment: New scales for assessing the quality of marriage and similar dyads. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 15-28.

Zicavo, N. & Vera, C. (2011). Incidencia del ajuste diádico y sentido del humor en la satisfacción marital. Revista de Psicología Trujillo, 13 (1): 74-89