CONTRIBUTION OF MARITAL COMMUNICATION ON MARITAL QUALITY AMONG THE COUPLES IN THEIR EARLY STAGE OF MARRIAGE: A COMMUNITY BASED STUDY IN THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF INDIA

Abstract

Marital satisfaction is defined as the degree to which spouses perceive that their partners meet their needs and desires. It appears to be related, directly or indirectly, to the preservation of the family unit and a better quality of life, while dissatisfaction with marriage has been found to lead to stress, anxiety, and even dissolution of the family unit. Effective communication plays a vital role in a couple’s marital life, especially in newlywed couples. It also has a key associated with marital quality among couples. The present study aims to assess marital communication and marital quality among couples in their early stage of marriage. We conducted a descriptive research study with newlywed couples who have completed their 6-month to 2 years of marriage. One hundred couples which include fifty females and fifty males were selected by using a simple random sampling method from the municipality area of Tezpur, Sonitpur. The written informed consent form was taken from the participants who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Semi-structured socio-demographic datasheet, modified kuppuswamy scale, marital quality scale, and marital communication inventory were administered. Data were analyzed using the software SPSS 25.0. The findings of the current study showed that the domains of marital quality are significantly positively correlated with marital communication inventory, moreover the other subscale like rejection, discontent, dissolution, potential, and dominance also showed a positive correlation with marital communication inventory. Marital communication has a greater contribution to marital quality and the pattern of communication is also a contribution to couples day to day life. It was found that satisfactory communication helps to improve marital quality among couples.