The Impact of Doctoral Study on Marital Satisfaction

✍ Scribed by Rebecca Groves Brannock; Mary Jo Litten; Janet Smith

• Publisher: American Counseling Association
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 506 KB
• Volume: 3
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1099-0399
• DOI: 10.1002/j.2161-1882.2000.tb00172.x

✦ Synopsis

The purpose of the study was to determine whether marital relationships of doctoral students were affected while they were enrolled in graduate programs. The stratified sample consisted of 54 participants who completed the Demographics and Structured Questionnaire, Locke‐Wallace Marital Adjustment Test, and Index of Marital Satisfaction. There were no significant differences among the marital satisfaction levels of graduate students at different stages in their program. Significant differences were found in relationship to several of the research questions, however. Specifically, a significant difference was found in the marital satisfaction of couples involved in marital therapy. Spouses who also were students scored significantly higher in marital satisfaction than spouses who were not students. Areas of discord that affected marital satisfaction during graduate school were philosophy of life, demonstration of affection, and sexual relations.