Work-Related Behaviors, Experiences, and Self Differentiation and Marriage Satisfaction in Women

Abstract

One of the primary human tasks in adulthood is getting engaged in various roles, either professional or family ones. Combining these roles in particular professional and marital ones is worth special attention. The presented study focuses on the relationship between work-related behaviour and experience patterns and marital satisfaction including the differentiation of self. The study involved 239 married women. Three measures were taken in order to verify the hypotheses: (1) Avem – The questionnaire about work-related behaviour and experience patterns (Polish adaptation Rongińska, Gaida, 2003); (2) The Differentiation of Self Inventory (Skowron, Schmitt, 2003; the Polish adaptation of O. Kriegelewicz (2009); (3) The well-matched Marriage Questionnaire (KDM-2, Plopa, 2008). The results indicate a particular arrangement of work-related behaviour and experience patterns (stronger tendency to withdrawal, life satisfaction, social support) and the Differentiation of Self (stronger I position, weaker emotional cut-off) for bigger marital satisfaction among women.