An Analysis of the Difference between the Worldwide Marriage Encounter Team Couples and One-time Participant Couples on Marital Satisfaction, Work Motivation, Couple Activities, and the Relationships among These Variables

Defense Date

2-20-2003

Graduation Date

Spring 1-1-2003

Availability

Campus Only

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

EdD

Department

Counselor Education and Supervision (ExCES)

School

School of Education

Committee Chair

Nicholas J. Hanna

Committee Member

Lisa Lopez Levers

Committee Member

Susan M. Brookhart

Keywords

marriage enrichment

Abstract

The National Center for Health Statistics (2001) announced in its news releases that "one in three first marriages end within 10 years and one in five end within 5 years" (p. 1). Divorce has a devastating effect on the life of the divorced, their children, and families, and marriage has multifaceted benefits for the individuals and families (Maher, 2000). The orientation toward wellness and prevention of mental illness has been the central theme in the field of counseling. Therefore, this researcher conducted a statistical analysis of the difference between the Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) team couples and one-time participant couples on marital satisfaction, work motivation, couple activities, and the relationships among these variables. The WWME was chosen, because it is currently considered to be the largest marriage enrichment movement in the world. Though there are a number of studies that present the enriching effect of the WWME weekend program, there has not been a single study on the WWME team couples who are the grass roots workers of the organization. Participants in this study consisted of 51 WWME team couples and 21 one-time participant couples who completed Marital Satisfaction Inventory, Revised (MSI-R), Work Motivation Inventory (WMI), The Emotional Bank Account (EBA) couple activities survey, and WWME team couple activities survey. Results of the study indicate that there were statistically significant differences between the WWME team husbands and one-time participant husbands on Affective Communication and on the relationship between Sexual Dissatisfaction and Power. There were statistically significant differences between the WWME team wives and one-time participant wives on Affective Communication, Power, and as well on these following relationships: Global Distress and Affective Communication, Global Distress and Problem-Solving Communication, Affective Communication and Time Together, and Accomplishment and Affiliation. The results of the study validate the principles of the Sound Marital House theory and Self-Determination theory. The results of the study also validate the goals and objectives of the WWME. The WWME has incorporated several theoretical approaches in its development and focused more on its service to married couples than on the formulation of its theoretical orientation. The author of this study applied the Self-Determination theory to picture the WWME model of marital wellness in the form of Couple-Determination theory.

Format

PDF

Language

English

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS