Volume 23, Issue 89 (8-2023)
refahj 2023, 23(89): 45-75 |
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Golabi F, Aghayari Hir T, Jalili Kordkandi R. (2023). The Relationship between Access to Financial Resources and Marital Satisfaction among Married Women of Tabriz. refahj. 23(89), 45-75. doi:10.32598/refahj.23.89.4171.1
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Extended Abstract
Introduction: Marital satisfaction is a topic that has received attention worldwide. Marital satisfaction refers to an individual’s positive evaluation of their marital relationship. Marital satisfaction is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that has been extensively studied in various scientific fields. It seems that factors that influence or contribute to marital satisfaction may vary across cultures. Studies have shown that women’s relative income and economic independence add to the capital and assets of marriage, thereby increasing the quality of family life, which is referred to as the income effect. (Oppenheimer,1997; Rogers & De Boer, 2001; Sayer & Bianchi, 2000)
However, another study has shown that women’s relative income makes their marriages vulnerable to marital dissolution, which is referred to as the independence effect. (Furdyna et al., 2008; Kalmijn et al., 2007; Ross & Sawhill, 1975; Heckert, Nowasck, & Snyder,1998; Zhang et al., 2012). This perspective argues that women’s relative income and women’s financial resources have a negative impact on marital quality. Viviana Zelizer believes that money is a socio-cultural concept which is influenced by variables such as social class and gender. This means that a woman who holds a higher social and cultural capital position in society may not necessarily have a similar position at home. This pattern indicates that the relationship between money and power is not linear and it is influenced by other variables. Therefore, to understand this issue, it is necessary to further investigate women’s access to money and the distribution of power (Alirezanejhad & Zanganeh, 2018). Hence, this study aims to examine the relationship between available financial resources and marital satisfaction among married women in Tabriz.
Method: The research method used in this study was survey research, and the data collection tool was a questionnaire. In the variable of women’s access to financial resources, a researcher-made questionnaire was used, and to collect the data related to the variable of marital satisfaction, the standard Enrich questionnaire (1998) was used.
In the financial resources variable, variables such as monthly income from spouse, monthly income from parents, financial support from spouse, financial support from parents, bank deposit, mobile phone, property and land, women’s income, gold and jewelry, and personal car were taken into consideration.
Marital satisfaction was composed of eight dimensions, which include personality issues, marital communication, conflict resolution, financial management, leisure time, marriage and children, sexual relationships, and relatives and friends. The target population of the study consisted of married women over 15 years of age residing in Tabriz. From this population, a sample of 384 individuals was selected using a multi-stage cluster sampling method.
Findings: Based on the data gathered through survey questionnaire, the majority of respondents were in the age group of 16-33 years old (53.2%) while very few respondents were in the age group of 51-68 years old (8%). The youngest respondent was 16 years old, and the oldest participant was 68 years old, and an average age was 33.94 years. The lowest number of respondents had a postgraduate degree or higher (8.2%), followed by primary education (34 individuals or 8.4%), and the highest frequency was among women with a high school diploma (24.8%). In terms of occupation, the highest percentages were found among housewives (53.2%) and women employed by the government or civil servants (20.2%), ranking first and second, respectively.
The descriptive findings of this research demonstrated that the average level of marital satisfaction for women is from moderate to high, while the average level of financial resources available to them is from moderate to low. In terms of marital satisfaction dimensions, the average level of dimensions such as personality issues, marital communication, conflict resolution, financial management, leisure time, and sexual relationships is from moderate to high. However, the average level of attitudes towards marriage and children is from moderate to low, and the average level of support from relatives and friends is from moderate to high. In the inferential analysis, the Pearson correlation coefficient test showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the level of financial resources available to women and each dimension of marital satisfaction (personality issues, marital communication, conflict resolution, financial management, leisure time, sexual relationships, marriage, and children). The correlation coefficients between the variables are as follows: 0.307, 0.292, 0.302, 0.460, 0.302, 0.329, 0.290-, 0.277, respectively. Based on this, with an increase in financial resources available to women, the status of marital relationships in each of these dimensions will be more likely to improve.
Discussion: Based on Zelizer’s (1989) definition of money and its social meaning, and its role in life and relationships between individuals, as well as based on Blood and Wolfe’s resource theory, financial resources can increase women’s power in argumentation, decision-making, and control over their surroundings. In other words, accessible financial resources for women can affect their satisfaction with their shared life and marriage. Of course, the higher the decision-making power, the higher the satisfaction with one’s situation and life is likely to be. Access to various income and economic capital resources can increase women’s maneuverability and weight in important family decision-making.
Similarly, as Bourdieu suggests in his field-capital theory, every actor can determine their position in the social space by resorting to economic capital. This power helps individuals reach higher positions. According to Bourdieu, capital can provide individuals with a determining power in shaping their position in various fields. Accordingly, women who have financial capital can play a role in shaping their position within the family and also affect their satisfaction with family and marital life.
The general conclusion that can be drawn from the research is that women who have valuable financial resources have a higher sense of satisfaction with their marital life. The results of this study are consistent with the findings of Barilla Matzouk et al. (2020), Chupour and Eckert (2014), Dio et al. (2012), Archilta et al. (2011), Faraji Pak et al. (2020), Alireza Nejad and Zanganeh (2018), Alireza Nejad and Khakpour Marvasti (2018), Sadeghi et al. (2019), and Alireza Nejad et al. (2009), which confirm the results of these studies. Attention to employment, education, and other financial resources for women is considered an important matter. Having income, even in small amounts, provides the necessary support for women to express their presence in important family decisions. Therefore, authorities can create opportunities for women to have income and relative financial independence by providing necessary facilities for even simple jobs.
As research has shown, financial resources accessible to women, which are one of the most important factors affecting women’s marital satisfaction, can be beneficial for further research in understanding these factors and how they impact marital satisfaction.
According to the findings, the more financial resources women have access to, the higher their level of marital satisfaction will be. In fact, financial resources can act as a support system in providing psychological security and, as a result, improving marital relationships and marital satisfaction.
Ethical Considerations
Authors’ contributions
All participants participated in the research with their consent and the researchers assured them that the results of the research will be confidential.
Funding:
This article did not have funding support.
Conflict of interests
There is no conflict of interest to disclose.
Introduction: Marital satisfaction is a topic that has received attention worldwide. Marital satisfaction refers to an individual’s positive evaluation of their marital relationship. Marital satisfaction is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that has been extensively studied in various scientific fields. It seems that factors that influence or contribute to marital satisfaction may vary across cultures. Studies have shown that women’s relative income and economic independence add to the capital and assets of marriage, thereby increasing the quality of family life, which is referred to as the income effect. (Oppenheimer,1997; Rogers & De Boer, 2001; Sayer & Bianchi, 2000)
However, another study has shown that women’s relative income makes their marriages vulnerable to marital dissolution, which is referred to as the independence effect. (Furdyna et al., 2008; Kalmijn et al., 2007; Ross & Sawhill, 1975; Heckert, Nowasck, & Snyder,1998; Zhang et al., 2012). This perspective argues that women’s relative income and women’s financial resources have a negative impact on marital quality. Viviana Zelizer believes that money is a socio-cultural concept which is influenced by variables such as social class and gender. This means that a woman who holds a higher social and cultural capital position in society may not necessarily have a similar position at home. This pattern indicates that the relationship between money and power is not linear and it is influenced by other variables. Therefore, to understand this issue, it is necessary to further investigate women’s access to money and the distribution of power (Alirezanejhad & Zanganeh, 2018). Hence, this study aims to examine the relationship between available financial resources and marital satisfaction among married women in Tabriz.
Method: The research method used in this study was survey research, and the data collection tool was a questionnaire. In the variable of women’s access to financial resources, a researcher-made questionnaire was used, and to collect the data related to the variable of marital satisfaction, the standard Enrich questionnaire (1998) was used.
In the financial resources variable, variables such as monthly income from spouse, monthly income from parents, financial support from spouse, financial support from parents, bank deposit, mobile phone, property and land, women’s income, gold and jewelry, and personal car were taken into consideration.
Marital satisfaction was composed of eight dimensions, which include personality issues, marital communication, conflict resolution, financial management, leisure time, marriage and children, sexual relationships, and relatives and friends. The target population of the study consisted of married women over 15 years of age residing in Tabriz. From this population, a sample of 384 individuals was selected using a multi-stage cluster sampling method.
Findings: Based on the data gathered through survey questionnaire, the majority of respondents were in the age group of 16-33 years old (53.2%) while very few respondents were in the age group of 51-68 years old (8%). The youngest respondent was 16 years old, and the oldest participant was 68 years old, and an average age was 33.94 years. The lowest number of respondents had a postgraduate degree or higher (8.2%), followed by primary education (34 individuals or 8.4%), and the highest frequency was among women with a high school diploma (24.8%). In terms of occupation, the highest percentages were found among housewives (53.2%) and women employed by the government or civil servants (20.2%), ranking first and second, respectively.
The descriptive findings of this research demonstrated that the average level of marital satisfaction for women is from moderate to high, while the average level of financial resources available to them is from moderate to low. In terms of marital satisfaction dimensions, the average level of dimensions such as personality issues, marital communication, conflict resolution, financial management, leisure time, and sexual relationships is from moderate to high. However, the average level of attitudes towards marriage and children is from moderate to low, and the average level of support from relatives and friends is from moderate to high. In the inferential analysis, the Pearson correlation coefficient test showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the level of financial resources available to women and each dimension of marital satisfaction (personality issues, marital communication, conflict resolution, financial management, leisure time, sexual relationships, marriage, and children). The correlation coefficients between the variables are as follows: 0.307, 0.292, 0.302, 0.460, 0.302, 0.329, 0.290-, 0.277, respectively. Based on this, with an increase in financial resources available to women, the status of marital relationships in each of these dimensions will be more likely to improve.
Discussion: Based on Zelizer’s (1989) definition of money and its social meaning, and its role in life and relationships between individuals, as well as based on Blood and Wolfe’s resource theory, financial resources can increase women’s power in argumentation, decision-making, and control over their surroundings. In other words, accessible financial resources for women can affect their satisfaction with their shared life and marriage. Of course, the higher the decision-making power, the higher the satisfaction with one’s situation and life is likely to be. Access to various income and economic capital resources can increase women’s maneuverability and weight in important family decision-making.
Similarly, as Bourdieu suggests in his field-capital theory, every actor can determine their position in the social space by resorting to economic capital. This power helps individuals reach higher positions. According to Bourdieu, capital can provide individuals with a determining power in shaping their position in various fields. Accordingly, women who have financial capital can play a role in shaping their position within the family and also affect their satisfaction with family and marital life.
The general conclusion that can be drawn from the research is that women who have valuable financial resources have a higher sense of satisfaction with their marital life. The results of this study are consistent with the findings of Barilla Matzouk et al. (2020), Chupour and Eckert (2014), Dio et al. (2012), Archilta et al. (2011), Faraji Pak et al. (2020), Alireza Nejad and Zanganeh (2018), Alireza Nejad and Khakpour Marvasti (2018), Sadeghi et al. (2019), and Alireza Nejad et al. (2009), which confirm the results of these studies. Attention to employment, education, and other financial resources for women is considered an important matter. Having income, even in small amounts, provides the necessary support for women to express their presence in important family decisions. Therefore, authorities can create opportunities for women to have income and relative financial independence by providing necessary facilities for even simple jobs.
As research has shown, financial resources accessible to women, which are one of the most important factors affecting women’s marital satisfaction, can be beneficial for further research in understanding these factors and how they impact marital satisfaction.
According to the findings, the more financial resources women have access to, the higher their level of marital satisfaction will be. In fact, financial resources can act as a support system in providing psychological security and, as a result, improving marital relationships and marital satisfaction.
Ethical Considerations
Authors’ contributions
All participants participated in the research with their consent and the researchers assured them that the results of the research will be confidential.
Funding:
This article did not have funding support.
Conflict of interests
There is no conflict of interest to disclose.
Type of Study: orginal |
Received: 2022/07/26 | Accepted: 2023/05/17 | Published: 2023/08/15
Received: 2022/07/26 | Accepted: 2023/05/17 | Published: 2023/08/15
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