Marital satisfaction in autonomous and arranged marriages: South African Indian sample

by Dinna, Manisha.

The aim and the purpose of this study was to explore the marital satisfaction of couples of arranged marriages and autonomous marriages. The sample was composed of 88 marital dyads from a suburban population. Participants completed questionnaires regarding their satisfaction with their marriages. The dependent variable of marital satisfaction was measured by the dyadic adjustment scale and Kansas marital satisfaction scale. The results of the analysis of variance indicates that couples of autonomous marriages are more satisfied with their marriages than couples of arranged marriages. The setting in which a couple met and the degree of love at the time of marriage has a significant effect on the marital satisfaction of couples. Findings extended prior research by demonstrating that the manner in which couples are selected has an impact on their marital satisfaction within their relationships. iii University of Pretoria etd – Dinna, M (2005)