Perceptions of intimacy in marriage: A study of married couples

Intimacy and Marital Satisfaction in Spouses

“…Although Chelune, Waring, Vosk, and Sultan (1984) found self-disclosure to be an important covariant of intimacy, Waring and Chelune (1983) came to the conclusion that self-disclosure and intimacy are not the same thing, but that self-disclosure is a determinant of the level of intimacy between spouses. Communication, especially self-disclosure and problem-solving abilities, has a high and direct correlation to the quality of the spousal relationship (Merves-Okin et al, 1991). According to Brehm (1992), satisfied spouses report greater congruence between the sexual activity that they desire and the sexual activity that they experience.…”

“…Better knowledge of important aspects of the marital relationship, such as the experience of intimacy, could contribute to the development of more effective marital enrichment programs and marital therapy, which in turn will have a positive effect on family and societal functioning. Facets of intimacy that are emphasized by researchers include intention, involvement, emotion, sexuality, and gender (Dandeneau & Johnson, 1994;Merves-Okin, Amidon, & Bernt, 1991;Robinson & Blanton, 1993;Schaefer & Olson, 1981;Thomson & Walker, 1989;Tolstedt & Stokes, 1983;Waring, 1981;Waring & Patton, 1984). Most definitions emphasize one or more of the following three characteristics: behavioral interdependency, fulfillment of needs, and emotional attachment (Brehm, 1992).…”

Mindfulness and Marital Satisfaction

“…Just as personality theorists claim with great substantiation that neuroticism taints the quality of any marriage, behavior theorists are quick to categorize such conduct as avoidance, defensiveness, and stubbornness as dysfunctional for a healthy marriage. A couple's beliefs that their personalities are in congruence is a better indicator of marital satisfaction than their actual similarities in personality or behavior (Kaslow & Robinson, 1996;Merves-Okin, Amidon, & Bernt, 1991;Plechaty, 1987). The degree to which their beliefs about the marriage and each other are aligned is likely to have major importance.…”

Understanding intimacy for women with anorexia nervosa: a phenomenological approach

“…Although this has already been recognized in eating disorder literature on intimacy, research should expand to include the partner's individual experiences with intimacy and how both partners interrelate. Additionally, research that emphasizes gendered differences in perceptions of intimacy, marital satisfaction and ways of relating should be further addressed (Heller & Wood, 1998;Merves-Okin, Amidon, & Bernt, 1991). Given that research asserts men use sexual interaction to increase emotional intimacy, while women need emotional intimacy to increase sexual intimacy (Talmadge & Dabbs, 1990), this research focus is particularly important to further understand the decreased sexual closeness described in this study and emphasized elsewhere (Beumont et al, 1981;Heavey et al, 1989;Morgan et al, 1999;Raboch & Faltus, 1991;Rothschild et al, 1991;Wiederman et al, 1996).…”