Self Described Happy Couples and Factors of Successful Marriage in Iran

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify factors of successful marriage from the viewpoint of happy couples in Iran. For this purpose, 365 couples (N = 730) were selected from staff of several industrial companies and teachers in Tehran and Birjand. Purposive sampling method was used. Eleven couples with highest scores from Four ENRICH Couple Scales (2010) was described themselves as happy couples underwent an in-depth, semi-structured interview. Happy couples formulated effective factors for their successful marriage as follows: a) we trust each other and are committed, b) we consult with each other, c) we think our relationship is intimate, d) we solve our own problems, e) we cooperate with each other in children's upbringing f) we share common beliefs, and g) we express our love to each other. Traditional patriarchal and matriarchal couples and non-traditional couples differed only in dealings with family management.

Sociological dimensions of marital satisfaction in Romania

“…Faith in God is among the core factors positively associated with marriage stability, together with commitment, cooperation, effort and perseverance, friendship, honesty, independence, mutual understanding, patience, problem-solving ability, self-sacrifice, preserving a distance from compassionate and non-compassionate sympathy or interference/intrusion of others in the couple's life, the presence of children, and trust [4]. Likewise, compatible religious beliefs are among the factors predicting marital satisfaction.…”

“…Moreover, for couples who share similar religious beliefs, spiritual practices can be shared practices that sustain and improve the marital relationship [19,20]. Couples who share a spiritual orientation are more likely to pray together and attend church together, which can be regarded as two indicators of a positive marital relationship [4].…”

“…It is worth mentioning that traditional couples emphasize the importance of the sexual relationship in strengthening their marital relationships [4]. The effects of sexual intimacy on marital relationships are essential, as is the causal sequence whereby sexual satisfaction influences marital relationships in a similar way for both men and women, even though sex may have different meanings for men and women in their relationship [24,25].…”

“…Proper financial management is a good predictor of strong marriages [4]. Wong & Goodwin [4] demonstrated that in Britain, Hong Kong, and China, a stable relationship with the spouse, partnership, spousal support, and stable family finances are important factors contributing to marital satisfaction.…”

“…Attitudes towards marital relationships have been examined in three ways in the literature: expectations of what married life will be like, global positive or negative attitudes towards marriage, and intent to marry [6]. Marital relationships have also been scrutinized from the perspective of the relationship between stability and marital satisfaction [7,8], of the relationship between equity and marital satisfaction [9,10], and from the perspective of the quality of premarital relationships, of the quality of marriage, of the way the members of a couple relate to each other, of couples' personality types, and of the way they deal with problems in their marriage [4]. A satisfactory relationship is the most important and complex aspect of intimate relationships.…”