UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

MAHIN ASKARI

FPP 2011 40

EFFECTS OF COMMUNICATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS TRAINING ON MARITAL SATISFACTION AND MENTAL HEALTH

AMONG IRANIAN COUPLES

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EFFECTS OF COMMUNICATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS TRAINING ON MARITAL SATISFACTION AND MENTAL HEALTH

AMONG IRANIAN COUPLES

By

MAHIN ASKARI

Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

February 2011

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DEDICATION

This thesis is dedicated to all the members of my family, who supported and

encouraged me, especially my mother.

Also, my deepest appreciation goes to my dear husband for his love and moral

support and to my children Behnam and Peyman for their patience and understanding

during the course of my study.

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Abstract of thesis presented to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

EFFECTS OF COMMUNICATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS TRAINING ON MARITAL SATISFACTION AND MENTAL HEALTH

AMONG IRANIAN COUPLES

By

MAHIN ASKARI

February 2011

Chairman: Associate Professor Sidek b Mohd Noah, PhD

Faculty: Educational Studies

This study examined the effects of communication and conflict resolution skills

training on marital satisfaction and mental health among Iranian couples based on the

PREPARE/ENRICH program. In this study, there were two scales used to assess

marital satisfaction and mental health: the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale and

the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The study adopted a pre- and post-

control group design in emphasizing the effects of communication training and

conflict resolution skills on marital satisfaction and mental health. The participants in

this research consisted of couples who were referred to the researcher by counseling

center. The referrals were done for about two months in 2009. Their problems were

marital difficulty and marital conflict, commonly categorized as marital

dissatisfaction, which were identified after formal interview, testing and screening

process. In order to assign the experimental and control groups, purposive sampling

with random assignment was employed. One hundred and eight participants

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comprised of 54 married couples were divided equally between control and treatment

groups and the training sessions lasted for eight weeks. In this training program,

researchers focused on the dependent variables of marital satisfaction and mental

health, while communication and conflict resolution skills training were the

independent variables. Specifically, the t-test statistical analysis was employed to test

for potential significant differences in couples’ scores of marital satisfaction and

mental health between (i) the pre- and post-training scores for couples of the

experimental group; and (ii) between the post-training scores of couples of the two

different groups. The results indicated that training on communication and conflict

resolution skills had significant positive effects on the marital satisfaction and mental

health scores of the studied couples. In addition, this training program was effective

in enhancing the couples’ communication skills and capabilities to resolve conflicts.

On top of that, this program also affected their mental health sub-scales such as

somatic symptoms, anxiety, social dysfunction, and depression. This study showed

that the training investigated is relevant and useful for counseling procedures. The

program presented can be regarded as an aid for family counselors in clinical and

non-clinical therapy. Exclusively, the ENRICH psycho-educational program is

efficient and well enough to be conducted systematically for Iranian couples. Hence,

more marital counselors are recommended to be trained in applying the ENRICH

program in their counseling practice.

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Abstrak tesis yang dikemukakan kepada Senat Universiti Putra Malaysia sebagai memenuhi keperluan untuk ijazah Doktor Falsafah

KESAN LATIHAN KOMUNIKASI DAN KEMAHIRAN PENYELESAIAN KONFLIK TERHADAP KEPUASAN PERKAHWINAN DAN KESIHATAN

MENTAL DALAM KALANGAN PASANGAN IRAN

Oleh

MAHIN ASKARI

Februari 2011

Pengerusi: Prof. Madya Sidek b Mohd Noah, PhD

Fakulti: Pengajian Pendidikan

Kajian ini menguji kesan latihan komunikasi dan kemahiran penyelesaian konflik

terhadap kepuasan perkahwinan dan kesihatan mental di dalam kalangan pasangan

Iran berdasarkan program PREPARE/ENRICH. Dalam kajian ini, terdapat dua alat

ukuran yang digunakan untuk mengukur kepuasan perkahwinan dan kesihatan

mental: Skala Kepuasan Perkahwinan ENRICH dan the General Health

Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Rekabentuk kajian ini merupakan rekabentuk kajian

eksperimen kumpulan rawak, ujian pra dan ujian pasca dengan menekankan kesan-

kesan latihan komunikasi dan kemahiran penyelesaian konflik terhadap kepuasan

perkahwinan dan kesihatan mental. Responden- responden kajian ini adalah terdiri

daripada semua pasangan yang telah dirujuk kepada pengkaji melalui pusat-pusat

kaunseling. Rujukan telah dibuat selama dua bulan pada tahun 2009. Antara

masalah-masalah yang dirujuk adalah kesukaran yang timbul di dalam perkahwinan

dan konflik perkahwinan yang dikategorikan sebagai ketidakpuasan dalam

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perkahwinan di mana semua pasangan ini telah dikenalpasti melalui temubual

formal, pengujian, dan proses penapisan. Teknik persampelan bertujuan dengan

kaedah pembahagian rawak telah digunakan untuk membentuk kumpulan

eksperimental dan kawalan. Kajian ini dilaksanakan ke atas seratus lapan orang

responden di mana 54 pasangan suami isteri dibahagi sama rata di antara kumpulan

eksperimen dan kawalan, dan sesi-sesi latihan berlangsung selama lapan minggu.

Di dalam program latihan ini, pengkaji telah memfokuskan ke atas pembolehubah

bersandar iaitu kepuasan perkahwinan dan kesihatan mental, manakala latihan

kemahiran komunikasi dan resolusi konflik bagi pembolehubah tak bersandar. Secara

khususnya, analisis statistik ujian-t telah digunakan untuk menguji perbezaan yang

signifikan bagi data kepuasan perkahwinan dan kesihatan mental di antara (i) ujian

pra dan pasca dalam kumpulan eksperimental; dan (ii) antara ujian pasca bagi

pasangan-pasangan dalam dua buah kumpulan yang berbeza. Dapatan-dapatan kajian

menunjukkan latihan ke atas komunikasi dan kemahiran resolusi konflik mempunyai

kesan signifikan yang positif ke atas kepuasan perkahwinan dan kesihatan mental

pasangan suami-isteri. Tambahan, program latihan ini sangat berkesan dalam

meningkatkan komunikasi dan kemahiran penyelesaian konflik di antara pasangan.

Program ini juga telah memberi kesan yang positif ke atas sub-skala kesihatan

mental pasangan seperti simptoms somatik, kebingungan, ketidakfungsian sosial, dan

kemurungan. Kajian ini telah menunjukkan latihan yang dikaji adalah sangat releven

dan berguna untuk prosedur-prosedur kaunseling. Program yang ditunjukkan boleh

digunakan sebagai alat bantuan untuk kaunselor keluarga di dalam terapi klinikal dan

bukan klinikal. Terutamanya, program pendidikan psiko ENRICH ini sangat efisien

untuk dijalankan secara sistematik untuk pasangan-pasangan Iran. Oleh itu adalah

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dicadangkan agar para kaunselor perkahwinan diberi latihan dalam mengaplikasikan

program ENRICH ini di dalam praktis kaunseling.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A person cannot go through life without the help and guidance from others. One is

invariably indebted, knowingly or unknowingly. These debts may be physical,

mental, psychological or intellectual in nature, but cannot be denied. To enlist all of

them is not easy. To repay them even in words is beyond my capability. The present

work is an imprint of many persons who have made significant contribution to its

materialization.

The success of this thesis would not have been possible without various contributions

and support to this work directly or indirectly, and I would like to convey my special

appreciation to those who made it possible. To my beloved, Allahyarham Assoc.

Prof. Dr. Lily Mastura Hj. Harun who guided me for three years. For all the

kindness, support, understanding and love that she offered, may Allah put her with

Solihin, Siddiqin and Mukminin. AL-FATIHAH. I wish to express my deep sense of

appreciation and gratitude to my committee chairman and supervisor, Assoc.

Professor Dr Sidek Mohd Noah for his valuable help, guidance and supervision of

this thesis. Your constant support and encouragement have helped me to press on

until the research was completed. I learned and experienced a lot in doing good

research work.

I am grateful to my advisory committee members, Dr. Siti Aishah Bt Hassan, and

Dr. Maznah Bt Baba for their recommendations and guidance that led to the

successful completion of this thesis. Please accept my heartiest gratitude, you all

have been sources of help, encouragement and valuable advice to me. I am also

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grateful for your valuable suggestions and guidance during this study, without which

the completion of my research would not have been possible.

I am equally thankful to all the staff of UPM, especially those of the Faculty of

Educational Studies who contributed to my learning process. Your behaviour was so

friendly, I enjoyed a lot, thanks a lot to all of you. Words are not enough to express

my gratitude to my family for their patience and perseverance during my absence. I

owe a lot to my mother and my mother-in-law for accepting the inconveniences my

absence may have caused them. They have been a constant source of encouragement.

I am also deeply indebted to many individuals who assisted me in performing this

research. I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to Dr. Jafarinezhad and Ismaeil

Fazel for their valuable guidance.

Finally, I am especially grateful to my dear husband and my children for their love,

moral support and patience during the course of my study. And above all, I give all

praise and adoration to Almighty and Merciful Allah, who enabled me to accomplish

this hectic course with a sound health.

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I certify that a Thesis Examination Committee has met on 22 February 2011 to conduct the final examination of Mahin Askari on her thesis entitled “Effects of communication and conflict resolution skills training on marital satisfaction and mental health among Iranian couples” in accordance with the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 and the Constitution of Universiti Putra Malaysia [P.U. (A) 106] 15 March 1998. The committee recommends that the student be awarded the Doctor of Philosophy. Members of the Examination Committee are as follows:

Habibah Elias, PhD Professor Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia (Chairperson) Hajjah Rusnani Abdul Kadir, PhD Associate Professor Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia (Internal Excaminer) Haji Jamaludin Haji Ahmad, PhD Associate Professor Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia (Internal Examiner) Samuel T. Gladding, PhD Professor Department of Counselling Wake Forest University United States of America (External Examiner) Noritah Omar, PhD Associate Professor and Deputy Dean School of Graduate Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia

Date:

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This thesis was submitted to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia and has been accepted as fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The members of the Supervisory Committee were as follows: Sidek b Mohd Noah, PhD Associate Professor Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia (Chairman) Siti Aishah bt Hassan, PhD Senior Lecturer Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member) Maznah bt Baba, PhD Senior Lecturer Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

HASANAH MOHD GHAZALI, PhD Professor and Dean School of Graduate Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia Date:

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DECLARATION

I declare that the thesis is my original work except for quotations and citations, which have been duly acknowledged. I also declare that it has not been previously, and is not concurrently, submitted for any other degree at Universiti Putra Malaysia or at any other institution.

MAHIN ASKARI

Date: 22 February 2011

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ABSTRACT iii ABSTRAK v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii APPROVAL x DECLARATION xi LIST OF TABLES xvi LIST OF FIGURES xviii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xix

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Background of the Study 1 1.3 Statement of the Problem 9 1.4 General Objective 12 1.5 Specific Objective 12 1.6 Research Questions 13 1.7 Research Hypotheses 13 1.8 Significance of the Study 14 1.9 Limitation of the study 16 1.10 Definition of Terms 16 1.10.1 Skill Training 17

1.10.2 Marital Satisfaction 18 1.10.3 Mental Health 18

1.10.4 Communication 19 1.10.5 Conflict Resolution 20

2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction 22 2.2 Marital Satisfaction 22

2.2.1 Definition of Marital Satisfaction 22 2.2.2 Factors Related to Marital Satisfaction 23

2.3 Communication 26 2.3.1 Definition of Communication 27

2.3.2 Marital Communication Patterns and Satisfaction 27 2.3.3. Problems in Communication 28 2.3.4 Communication Styles in Miscommunication 29

2.4 Conflict Resolution 30 2.4.1 Definition of Conflict Resolution 30 2.4. 2 Constructive and Destructive Models of Conflict Resolution 31 2.4.3 Styles of Conflict Resolution 32 2.4.4 Positive Components in Conflict Resolution 33 2.4.5 Handling Conflict Couples 34 2.4.6 Conflict Resolution across Relationship Types 36

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2.5 Mental Health 37 2.5.1 Definition of Mental Health 37 2.5.2 Factors affecting Mental Health of marriage Couples 37

2.6 An Explanation of the relationship among Variables 40 2.6.1 Relationship between Marital Com. and Marital Satisfaction 40 2.6.2 Relationship between Conflict Res. Skills & Marital Satisfaction 46 2.6.3 Relationship between Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction 50

2.7 Intervention Programmes To Improve Marital Satisfaction 59

2.7.1 PREPARE/ENRICH Program 60 2.7.2 Previous Research on Group Intervention 64

2.8 Implications of Literature Review for Present Research 71 2.9 Satir’s Family Communication Theory 71

2.9.1 .Communication from Satir perspective 72 2.9.2 Satir’s Communication Theory in family and matrimony 73 2.9.3 Communication model from Satir ‘s theory 75 2.9.4 Techniques of Satir 83 2.9.5 Rules in Family and Marriages 86 2.9.6 An explanation of couple therapy based on Satir’s theory 89

2.10 Summary 92 3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction 94 3.2 Research design 94 3.3 Internal and external validity 96 3.4 Population and Sampling 100

3.4.1 Treats to Sample Selection 101 3.4.2 Determining the Sample Size 102 3.4.3 Screening and Selection 103

3.5 Research variables 105 3.6 Instruments 105

3.6.1 Enrich Questionnaire 106 3.6.2 Scoring 107 3.6.3 Reliability and Validity of ENRICH Questionnaire 107 3.6.4 General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) 109

3.6.4.1 Reliability and Validity of GHQ28 110 3.7 Data Collection Procedures 111 3.8 The Method of Conducting the Research 115 3.9 Description of program 117

3.9.1 A Summary of the Sessions 118 3.9.2 An Explanation of the Teaching Strategy 121 3.9.3 Communication Skills 122 3.9.4 Conflict Resolution 122

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3.10 Statistical Method 123 3.10.1 Data analysis 124 3.11 Pilot Study 126 4 RESULTS

4.1 Introduction 131 4.2 Attrition of the Sample 131 4.3 Demographics characteristics 132 4.3.1 Age 134 4.3.2 Years Married 134 4.3.3 Number of Children 134 4.3.4 Education Level 135

4.4 Homogeneity of variables in the experimental and control groups 135

4.5 Checking the Assumptions for t-test 137 4.6 Pre -test of Scores for Experimental Group and

Control Group 137 4.7 Presentation of Hypotheses Results 138

4.8 Summary 161

5 DISCUSSION 5.1 Introduction 162 5.2 Discussion on Variables 162 5.2.1. Marital Satisfaction 162 5.2.2. Mental Health 169 5.2.3. Communication 175 5.2.4. Conflict Resolution 178 5.2.5 Four Subscale of Mental Health 182 5.3 Conclusion 195 5.4 Implication of the Study 198 5.4.1 Theoretical Implications 199 5.4.2 Practical Implication 202 5.5 Recommendations for Future Research 205 BIBLIOGRAPHY 211 APPENDICES 235 BIODATA OF STUDENT 279