Presenting a structural model of couple intimacy based on sexual satisfaction with the mediating role of marital commitment and marital quality of life

Subject Areas : Journal of Excellence in counseling and psychotherapy

Zahra Jani ¹ , Ali Delavar ² , Abolfazl Karami ³ , Behzad Shoghi ⁴

1 - PhD student in counseling, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Distinguished Professor, Department of evaluating and measuring, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Associate Professor, Counseling Department, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran
4 - Assistant Professor, Educational Management Department, Science and Research Unit, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2022-12-08 Accepted : 2023-03-19 Published : 2023-05-22

Keywords: Key words: sexual satisfaction, intimacy of couples, marital commitment and quality of married life,

Abstract :

Introduction: Having intimate relationships in people's marital and family life is the most important emotional challenge in their lives. A person who experiences a higher degree of intimacy in relationships is able to present himself in a more favorable way in relationships and express his needs more effectively to his partner and spouse. In addition, spouses who have a higher level of intimacy have more marital satisfaction. According to what was said, the aim of the present study was to provide a structural model of couple intimacy based on sexual satisfaction with the mediation of marital commitment and marital quality of life.Methodology: The research method is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive in terms of correlational data analysis. The statistical population of the research includes all married women who referred to health centers in Tehran in 2018, according to the required sample size in the analysis of Klein's structural equations, 360 people were selected as a sample, and Larson's (1988) sexual satisfaction scale, Vondenbroek couple's intimacy and Bertman (1995), completed the marital commitment scale of Adams and Jones (1997) and the quality of marital life of Busby et al. (1995). The data of the research was done in the inferential part (using multivariate analysis of structural equation modeling (SEM) with the help of Excel, SPSS and Amos software.Findings: The findings showed that there is a relationship between sexual satisfaction and marital intimacy, between sexual satisfaction and marital commitment and quality of marital life, between marital commitment and quality of marital life and marital intimacy. Also, the findings showed that sexual satisfaction has an effect on the intimacy of couples through the mediating variables of marital commitment (1.02) and marital quality of life (0.7). Finally, the findings showed the fit of the model.Discussion: Sexual satisfaction is one of the most important factors that affect the quality and stability of a couple's relationship. A successful marriage is often associated with the satisfaction of the parties from sexual relations. Sexual satisfaction increases self-esteem, life satisfaction, ability to love, relationship satisfaction and emotional satisfaction and feeling happy in life. The relationship between sexual dissatisfaction and couples' intimacy problems shows that couples' satisfaction with their sexual relationship is one of the most important factors affecting couples' intimacy.Conclusion: It is suggested to the officials and planners of the mental health of the society to help strengthen the foundation of the family by considering intimacy in couples and strengthening it by couple therapists, psychologists and counselors.