Date of Publication

2005

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Psychology Major in Clinical Counseling

Subject Categories

Counseling

College

Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC College of Education

Department/Unit

Counseling and Educational Psychology

Thesis Adviser

Salud P. Evangelista

Defense Panel Chair

Natividad A. Dayan

Defense Panel Member

Alexa P. Abrenica
Elena V. Morada
Anselmo D. Lupdag
Leo J. Capeding

Abstract/Summary

The study is a partial answer to the reality of marital distress and breakdown in Germany, which is endangering the emotional and physical health of its subjects, as well as their offspring, bringing about unhappiness with all its implied negative consequences to life. The study investigated the increase of marital awareness for religious couples in the German setting through the Psychologisch-Spirituelles Ehe Program (PSEP, Psycho-Spiritual Marriage Program). The PSEP is a 12-session compact marriage enrichment program. The format and the structure of the PSEP was designed to fit the culturalsensitive facets. The PSEP was rendered on a one weekend (1 days) basis, in a conference type setting. The eight variables incorporated in order to increase marital awareness were (1) spiritual beliefs (2) role relationships (3) communication, (4) conflict resolution (5) leisure time (6) sexuality (7) parenting (8) marital satisfaction (global). The study employed an exploratory experimental pretest-posttest control group research design. The participants in the experimental (N=16) and control groups (N=26) were religious couples living in the state of Baden-Württemberg (Germany). The ENRICH instrument was utilized in order to measure the effects of the program. The repeated measure design (t-test) and the data-mining CHAID (Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector) analysis was the statistical treatment used. Increase of the mean score from the pre-test to the post-test on the variables measured were indicative of an increase in marital awareness (marital improvement). Findings indicated, that 4-5 weeks after the intervention was rendered, changes in the ii experimental group took place: a noticeable improvement of the mean of the husbands and a lesser improvement of the wives of the experimental group took place. Analysis of differentiation showed that participants who at the start of the PSEP Program had perceived their marriage as satisfied, have reached a higher increase in the mean score than their counterparts who perceived their marriage to be dissatisfied. Specially husbands who perceived beforehand to be satisfied increased significantly in their marital awareness on the variables combined. The Socio-demographic factor did not consider divorce was identified as being characteristic of husbands who increased. The marriage intervention did not show any increase in marital awareness for dissatisfied wives and husbands who considered divorce in the experimental group. The control group had no significant changes. It can be concluded that the PSEP-Conference had mainly a preventive and enriching impact, especially on couples and individuals who perceived beforehand to be satisfied in their marriages. Important recommendations for further research were given.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Accession Number

CDTG004244

Shelf Location

Archives, The Learning Commons, 12F Henry Sy Sr. Hall

Physical Description

xii, 317 leaves ; 28 cm.

Keywords

Marriage—Religious aspects—Christianity; Marriage--Psychological aspects; Marriage; Married people--Religious life

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