Abstract
M.A.
This study set out to investigate the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and
martial satisfaction. In the past several years, marriages appear to have undergone much
change, moving towards a more egalitarian relationship. Intimacy and conflict resolution
appear to play an important role in maintaining marital satisfaction.
Skills involved in conflict resolution and intimacy also form part of a greater construct
called Emotional Intelligence (EI). Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso (1998), describe a four
branch ability model of EI. This model describes EI as the ability to be perceptive of ones
own and others emotions, to manage and regulate ones emotions, to be able to effectively
express ones emotions and lastly, the ability to use stored emotional information to deal
with various situations.
To ascertain levels of emotional intelligence and marital satisfaction the Schutte Self
Report Inventory (SRI) and the Marital Satisfaction Inventory–Revised (MSI-R) was
administered to a group of couples married for longer than one year (n = 61).
MANCOVA’s and ANCOVA’s were administered to asses the relationship between EI
and various sub-scales of marital satisfaction in the couples.
The results showed that there was significant relationship between EI and certain aspects
of marital satisfaction. The level of male EI was found to have a significant effect on the
couples affective and problem solving communication. It also effected the level of female
sexual satisfaction and the ability to cope with family history of distress. The female EI
was found to be related to decreased levels of male aggression, a greater ability to deal
with her family history of distress and role orientation. It was found that in most
circumstances, the level of male EI was responsible for couple’s marital satisfaction.
Further results indicate that the greater the gap between each partners level of EI, the
greater their level of marital dissatisfaction.
For future research, it may be beneficial to do a longitudinal study of the same nature
using a larger sample. Measuring instruments that do not rely on self-report may produce
other results. Finally, future studies may benefit by using a culturally diverse sample, to
assess whether the finding may be generalised to all communities in South Africa.