Testing the relationship between marital satisfaction and attitudes to gender roles through sexual self-efficacy and relational self-efficacy in structual model framework

Purpose: The goal of this research was to examine the mediating role of self-efficacy and sexual self-efficacy levels in the relationship between married individuals' attitudes towards gender roles and marital satisfaction through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The model, which was created in line with this goal and tested within the scope of the research, was tested separately for female and male. Method: In this study, which was carried out in relational screening model, the mediating role of self-efficacy and sexual self-efficacy in the relationship between married individuals' attitudes towards gender roles and marital satisfaction levels were examined. In this research, causal comparison method, which is one of the quantitative research methods, were used and SEM was performed to test the model. The variables of the study are marital satisfaction, attitudes towards gender roles, relationship self-efficacy and sexual self-efficacy levels of married individuals. The research was based on a sample of 650 individuals who were in an ongoing marital relationship, consisting of 276 male and 374 female. In the present study, convenient sampling method, which is one of the non-random sampling methods, was used. The The Demographics Form, Social Gender Roles Attitude Scale, the Relationship Self-Efficacy Scale, the Sexual Self-Efficacy Scale and the Marriage Life Scale were used as data collection tools in the current study. The construct validity of all measurement tools used to measure the variables within the scope of the research was tested. Results: Considering the direct effects obtained from SEM analyses; the path between male gender role and relationship self-efficacy was significant and positive, the path between relationship self-efficacy and sexual self-efficacy was significant and positive and finally sexual self-efficacy directly predicted the marital satisfaction of married individuals positively. Other direct effects, however, were not significant. The model explained 12% of the marital satisfaction of married individuals. As a result, within the framework of the values shown above, it can be said that the relationship self-efficacy and sexual self-efficacy of married individuals have a mediating role between male gender role and marital satisfaction. Indirect effects in which married individuals' relationship self-efficacy and sexual self-efficacy mediate the link between male gender role and marital satisfaction were significant b= 0.075, 95% CI [0.012, 0.317]. Similarly, indirect effects mediated by sexual self-efficacy between relationship self-efficacy and marital satisfaction were also significant b= 0.091, 95% CI [0.049, 0.149]. On the other hand, other indirect effects in the model were not significant. Based on this result, it can be stated that male gender roles of married individuals affect their marital satisfaction through their relationship self-efficacy and sexual self-efficacy. In both models tested separately for female and male, only the relationship between male gender roles and marital satisfaction was found to be significant. As a result, the results were similar for both models as in the general model. Moreover, the explained variance was found to be higher in males than females. Conclusion and Suggestions: In line with the purpose of the research, a proposed model was presented for the marital satisfaction of married individuals. In the tested structural model, traditional attitude towards gender roles (male gender role) positively and significantly predicted relationship self-efficacy, relationship self-efficacy positively and significantly predicted sexual self-efficacy, and sexual self-efficacy positively and significantly predicted marital satisfaction. It is considered that the present study may be a part of broader and inclusive research that can be conducted to determine the roles played by gender roles, self-efficacy, and sexuality in a satisfied marital relationship. Within the framework of the findings obtained, suggestions for both practitioners and researchers were presented.