The effect of self monitoring, close relationship anxiety and perceived partners' behaviours on marital satisfaction

With the increase of the divorce rate and marital therapy application in the world and in our country, the need to focus on the underlying causes of the problems associated with close relationships has gained importance. In this study, a person's anxious and avoidant attachment styles which are experienced in close relationships, attachment positions, and the effect on marital satisfaction of perceived behavior of partner and partner's perceived self-monitoring style as well as self-monitoring style were investigated. The research sample consists of 279 participants who are married individuals and married couples living in provinces of Balıkesir and Manisa and working in the public and private sector (female = 141, male = 138). Meanwhile, Personal Data Form, Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory, Self-Monitoring Scale, Birtchnell Partner Evaluating Scale and Marital Satisfaction Scale were used as the assessment instruments. According to the results, a significant difference was determined between men and women with regards to perceived partner's behaviours and perceived partner's self-monitoring style. There is a significant difference between the two groups having high marital satisfaction and low marital satisfaction with regards to attachment style. In the study, it was determined that the number of children and the longitude of marriage affect marital satisfaction. Also, it was found that the perceived partner's behavior and self-monitoring style have effects on marital satisfaction. In the meantime, it was found that the perception of partner's behaviour as a controller and being anxious in close relationship significantly explains marital satisfaction. Finally, according to the results of analysis about interaction between couples, the perception of men about wife's behaviour affects both the men's and women's marital satisfaction, but perception of women about husband's behaviour affects only women's marital satisfaction. Also, a correlation was found between the attachment style of men and the perception of women about husband's behaviour. The results were discussed in the light of the related literature. Key words: Marital Satisfaction, Self- monitoring, Experiences in close relationships, Perceived Partner's Behaviour