Publication Date

1982

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Pender, Nola J., 1941-

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Nursing

LCSH

Pregnancy--Psychological aspects; Sex (Psychology)

Abstract

Marital and sexual adjustment of husbands and wives during pregnancy were explored in this study. The purpose of the study was to determine if changes occur in sexual and marital adjustment during pregnancy, and if the extent of change, if present, differs between pregnant women and their husbands. Forty-eight couples in prenatal classes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula participated in the study. Current and retrospective information was obtained from the sample using the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and Sexual Adjustment Inventory. Mean scores for marital adjustment and sexual adjustment prior to pregnancy and during pregnancy were compared for husbands. The same comparisons were made for wives. In addition, mean scores of marital and sexual adjustment for husbands and wives were contrasted to determine if differences existed. Only one of the five proposed hypotheses was supported. Sexual adjustment for husbands was less during pregnancy than prior to pregnancy. Despite this change, the level of sexual adjustment of husbands during pregnancy did not differ significantly from that of their wives. Husbands showed no change in level of marital adjustment during pregnancy. No changes were evident in either level of marital adjustment or sexual adjustment of wives during the pregnancy experience. Further research is needed to identify problems that arise in response to role change during pregnancy.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

vi, 52 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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