The Relationship between spiritual maturity emotional intelligence, marital needs, and marital satisfaction : a correlational study among married students at AIIAS

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between spiritual maturity, emotional intelligence, and marital satisfaction. Harley's model of marital satisfaction, which emphasized the fulfillment of needs as a basis for determining satisfaction, was used. The participants were 147 married, graduate students enrolled at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS). A descriptive and comparative correlational research design was used. The major findings revealed statistical significant rerationships between spiritual maturity and emotional intelligence (r2 = .220), spiritual maturity and marital satisfaction (r2 = .078), and between emotional intelligence and marital satisfaction (r2 = .O47). Of the 10 marital needs examined, only the need for fam1ly commitment did not significantly correlate with marital satisfaction (p = .059). The variables making up the predictive model for marital satisfaction were the needs for recreational companionship and spousal admiration, together accounting for 23% of the variance in marital satisfaction. Implications of the results and suggestions for educational practice and future research are provided.