FACTORS OF RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION AMONG YOUNG AND MIDDLE-AGED COUPLES

Abstract

The article reveals the factors of relationship satisfaction among young and middle-aged couples. Attention is drawn to the problems that all Ukrainian families are forced to experience today. It is noted that the state of interpersonal relations in couples has deteriorated due to constant stress, anxiety, and fears. Particular attention is paid to young families, who, at the stage of solving the problems of mutual adaptation, getting to know each other, establishing interaction, are forced to overcome the daily challenges of war. The functions of the family are defined, in particular, reproductive, educational, household (economic), recreational (restoration), regulatory, and psychological well-being. The author characterises the factors that have a favourable impact on interpersonal relations of spouses at different stages of family development, among which are interpersonal sympathy, mutual understanding, provision of opportunities for self-realisation and personal growth of each spouse, and granting of personal freedom, based on trust and respect, understanding and support of each other, psychological compatibility, level of education of partners, role expectations and claims, unity of spouses in their views on family life and common values, upbringing of children, quality of interpersonal relationships, etc. Attention is paid to the age of the family as one of the factors of marriage satisfaction. An empirical study was conducted to determine the influence of factors on marriage satisfaction in comparison of young and middle-aged families, the results of which are presented in the article. The study was conducted using the appropriate psychodiagnostic tools, including 1) "Methodology for Diagnosing Interpersonal Relationships" (T. Leary); 2) "Understanding, Emotional Attraction, Authority" questionnaire (A. Volkova) and 3) "Marriage Satisfaction Questionnaire" (V. Stolin, T. Romanova, G. Butenko). The results revealed differences in relationship satisfaction among young and middle-aged couples.