The Comparison of Family Functioning, Marital Adjustment and IntimacyIn Middle aged and Young Spouses

ABSTRACT:The purpose of this research is to study the family functioning, marital adjustment and intimacy in middle-aged and young spouses. The method of research is casual. Participants were 36 young and 17 middle-aged spouses, selected randomly by stratified sampling. For data collection, the family assessment device Epstein, Baldwin and Bishop (FAD), Spanier dyadic adjustment scale (DAS) and intimacy scale (IS) were used. Data were analyzed by T-test & ANOVA. Results showed that family functioning; marital adjustment and intimacy in two groups (middle-aged and young spouses) were not significant. For subjects compared by educational status, their mean in family functioning and marital adjustment were significant, but on the intimacy scale they were the same. Another finding was that there was not significant difference between means of dependent variables when the subjects were studied by continuation of marriage. Also evident was significant positive correlation between marital adjustment and intimacy (0.71), between family functioning and marital adjustment (0.68) and between family functioning and intimacy (0.50), (0.01).