CHAPTER - 5
DISCUSSIONS
CHAPTER-5
DISCUSSIONS
The present chapter interprets and discusses the results that have been
presented in the preceding chapter. The purpose o f this study was to investigate the
relationship o f the Art o f Living Courses with the marital adjustment o f Indian
women.
In the present study, one o f the aims was to investigate the relationship of
the Art o f Living Courses with the marital adjustment o f Indian women. And the
other was to relate the ages o f women and the level o f Art o f Living Courses
undertaken with their marital adjustment.
The sample classification as per their age levels (less than or equal to 40
years and more than or equal to 41 years), in the present investigation corresponds
broadly to Erikson’s three stages o f development, as shown below.
Sample classification as per age
Less than equal to 40 years
■ Stage o f “Intimacy vs. Isolation” (18-40 years approximately)
More than equal to 41 years
■ Stage of “Generativity vs Stagnation”(40-70 years approximately)
Stage of “Integrity vs Despair” (Above 70 years approximately)
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Dr Carl Kelsey (1948) o f the University o f Pennsylvania emphasized on the
idea that “marriage is a process and not an event”-a process o f husband and wife
adjusting to each other as long as they live together.
The present study reveals that women with the Art of Living Advance
Course less than or equal to 40 years o f age show the best marital adjustment as
compared with women in all other groups. The Art o f Living Advance Course,
seems to provide an individual with the means and skills to handle one’s stresses
and adjust to one’s spouse. The initial years o f married life are most challenging,
with the women especially having to adapt to a new family and new situations.
Empowered, with relaxation techniques and a broader perspective to cope
effectively with any situation, The Art o f Living Advance Course women in their
early years o f married life seem to have acquired the appropriate skills to adjust in
their married lives successfully.
The current investigation also reveals that women more than or equal to 41
years with No Course show the lowest marital adjustment.
This phase o f life corresponds with Erikson’s “generativity vs stagnation”
as well as “integrity vs. despair stage”. The characteristics o f the “generativity vs.
stagnation” stage is that one is concerned with what is being generated-progeny,
products, ideas. Yet at the same time, if generation is weak or not given
expression, it leads to stagnation. Expressing oneself more through caring and
sharing, and engaging in work can fructify this stage o f life into a more meaningful
phase. But, on the other hand, this stage, can also lead one’s self into a space of
emptiness with stagnation. The “integrity vs despair” stage is characterized with a
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desire to correlate and find meaning to one’s life in the larger social context and
move on or on the other hand. Yet, one may end up in feelings of despair and
hopelessness on not being able to do so.
Some, in this age group (more than equal to 41 years) phase o f life may be
on die threshold o f middle age while some may already be middle or old aged. It is
known that this stage is accompanied by numerous physical, physiological and
even certain mental changes. Physiological changes, for instance the onset of
menopause, can be accompanied by less sexual desire due to physical discomforts,
which in turn may affect marital adjustment.
Therefore, women facing this stressful period and having no formalized
skills (at effectively handling the stresses) such as the Art o f Living Course show
least marital adjustment. The contributing factor in this older age group seems to
be the life stresses experienced in their stage o f life.
In addition, the marital adjustment between the above two groups, namely,
women with Advance Course less than equal to 40 years vs. women with No
Course more than or equal to 41 years also show a statistically significant
difference, as measured by the Duncan’s mean test (Table 4.2: Duncan’s mean test
showing total and area wise table comparison of marital adjustment amongst
respondents for all groups)
Marital adjustment for all groups, in this study shows that of the three areas
contributing to marital adjustment, namely sexual, social and emotional , the
sexual component in all the groups has the lowest means as compared to the social
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and emotional components of marital adjustment showing that all groups are least
adjusted in the sexual domain. This is in contradiction to the study by Ruch (1970)
which found that a healthy sex life is one of the strongest factors that keeps the
marriage smooth despite other irritants (Ruch,1970).
The emotional component shows the maximum contribution to a marriage
in all the groups followed by the social component This emotional component,
contributing maximally to marital adjustment seems to be the buffer, balancing the
sexual component that has the lowest contribution. This is supported by Bottomore
(1975) who stated that a disturbance in any o f these three components brings about
corresponding changes in other components to maintain that harmony.
Kumar and Rohatgi, (1985), also stated that for any marital adjustment, the
three components, love, companionship and sexual need show high positive
relationship and maintain a balance within themselves.
This present study shows that women with Advance Course less than or
equal to 40 years show better sexual adjustments as compared to those women with
Basic Course, more than or equal to 41 years o f age. This difference is statistically
significant as measured by the Duncan’s mean test (Table 4.2)
According to Erikson, this is the stage of “intimacy vs isolation”. Young
adults in this stage show characteristics such as seeking for social interactions,
affiliation and love.
Better sexual adjustments of women with the Advance Course can be
attributed to the better overall adjustment between the spouses. Also as stated by
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Erikson, young women seek interaction and love and this is also met with the
fulfillment of sexual need. Anderson (1980) also stated that a physical love
between the couple is enhanced through their emotional intimacy, which supports
this finding.
On the other hand, as already discussed above, women above or equal to 41
years, experience numerous changes which are looked at negatively by the society.
An element o f boredom may also set in, apart from the physiological changes,
which may affect their sexual interest.
The study further reveals that women with Advance Course less than or
equal to 40 years as compared to women with Advance Course more than or equal
to 41 years o f age also show better sexual adjustments, which is also statistically
significant (Table 4.2).
Better sexual adjustments between the couple in younger ages has already
been discussed. And a decline in sexual interest in later years o f life has also been
detailed above.
Calculated x2 for' sexual component, [x2’(2) =2.6284 ;p <.05], is not
statistically significant (Table 4.3: x2 values obtained for the different groups o f
subjects). This shows that responses to questions on sexual adjustment is
independent o f the course level.
Therefore, the present study shows no significant relationship between
responses to questions pertaining to the sexual component and the course level.
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Yet, a significant relationship, [x2'(l) =106.97 ; p <.05j, exists between
sexual adjustment with the age (Table 4.3). This means that women less than or
equal to 40 years seem to have a better sexual adjustment, which declines with
growing age.
The above finding on better sexual adjustments between the spouses at with
younger ages is supported by Hawton, K., Gath. & Day, Ann (1994), who surveyed
a community sample of 436 adult women with partners regarding frequency of
sexual intercourse, orgasm with their partners, and attitudes on sexual
relationships.
Further, the present study revealed statistically significant difference
between women with the Advance course less than or 40 years o f age as compared
to women with No Course more than or equal to 41 years of age in the area o f
sexual adjustment Women with the course show better adjustment as supported by
the discussions made above (Table 4.2, Duncan’s mean test)
Women with Advance Course more than or equal to 41 years as compared
to women with No Course less than or equal to 40 years o f age showed
significantly better social adjustments in the present investigation.
The fact that the Art o f Living Advance Course is a group process and
encourages the participants to engage in Seva (Voluntary service), through out and
after the course. It has been seen that many participants who undertake the Art o f
Living Advance Course, get actively involved in a lot o f social projects. It has been
seen that women, especially, those who have had very limited interactions with the
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outside world, restricted to their families and friends, become more and more
involved with the outside people.
This perhaps is the reason for higher adjustment in the social component.
The present study shows significant difference, [x2’(2) =7.87 ; p <.05]
between the social adjustment and the level o f the Art o f Living Course (Table
4.3). This means that women with the Advance Course have the best social
adjustment as compared with women with the Basic Course or with No Art of
Living Course. This is also supported by the Duncan’s mean test (Table 4.2)
Study also reveals that women with Advance Course less than or equal to
40 years as compared to women with No Course more than or equal to 41 years of
age show better emotional adjustments. This may be due to the fact that during the
Art of Living Advance Course, there is a catharsis o f emotions, through various
processes, leading to better management of emotions. And this may lead to an
enhanced understanding o f the self and a clearer perspective o f the world around.
This new understanding and opening may strengthen up the emotional bonding.
The emotional adjustment is maximum with women having undertaken the
Art of Living Advance Course vs. women with No Course or having undertaken
the Basic course though there is no statistical difference.
A significant relationship, measured through the chi square test, [xz'(2)
=4.368 ; p <.05], has been obtained for the relationship of emotional adjustment
with one’s age. This means that emotional adjustment is better in the older age
group, as compared to the younger age group.
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Age seems to be the significant contributing factor in enhancing marital
adjustments. Erikson’s “generativity vs. stagnation supports” the above. The need
to care and share is felt more in these years (above 40). More than the need for
seeking out for affiliations (in the younger age groups), this phase is now looking
out for more strengthened bondages.
Having been together, as a couple, for quite a few years now, the emotional
trust and bonding seems to cement more and more. This is well supported by
Kumar (1991) who states “Marital bonding after forty is characterized by a
relationship that provides ample opportunities for the satisfaction o f basic human
needs like love and companionship in a shared role relationship.”
Conclusion
1) The total mean for marital adjustment is higher for women with the Art of
Living Course (means of Basic and Advance Course take together) vs.
women with No Course. This means that the marital adjustment of women
with Art o f Living Courses is better than women with No Course, though
this is not statistically significant.
2) The Art o f Living Advance Course has a significant contribution to one’s
social adjustment
3) In this present investigation, age has a significant contribution in all the
three areas of marital adjustment namely sexual, social and emotional.
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The findings o f this study can enlighten the psychologist, sociologist and
also the family & marriage counselor to provide appropriate guidance towards a
successful and a happy married life.
As Burgess and Locke (1960) say “A successful marriage is one in which
two people have intelligently committed themselves to a life time together in
which each seeks to enrich the life of the other as well as his own through
cooperation, children and a happy home for children”.