Self-Esteem, Coping Efforts and Marital Adjustment

• Main Authors: Claude Bélanger, Marie-France Di Schiavi, Stéphane Sabourin, Caroline Dugal, Ghassan El Baalbaki, Yvan Lussier
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PsychOpen 2014-11-01
• Series: Europe's Journal of Psychology
• Subjects: self-esteem; coping strategies; marital adjustment
• Online Access: http://ejop.psychopen.eu/article/view/807

The main objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between self-esteem, specific coping strategies and marital adjustment. The sample consists of 216 subjects from 108 couples who completed the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Ways of Coping Checklist. The results confirm the presence of a relationship between self-esteem, specific coping strategies and marital adjustment in men and women. High self-esteem and marital adjustment are associated with the use of problem solving strategies and less avoidance as a way of coping. Moreover, cross analyses reveal that one’s feelings of self-worth are associated with his/her spouse's marital adjustment. The theoretical implications of these results are discussed.