DISTRESS TOLERANCE, MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND MARITAL SATISFACTION AMONG MARRIED COUPLES

Abstract

Distress tolerance is known an ability to deal with unpleasant circumstances and maintain better mental health and congenial interpersonal relations. To explore the role of distress tolerance among married couples, current study focusses to investigate the relationship between distress tolerance, mental health problems and marital satisfaction among married couples. It was hypothesized that 1) Distress tolerance is likely to have a relationship with mental health problems among married couples. 2) Distress tolerance is likely to have relationship with marital satisfaction among married couples. 3) Mental health problems are likely to have a relationship with marital satisfaction among married couples. 4) Distress tolerance is likely to predict mental health problems and marital satisfaction among married couples. A convenient sample of 300 married couples (150 males, 150 females) was taken from different areas of Sialkot. A self-developed demographic sheet was administered along with Distress Tolerance Scale (Simons & Gaher, 2005), Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21 by Lovibond, & Lovibond, 1995) and Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS by Hendrick, S.S, 1988). For data analysis, descriptive analysis, Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, and regression model was used. Results showed positive significant relationship between distress tolerance and mental health problems (r=.549**, **p<0.01), negative significant relationship between distress tolerance and marital satisfaction (r= -.437**, **p<0.01) and significant negative relationship was found between mental health problems and marital satisfaction among married couples (r= -.565**, p<.0.01). Further, regression analysis revealed that DT has potential to predict and bring 29% change in MHP, and 18% change in MS. It is also noted that B’s of MHP is positive which means that 1-unit change in DT brings 0.54-unit change in MHP. Further, B’s of MS is negative which shows that as DT increases by 1-unit then MS decreases by -0.43 times. Findings of the current study have implications for future avenues. Keywords: Distress Tolerance, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Marital Satisfaction.