THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MARITAL ADJUSTMENT AND SEXUAL QUALITY OF LIFE OF WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE: EFFECT OF USE FAMILY PLANNING METHODS

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between women's marital adjustment and sexual quality of life, and their use of family planning methods. This is a descriptive study. The sample size was calculated as 349 women. Data were collected using the personal information form, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and the Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire-Female. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS 23.0 software by creating the database. The stat൴st൴cal s൴gn൴f൴cance level was set at 0.05. The mean scores the participants obtained from the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire-Female were 106.27±22.21 and 77.46±21.85 respectively. Of the participating women, 36.7% used an intrauterine device for birth control, 27.8% used condoms, 13.8% used hormonal drugs. No statistically significant differences were determined between the mean scores obtained from the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and between the mean scores obtained from the Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire-Female in terms of the family planning methods the participants used (p>0.05). However, differences between the mean scores the participants obtained from the affectional expression subscale of Dyadic Adjustment Scale were found to be statistically significant in terms of the family planning methods they used (p<0.05). While the marital adjustment was high among the participating women their quality of life level was moderate. It was determined that the sexual quality of life increased as the marital adjustment increased. It was also determined that family planning methods the participants preferred affected not their sexual quality of life and marital adjustment but the affectional expression subscale. Family planning methods the participating women used did not affect their marital adjustment and sexual quality, but hormonal drugs and intra uterin device affected their scores for the affectional expression subscale of the DyadicAdjustment Scale.