*Emesim, A. V.1, Philip, O. P.2, & Obikeze, N. J.3
1,2,&3Department of Psychology Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam Anambra State, Nigeria
*Corresponding email: onyitechideas@gmail.com; Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17286470
Abstract
The study examined how humour, spirituality, and emotional intimacy relate to marital satisfaction among couples in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. A total of 223 couples took part in the research, chosen through a mix of purposive and incidental sampling methods. Among the participants, there were 123 males (55.2%) and 100 females (44.8%), with ages ranging from 18 to 65 years (M = 36.3, SD = 7.10). The research utilized four main tools: The Humour Inventory by De Koning and Weiss (2002), the Spirituality Questionnaire by JochenHardt (2007), the Index of Marital Satisfaction Scale by Walter W. Hudson (1974), and the Emotional Intimacy Scale by Euckie (2022). A correlational research design was used, and Pearson product moment correlation analysis was conducted to test the hypotheses. The results showed that humour had a significant positive correlation with marital satisfaction (r = 0.460, p < 0.05), while spirituality had a significant negative correlation (r = -0.419, p < 0.05). Additionally, emotional intimacy was positively correlated with marital satisfaction (r = 0.575, p < 0.05). The study highlighted that humour and emotional intimacy are crucial for enhancing marital satisfaction, whereas spirituality seems to have a negative impact. It was recommended that religious and community organizations should include training on humour, emotional intimacy, and conflict resolution in premarital counselling to help couples develop essential relationship skills.
Keywords: Humour, Spirituality, Emotional Intimacy, Marital Satisfaction, Couples.
Introduction
It is well acknowledged that marital satisfaction is an important factor concerning an individual’s psychological and emotional health and encompasses an individual’s self-assessment of the marriage regarding emotional support, companionship, respect, and the relationship’s equilibrium. It has a considerable influence on the mental health of an individual and their overall life satisfaction, with greater marital satisfaction linked to lower stress, better resiliency, and improved emotional health (Fincham & Beach, 2019; Whisman & Uebelacker, 2020). On the other hand, marital dissatisfaction has been associated with a host of negative outcomes, including but not limited to; depression, anxiety, chronic health conditions, and relationship deterioration (Proulx et al., 2017).The context of interpersonal and intrapersonal factors has been studied widely, and both have been found to contribute toward marital satisfaction. Effective communication, emotional intimacy, shared values, financial well-being, humour, and even spirituality are strong predictors of relationship and marital quality (Ogolsky et al., 2017; Neff & Karney, 2020), Onyemaechi, 2025)
Spirituality, emotional intimacy, and humour stand out for having received more attention due to their importance in emotional and relational bonding between partners. They not only act as a form of conflict and stress alleviators, but also foster understanding and long-term commitment within the marriage (Gottman & Silver, 2015; Hall, 2017; Lambert et al., 2021). More than the others, humour stands out as a social and psychological tool in marriage as it helps foster healthy relationship communication, alleviates emotional stress, and bolsters intimacy. It includes shared laughter, light-hearted banter, inside jokes, and other jovial interactions strengthening emotional connection and a couple’s ability to weather relational challenges (Butzer& Kuiper, 2018; Campbell et al., 2021). Couples who have a shared humour tend to have a higher relationship satisfaction, better conflict resolution, and stronger emotional bonds (Barelds & Barelds-Dijkstra, 2020; Caird & Martin, 2021). In addition, humour contributes to positive climate within the marriage which enables partners to better deal with both external and internal stressors (Kurtz & Algoe, 2015).
In particular, spirituality influences marriage behavior within culturally religious societies. It builds emotional self-regulation, strengthens commitment, and enhances devotion through prayer, forgiveness, and other communal expressions of faith (Mahoney, 2019). While they are related, spirituality and religiousness differ in scope. The former focuses on personal meaning-making and individual transcendence. The latter, religiousness, encapsulates belief systems and practices surrounding an institution (Zinnbauer & Pargament, 2015; Mohr, 2016). Couples in a spiritually inclined marriage are more likely to demonstrate patience, empathy, and respect, all of which are critical to enduring marital satisfaction and resilience (Lambert et al., 2021, Onyemaechi, et al., 2022, Obi-Nwosu, et al., 2019).
Of all emotional intimacy’s aspects, a strong sense of closeness and trust, sharing of emotion, and vulnerability with a partner form a major determinant of marital satisfaction. Emotional intimacy opens a pathway to enhance communication and creates a secure emotional base that helps buffer stress and conflict (Cordova et al., 2017). Couples that experience emotional attachment are more likely to report strong commitment, satisfaction in marriage and overall well-being (Laurenceau et al., 2018). Conversely, emotional detachment and lack of intimacy often lead to feelings of isolation, increased conflict, and marital distress.
Research shows that humour, spirituality, and emotional intimacy, not only function as individual contributors to marital quality, but interact synergistically to foster a fulfilling and stable marriage (Hall, 2017; Neff &Karney, 2020; Lambert et al., 2021, Ejidike,et.al,2023). Lacking these components can worsen misunderstandings, emotional disconnect, and dissatisfaction, highlighting the need for these variables to be approached holistically.
In the context of Nigeria, particularly Awka in Anambra State, marriage is closely associated with religion, culture, and tradition, often in ways that shape how couples demonstrate intimacy, humour, and spirituality in dealing with marital issues. Despite the significance of these frameworks, there is a lack of empirical focus on the intertwining role of humour, spirituality, and emotional intimacy on marital satisfaction truly and deeply within this socio-cultural context.
Purpose of the Study
The general aim of this study was to examine if Humour, spirituality and emotional intimacy will significantly correlate with marital satisfaction among couples in Awka, Anambra State. Meanwhile, the specific objectives of this study include to:
- Determine if Humour will significantly correlate with marital satisfaction among couples in Awka, Anambra State.
- Ascertain if spirituality will significantly correlate with marital satisfaction among couples in Awka, Anambra State.
- Examine if emotional intimacy will significantly correlate with marital satisfaction among couples in Awka, Anambra State.
Research Questions
The present study sought to answer the following research questions.
- Will humour significantly correlate with marital satisfaction among couples in Awka, Anambra State?
- Will spirituality significantly correlate with marital satisfaction among couples in Awka, Anambra State?
- Will emotional intimacy significantly correlate with marital satisfaction among couples in Awka, Anambra State?
Theoretical Framework
Social Exchange Theory (Homans, 1958)
This study on humour, spirituality and emotional intimacy as correlates of marital satisfaction is based on Social Exchange Theory (SET) which was first proposed by George Homans (1958) and further developed by Peter Blau (1964). SET is a great way to understand the dynamics of intimate relationships by seeing them as ongoing exchanges of rewards and costs. At its core the theory says we evaluate our relationships based on a rational comparison of what we get versus what we give or sacrifice. In the context of marriage these evaluations have a huge impact on satisfaction, commitment and long term relational stability.
Social Exchange Theory outlines several key constructs that shape marital outcomes. Rewards are the positive aspects of the relationship – emotional support, affection, shared values, companionship – that contribute to a sense of fulfillment. Costs are the emotional, financial or psychological burdens that come from conflict, unmet expectations or personal sacrifices. The comparison level is an individual’s internal benchmark for satisfaction shaped by past experiences and societal norms and the comparison level for alternatives is what we perceive as viable options outside the current relationship. Investments – time, emotional energy and shared assets – also impact our willingness to stay in or leave a marriage.
When we apply SET to the variables of this study, each of the factors—humour, spirituality and emotional intimacy—can be seen as a relational reward when experienced positively. Humour is a powerful emotional and psychological reward in relationships. It reduces tension, creates shared joy and resilience during conflict. From a social exchange perspective humour increases the perceived benefit of being in the relationship by increasing emotional engagement and decreasing relational stress. Couples who share humour are more likely to see their interactions as rewarding and report higher satisfaction and closeness. As Algoe et al., (2010) say, expressing appreciation and playfulness is a big contributor to perceived relational value.
Spirituality when shared meaningfully between partners is a bonding mechanism and a source of emotional support. It provides a shared worldview that can guide decisions, reinforce commitment and comfort during challenges. In SET terms shared spirituality increases rewards by creating a sense of unity and stability. But when spirituality is rigid, external or conflicting between partners it can be a relational cost—decreasing perceived equity and satisfaction. So the motivation behind spiritual engagement (intrinsic vs. extrinsic) is key to whether it increases or decreases marital rewards.
Emotional intimacy is all about making a deep investment in your relationship. It involves being vulnerable, understanding each other, and being emotionally available—these are the key ingredients that not only meet our basic human needs but also show how committed we are to one another. According to Social Exchange Theory (SET), when people feel a strong sense of emotional intimacy, they tend to view their marriage as fulfilling and worth holding onto, even if there are some minor bumps along the way. This kind of intimacy also makes it harder to walk away from a relationship, which helps to strengthen both commitment and satisfaction. Research shows that emotional intimacy is closely linked to social support, positive feelings, and overall well-being (Sinclair & Dowdy, 2015).
On the flip side, SET also explains why some people feel dissatisfied in their relationships when they start to see the costs outweighing the benefits. Things like ongoing arguments, unmet emotional needs, or financial stress can chip away at satisfaction, especially if someone starts to notice more appealing alternatives or feels less invested. A study by Le and Agnew (2013) backs this up, revealing that those who see fewer options and have made greater investments in their relationships are more likely to stick it out, even when times get tough.
While Social Exchange Theory has faced criticism for focusing too much on rationality and not enough on altruism or cultural differences, it still stands as a solid and widely accepted framework for understanding marital dynamics. It provides valuable insights for relationship counselling by highlighting the importance of boosting rewards (like affection, humour, and shared experiences), reducing costs (such as unresolved conflicts or poor communication), and acknowledging how expectations and investments play a role in maintaining satisfaction.
In conclusion, this study adopted Social Exchange Theory as its guiding framework to explore how humour, spirituality, and emotional intimacy operate as relational rewards and investments in the context of marital satisfaction. By understanding these dynamics through the lens of SET, the study aims to contribute a better theoretical foundation to the field of marital and relationship psychology, offering both empirical insight and practical application.
Based on the broad objective of the study and comprehensive review of the literature, the hypotheses generated and tested for the purpose of the study are stated thus;
- Humour will significantly correlate with marital satisfaction of couples in Awka, Anambra State.
- Spirituality will significantly correlate with marital satisfaction of couples in Awka, Anambra State.
- Emotional intimacy will significantly correlate with marital satisfaction of couples in Awka, Anambra State.
Method
Participants
In this study, a total of 223 participants were sampled. These individuals were recruited by the researcher using cluster, purposive, or incidental sampling by aggregating delineations of the various demographic of participants. Cluster sampling is a type of probability sampling, in which the population are divided into groups (clusters) based on geography, institution or other natural groupings (Goodwin 2013). In addition, incidental sampling method was used in regard to some of the encountered participants by chance that fell into the appropriate demographics range. There were 123 males (55.2%) and 100 females (44.8%) with most of the participants employed full-time in either a public service or an academic environment. Participants ranged in age from 18 years to 65 years (M = 36.3, SD = 7.10). Regarding ethnicity, 172 participants (77.1%) identified as Igbo, followed by 9 participants (4.0%) from the Yoruba ethnic group, 5 participants (2.2%) from the Hausa ethnic group, and 37 participants (16.6%) from other minority ethnic groups living in Awka. In terms of religion, 197 participants (88.3%) identified as Christians, 8 participants (3.6%) as Muslims, and 18 participants (8.1%) identified as either traditionalists, pagans, or belonging to other religious affiliations. Regarding education level, the majority of participants (91 participants, 40.8%) had a secondary school SSCE degree, 45 participants (20.2%) had a university first degree, 41 participants (18.4%) had a Master’s degree (M.Sc.), 41 participants (18.4%) had their FSLC, and 5 participants (2.2%) had no formal education.
Instruments
Humour Inventory (HI)
The Humour Inventory (HI), created by De Koning and Weiss in 2002, is a tool designed to measure how humour plays a role in marital relationships. It features 16 statements that participants rate on a 5-point scale, where 1 means “not at all accurate” and 5 means “very accurate.” Respondents consider both their own humour and that of their partner within the context of their marriage. Some example statements include: “I use humour to avoid a fight with my partner,” “Joking with my partner brings us closer,” and “Sometimes I use humour to tease my partner.” These statements reflect various aspects of humour, including its positive, negative, and practical uses. The scoring is straightforward: you add up the responses from all 16 items, with a minimum score of 16 and a maximum of 80. Higher scores suggest that humour is used more frequently or intensely in the relationship. In some research, the items have been categorized into three subscales: Positive Humour, Negative Humour, and Instrumental Humour, each highlighting different roles humour can play in relationships. The HI shows strong reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.84, indicating that the items are consistent with each other. There’s also evidence supporting its validity, as it correlates well with other measures related to relationships and humour. For instance, the Positive Humour subscale has significant correlations with marital intimacy (r = 0.48–0.49) and satisfaction (r = 0.55 for husbands; r = 0.43 for wives, p < 0.001). On the flip side, the Negative Humour subscale is linked to avoidant interaction patterns, especially among wives (r = 0.55, p < 0.001). Moreover, both Positive and Instrumental Humour show positive relationships with scores on the SHQZ-HC, which assesses couples’ shared health and interaction quality.
Spirituality Questionnaire (SQ)
The Spirituality Questionnaire is a psychometric tool used to measure the depth and presence of spiritual beliefs and experiences in individuals (Hardt, 2007). The instrument includes 20 items, with responses ranging from 1 (Not at all true) to 5 (Absolutely true). The items of this measure query Self-assessment-style responses describing nuances in ones spirituality that reside within the emotional, cognitive and relational landscape. Items range from statements that reflect belief (eg, “I feel like God is my friend/father”) and divine connection (eg, “I reach out to the spirit”), to spiritual searching. Scoring is reported as the total composite score from all 20 items. Therefore, the minimum score obtainable on the scale is 20 and the maximum is 100. Conceptually, higher scores reflect higher spiritual consciousness or activity. The scale does not employ reverse-scored items. This makes for an easy scoring procedure. On the issue of normative interpretation, even though Hardt (2007) does not set standardized cutoffs on the score, the scores obtained can be interpreted against population specific percentile or through comparison of sample means. For example, scores in higher tertiles may suggest high spiritual orientation, while low scores may suggest weak or undeveloped spiritual convictions. The instrument has an excellent internal consistency reliability, which is evidence for the internal consistency of the test. The developer reports a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.87 and split-half reliability coefficient of 0.71 for the items on the scale. In a pilot study conducted in this research, using a sample of 25 purposively selected women from Owerri Metropolis, Imo State, the questionnaire recorded an internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) of 0.87, the same value as reported by the developer. Therefore, the results obtained in this study suggest that the instrument is robust, across different samples and cultural locations. Convergent validity of the Spirituality Questionnaire was established by correlating the questionnaire with another instrument known as Spiritual Well-Being Scale (Paloutzian& Ellison, 1982). A significant positive correlations (r = 0.69) between the two instruments supported the fact that both measure related constructs. Therefore, it was inferred that convergent validity of the test was established.
Emotional Intimacy Scale
The 14-item Intimacy Scale of the Emotional Dimension (ISOTED), created by Euckie in 2022, is a reliable tool designed to gauge emotional intimacy in romantic and marital relationships. This concept encompasses sharing personal details with your partner, giving and receiving emotional support, showing mutual respect and admiration, spending quality time together, and feeling emotionally “at home” with each other. The scale is useful for evaluating intimacy quality among married couples and individuals in close relationships. Each of the 14 items is rated on a 5-point Likert scale, from 1 (Never) to 5 (Always), with higher scores indicating greater emotional intimacy. To get the composite score, you simply add up the responses across all 14 items, which can range from 14 to 70. In psychometric evaluations, the ISOTED showed impressive internal consistency, boasting a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.97, and it also demonstrated concurrent validity with a significant correlation to the Dyadic Communication Assessment Scale (r = 0.60, p < 0.01). Regarding normative scoring, pilot data from a sample of 200 married adults revealed a mean norm score of 52.8 (SD = 8.6). Based on this data: Scores above 60 indicate high emotional intimacy, scores between 45 and 60 suggest moderate or typical levels, and scores below 45 may point to limited emotional intimacy or relationship strain.
Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS)
The Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS), created by Walter W. Hudson back in 1974, is a well-validated tool designed to measure how satisfied or distressed people feel in their marriages. This scale includes 25 items that cover a wide range of relationship factors, such as emotional intimacy, communication styles, conflict resolution, and overall psychological health within the marriage. Interestingly, the IMS is set up so that higher scores actually indicate more dissatisfaction, while lower scores suggest greater satisfaction. Each item is rated on a 7-point Likert scale, and the responses are added up to give a total score. This score can range from 0 to 100, depending on how it’s scored. Generally, scores of 30 or below indicate that there aren’t any major issues in the marriage, while scores between 31 and 70 point to moderate to severe problems. Scores above 70 signal very serious marital distress. In terms of reliability, Hudson found a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.96, which shows excellent internal consistency, along with a Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) of 4.00, indicating high precision in measurement. In a pilot study conducted by the current researcher with a sample of 30 married individuals from Owerri Metropolis in Imo State, the IMS achieved a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.81, confirming its reliability across different populations. When it comes to validity, the IMS has demonstrated strong concurrent validity, showing significant positive correlations with established measures of marital quality, like the Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Test. This confirms that the IMS is sensitive enough to accurately capture the essence of marital satisfaction. Because of this, the IMS is a valuable tool not just for research but also for clinical assessments and marital counselling.
Procedure
The research took place in Awka South Local Government Area, located in Anambra State, Nigeria. To ensure a diverse range of respondents, the researcher carefully selected key residential and community hubs within Awka South. These included neighborhoods like Aroma, Amawbia, Umuokpu, Ifite, Nkwelle, and Udoka Housing Estate. The selection was based on factors such as high population density, socio-cultural diversity, and ease of access for data collection. This thoughtful approach allowed for the inclusion of married individuals from various socio-economic, occupational, and religious backgrounds, offering a well-rounded perspective on marital experiences in the area. With the help of four trained research assistants, the researcher distributed questionnaires to participants in their homes, churches, workplaces, and local businesses across the chosen areas. This multi-site strategy fostered greater community involvement and enhanced the study’s ecological validity. In total, 223 questionnaires were successfully handed out and collected for analysis. Participation was completely voluntary, and respondents received a thorough explanation of the study’s purpose, structure, and confidentiality measures to ensure informed consent and promote honest responses. Throughout the data collection process, ethical considerations such as transparency, voluntariness, and confidentiality were strictly maintained. These practices helped minimize bias, labeling, or response distortion, ensuring that the data gathered were both ethically sound and methodologically robust.
Research Design and Statistics
This study adopted a correlation design and Pearson Product Moment Correlation for analyses of the data collected using SPSS version 26.0.
Results
Table 1: Descriptive Statistics of Humour, spirituality, emotional intimacy and marital satisfaction
| N | Minimum | Maximum | Mean | Std. Deviation | Skewness | Kurtosis | |||
| Statistic | Statistic | Statistic | Statistic | Statistic | Statistic | Std. Error | Statistic | Std. Error | |
| Humour | 223 | 16 | 80 | 48.00 | 18.78 | .050 | .163 | -1.182 | .324 |
| Spirituality | 223 | 20 | 99 | 59.51 | 23.90 | .050 | .163 | -1.204 | .324 |
| Emotional Intimacy | 223 | 14 | 70 | 41.34 | 16.49 | .046 | .163 | -1.172 | .324 |
| Marital Satisfaction | 223 | 25 | 125 | 73.80 | 30.04 | .049 | .163 | 1.253 | .324 |
| Valid N (listwise) | 223 | ||||||||
Source: Questionnaire Primary Data
Table 1 revealed some interesting insights about humour, showing a positive skew of 0.050. This suggests that participants generally reported using humour more frequently in their marital relationships. The standard deviation (SD) of 18.78 indicates there was quite a bit of variation in humour scores among the participants. Similarly, spirituality also had a positive skew of 0.050, implying that most participants felt they had higher levels of spirituality. However, the negative kurtosis of -1.204 points to a flatter distribution, meaning that the responses were more spread out rather than clustered around the average. On the other hand, emotional intimacy had a negative skew of -1.172, suggesting that many participants indicated they experienced higher levels of emotional intimacy in their marriages. The SD of 16.49 reflects a moderate range of emotional intimacy scores. Lastly, marital satisfaction showed a negative skew of -1.253, indicating that most participants reported lower levels of satisfaction in their marriages. The kurtosis value of -1.253 also suggests a flatter distribution, highlighting that the responses were quite varied.
Table 2: Correlation table between Humour, spirituality, emotional intimacy and marital satisfaction of couples
| Humour | Spirituality | Emotional Intimacy | Marital Satisfaction | ||
| Humour | 1 | ||||
| Spirituality | -.036 | 1 | |||
| Emotional Intimacy | .694** | .694** | 1 | ||
| Marital Satisfaction | .460** | -.419** | .575** | 1 | |
The results shown in Table 2 revealed some interesting connections between the variables in the study. For instance, humour had a notable positive link with marital satisfaction (P < 0.01; r = 0.460), which means that couples who shared more laughter tended to feel happier in their marriages. Similarly, emotional intimacy also had a strong positive relationship with marital satisfaction (P < 0.01; r = 0.575), suggesting that couples who felt closer emotionally were more likely to report being satisfied in their relationships. On the flip side, spirituality appeared to have a negative correlation with marital satisfaction (P < 0.01; r = -0.419), indicating that those with higher levels of spirituality in this sample were less satisfied in their marriages. Interestingly, humour was strongly linked to emotional intimacy (P < 0.01; r = 0.694), and spirituality also showed a strong positive correlation with emotional intimacy (P < 0.01; r = 0.694). This suggests that both humour and spirituality might play a role in fostering emotional closeness in relationships. However, it’s worth noting that there was no significant correlation between humour and spirituality (P > 0.05; r = -0.036), which means that a couple’s sense of humour didn’t really relate to their level of spirituality.
Discussion
Humour and Marital Satisfaction
The result of the first hypothesis validated that humour is highly indicative of marital satisfaction among couples in Awka, Anambra State. This stresses humour’s potency to solidify affective relationships, conflict minimization, and relational quality enhancement. The result corroborates earlier findings by Johnson and Taylor (2018) and Carter and Williams (2016), who deduced that humour promotes intimacy and facilitates relational difficulty adjustment among couples through playful interaction and laughter sharing. Also, it is in agreement with Martin and Dobson’s (2019) assertion that affiliative and self-enhancing humour increases warmth and reduces negativity in marriage.
This study extrapolates these results to the Nigerian socio-cultural context, speculating that humour is a universal relationship resource capable of transcending cultural boundaries by enhancing positivity and resilience in marriages. This is particularly the case in situations where couples experience economic or emotional stressors, because humour has potential to be deployed as non-confrontational coping and create empathy and emotional safety.
However, the present results disagree with Chukwu and Nnamani (2017), who were not able to find a significant relationship between humour and marital satisfaction in urban couples in southeastern Nigeria. Sample characteristics, humour typologies, and cultural beliefs about humour may be responsible for the difference. While the present study examined positive, relationship-enhancing humour, previous studies may have included snide or aggressive humour that tends to hurt emotional attachments. This is consistent with the social exchange theory (Thibaut & Kelley, 1959, Ezeokana, et.al, 2019), which asserted that good interaction keeps relationships going and that humour is a reinforcing process that boosts satisfaction.
The second hypothesis that spirituality would have a high level of prediction in marital satisfaction was proven to be accepted. To everyone’s surprise, the findings identify a negative correlation in which higher spirituality was associated with lower marital satisfaction. This defies the popular assumption that spirituality always brings closer marriages and generates thoughts regarding the best forms through which it influences relational processes.
This finding is further enhanced by Harrison and Cole (2018), which found that highly spiritual individuals sometimes report lower marital satisfaction due to the fact that their perspectives on how religion plays a role within their marriage are incongruent. Johnson and Blake (2017) further observed that adherence to rules of religion strictly can become rigid, creating tension in the relationship. Carter and Evans (2019) further observed that couples emphasizing spiritual growth tend to neglect emotional and physical intimacy at times, inadvertently reducing satisfaction. Conversely, other studies such as Williams and Taylor (2016) and Lopez and Green (2020) found that spirituality was positively linked to marital satisfaction, particularly where couples share similar beliefs and engage in joint spiritual practices. In the African context, religious devotion, gender-role attitudes, and community-imposed expectations variation may condition the direction of spirituality’s effect.
The third hypothesis that emotional intimacy would be a good predictor of marital satisfaction was also supported. There was a positive correlation that revealed that higher emotional intimacy is associated with greater marital satisfaction. This finding endorses the central function of emotional intimacy to create satisfying and enduring marriages. This concurs with Laurenceau et al. (2015), which set that intimate sharing of emotions, trust, and openness predict higher relationship quality. Concurrent with this, Mikulincer and Shaver (2022) found that expressiveness of emotions and personal experience sharing strengthen marriage. They also emphasized that emotional closeness buffers against conflict, supporting empathy, successful conflict resolution, and long-term commitment. Nevertheless, Feeney and Noller (2020) cautioned that excessive emotional dependence might test the relationship, while Lopez and Green (2020) explained that unresolved trauma and communication failure may hinder emotional closeness.
Conclusion
This study identifies critical determinants of marital satisfaction among couples. Studies suggest that sense of humour increases marital satisfaction significantly by facilitating emotional closeness, reducing tension, and facilitating positive interaction. Negative correlation of spirituality with marital satisfaction suggests that rigid or contradictory religious expectations create pressure on the relationship by highlighting the need for open adaptive talks related to religious beliefs towards married life. Emotional closeness was the outstanding predictor of marital satisfaction, such that those couples who had more emotional proximity were more satisfied. Overall, the study highlights the significance of fostering positive relational tendencies, removing potential sources of tension, and advising interventions promoting marital well-being in this respect.
Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are proffered.
- Since humour was found to be correlated with marital satisfaction, humour should be encouraged as an integral component in the daily interaction of couples. Marriage therapists and relationship counsellors need to emphasize humour as a stress reduction coping strategy for marriage and greater emotional intimacy.
- Since spirituality has a negative relationship with marital satisfaction, religious institutions need to provide advice on how to harmonize spiritual devotion and marital compatibility. Religious couples need to be instructed in flexible religious rituals that are not in conflict or over-demanding with each other in their union.
- Since emotional intimacy was a positive predictor of marital satisfaction, couples need to prioritize open communication, listening, and emotional support. Marriage enrichment workshops and classes should be done to equip couples with the ability to form good emotional relationships.
- Premarital counselling should have modules on humour, emotional intimacy, and conflict resolution by religious and community organizations to equip couples with relevant relational skills.
- Government agencies and NGOs should arrange for programs strengthening the emotional bond of marriage. The programs should provide resource and training on successful communication, shared recreational activities, and emotional support systems.
- Spiritual leaders and community leaders should organize counselling centers where couples experiencing marital dissatisfaction due to spirituality-related problems may get counselling on reconciling religion and relationship goals.
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