The Relationship between Gender & Perceived Life-Satisfaction in Intimate Romantic Relationships
Mentor 1
Dr. Susan Wolfgram
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
24-4-2015 2:30 PM
End Date
24-4-2015 3:45 PM
Description
College is a time for emerging adults to create and sustain lifelong relationships. Erik Erikson’s life stage of emerging adulthood pertains to individuals ages 18-25 whose principal developmental goal is to achieve intimacy within a relationship (Arnett, 2000). Considering that a romantic relationship becomes the primary relationship throughout adulthood, it is extremely important that college students are aware of how these social connections can have a lasting impact on their life. This nonrandom pilot study investigated attitudes about the effects of the intimate romantic relationship on perceived life-satisfaction by surveying 113 male and female college students at a Midwestern university. It was hypothesized that intimacy achievement would positively affect the life-satisfaction of both genders; however, we anticipated that females would be more greatly affected than males based on literature and Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Theory. Survey data was statistically analyzed using frequencies, cross-tabulations, mean comparisons, independent t-tests, and a reliability analysis. Results indicated a significant gender difference in one of our variables, self-disclosure. Females reported higher levels of disclosure in their relationships than males. Therefore, both males and females responded similarly to the other variables, perceiving intimate romantic relationships in college to have a positive effect on their life-satisfaction. This research showed that college students’ perceived life-satisfaction is significantly impacted by their intimate romantic relationships. Practitioners that work with college students need to be aware that emerging adulthood is a sensitive time for college students as they navigate their way through Erikson’s stage of Intimacy versus Isolation. We would recommend sensitivity to the importance of this experience and being willing to be open about intimacy and loneliness.
The Relationship between Gender & Perceived Life-Satisfaction in Intimate Romantic Relationships
Union Wisconsin Room
College is a time for emerging adults to create and sustain lifelong relationships. Erik Erikson’s life stage of emerging adulthood pertains to individuals ages 18-25 whose principal developmental goal is to achieve intimacy within a relationship (Arnett, 2000). Considering that a romantic relationship becomes the primary relationship throughout adulthood, it is extremely important that college students are aware of how these social connections can have a lasting impact on their life. This nonrandom pilot study investigated attitudes about the effects of the intimate romantic relationship on perceived life-satisfaction by surveying 113 male and female college students at a Midwestern university. It was hypothesized that intimacy achievement would positively affect the life-satisfaction of both genders; however, we anticipated that females would be more greatly affected than males based on literature and Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Theory. Survey data was statistically analyzed using frequencies, cross-tabulations, mean comparisons, independent t-tests, and a reliability analysis. Results indicated a significant gender difference in one of our variables, self-disclosure. Females reported higher levels of disclosure in their relationships than males. Therefore, both males and females responded similarly to the other variables, perceiving intimate romantic relationships in college to have a positive effect on their life-satisfaction. This research showed that college students’ perceived life-satisfaction is significantly impacted by their intimate romantic relationships. Practitioners that work with college students need to be aware that emerging adulthood is a sensitive time for college students as they navigate their way through Erikson’s stage of Intimacy versus Isolation. We would recommend sensitivity to the importance of this experience and being willing to be open about intimacy and loneliness.
