The Process of Mate Selection and Marital Adjustment of the Hearing-impaired
| Autor: | Chiu-Shuang Wang, 王秋霜 |
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| Rok vydání: | 2006 |
| Druh dokumentu: | 學位論文 ; thesis |
| Popis: | 94 The purpose of this study was to investigate the process of mate selection and marital adjustment of the hearing-impaired. Five married adults (2 males and 3 females, aged between 28 and 38) with hearing impairment and children were interviewed. Data gathered in the interviews was analyzed by the principle of open coding in qualitative research. The results and discussions of the research were presented in three sections: I. Descriptions about experiences on the mate selection and marital adjustment by the interviewed hearing-impaired. Narrations by the interviewees were arranged in chronological order. II. Phenomena in mate selection and marital adjustment of the interviewed hearing-impaired. Including incidents/events encountered in each stage of each interviewee’s mate selection and marital adjustment, as well as their interpretations, responses, and results were explored. III. General analysis and discussion were divided into three sections: 1. Factors affecting the process of mate selection of the five interviewees could be categorized into three aspects: individual, family, and society. (1) Individual factors: Hearing impairment and communication characteristics influenced the five interviewees’ psychology and interpersonal interaction, stifled their marital viewpoint, and interfered with their mate selection. Pre-established mate-selection conditions, such as consideration on the hearing ability and communication style of the spouse, overruled the scope and result of mate selection. Response to obstacles in mate selection impacted current cognition, emotion, and behavior. In general, the five interviewees demonstrated abundant compassion, awareness of reality, and flexibility in adapting environment. (2) Family background: Original family experience influenced self-assessment and mate-selection behavior. In addition, expectations and opinions from family had crucial influence on decision-making in mate selection and marriage. (3) Social influences: Experiences of learning by observation influenced mate-selection behavior and marital viewpoint. Spatial location and friend-making opportunities were deterministic factors on mate selection which can make the hearing-impaired of the same life cycle contact and socialize easier. Interruption of a third party might result in block or encouragement of courtship. Misunderstanding and prejudice of the public on the hearing-impaired people caused limitation on their opportunities of courtship and marriage. 2. Factors and issues involving the marital adjustment: (1) Interaction between the couple: Premarital courtship experiences influenced the interviewees’ post-marriage interaction with their couple. Frequent expression of positive emotion enhanced marriage satisfaction. Couples’ personalities were critical factors affecting marriage quality. Willingness to communication and confliction resolution actions had greater influence than the communication problems derived from hearing impairment. (2) Child-raising issues: Inheritance was an inevitable concern in the forming of planned parenthood. Further, hearing impairment caused difficulties in raising the children but still could not eliminate positive significance of child-raising. (3) In-laws relationship: Different family structure incurred diverse issues in the five interviewees’ marital adjustment. Communication problems derived from the interaction between the hearing-impaired and in-laws. (4) Social activities and recreation: Adequate friend-making provided the hearing-impaired with psychological support. Planning and participation in recreational activities added flavor and excitement to marital life. (5) Economy and employment: Long working hours of the husbands impacted the balance in family life. The interviewed hearing-impaired individuals faced a dilemma between career development and family life. 3. Important phenomena and issues involving the mate selection and martial adjustment of the interviewed hearing-impaired include: (1) Hearing impairment was a crucial factor through the process of mate selection and marital adjustment. (2) Specific issues in mate selection and marital adjustment were different from gender. (3) Further investigation could be made on the influence of parents’ marriage on the process of mate selection and marital adjustment of the hearing-impaired adults. (4) Limitations caused by misunderstanding, stereotyping, biases from the society, and limitation caused by the environment were more harmful than their hearing impairment. According to the findings, suggestions for unmarried and married hearing-impaired individuals, counselors, educational institutes or government authorities, and future researchers were provided. |
| Databáze: | Networked Digital Library of Theses & Dissertations |
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