Family satisfaction and stress in a sample of adult women and their implications in the educational setting

Abstract

Divorce is a stressful family event that can have lasting negative effects on children, even in adulthood. In this context, the marital breakdown of parents can influence the emotional and relational development of children, making the figure of a stable partner fundamental in adult life, since it provides a model of affective relationships that can affect emotional well-being and the ability to establish healthy bonds. The research included 233 women, aged between 26 and 60 years (mean = 34.21 years), and used a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Family Stress and Satisfaction Scale, and the Adult Attachment Questionnaire. The objectives of the study were to analyze the relationship between parental divorce and stress and family satisfaction, as well as to explore the influence of having or not having a stable partner on the dimensions of adult attachment. The results showed that women from
divorced families experienced greater family stress and lower family satisfaction compared
to those whose parents had not divorced. In addition, family stress was negatively linked to
family satisfaction and positively linked to emotional self-sufficiency and hostile resolution.
On the other hand, family satisfaction was positively related to the expression of feelings and negatively to family stress and low self-esteem. As for women without a stable partner, they presented higher scores in low self-esteem, need for approval, fear of rejection, emotional selfsufficiency and discomfort with intimacy. Given that no previous studies had been conducted on this topic, this work could provide valuable information and open up new lines of research.