1. society
2. social institution
3. marriage

Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development
QUALITY IN MARITAL RELATIONSHIP AND
SELF-ESTEEM
Chong Chin Yee
Kota Samarahan
2007
QUALITY IN MARITAL RELATIONSHIP AND SELF-ESTEEM
by
Chong Chin Yee
This project is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a
Bachelor of Counseling with Honours
Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
BORANG PENGESAHAN STATUS TESIS
JUDUL :
QUALITY IN MARITAL RELATIONSHIP AND SELF-ESTEEM
SESI PENGAJIAN :
Saya
Gred:
2004/ 2005
CHONG CHIN YEE
(HURUF BESAR)
mengaku membenarkan tesis* ini disimpan di Pusat khidmat Maklumat Akedemik, Universiti
Malaysia Sarawak dengan syarat-syarat kegunaan seperti berikut:
1.
Tesis adalah hakmilik Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
2.
Pusat Khitmat Maklumat Akademik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dibenarkan untuk
membuat salinan untuk tujuan pengajian sahaja.
3.
Pusar Khidmar Mallumat Akedemik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dibenarkan membuat
pendigittan untuk membangunankan Pangkalan Data Kandungan Tempatan.
4.
Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dibenarkan membuat
salinan tesis ini sebagai bahan pertukaran antara institusi pengajian tinggi.
5.
**sila tandakan (√)
SULIT
(mengandungi maklumat yang berdajah keselamatan atau kepentingan
seperti termaktub di dalam AKTA RAHSIA RASMI 1972)
TERHAD
(mengandungi maklumat terhad yang telah ditentukan oleh
organisasi/badan di mana penyelidikan dijalankan)
TIDAK TERHAD
_________________________
(TANDATANGAN PENULIS)
________________________________
(TANDATANGAN PENYELIA)
Alamat Tetap:
12, KIM LEE GARDEN,
JALAN SEMABA, KUCHING
Tatikh: ____________________
Tarikh: _________________________
Catatan: * Tesis dimaksudkan sebagai tesis bagi Ijazah Doktor Falsafah, Sarjana dan Sarjana Muda
* Jika tesis ini SULIT atau TERHAD, sila lampirkan surat daripada pihak berkuasa/ organisasi berkenaan dengan
menyatakan sekali sebab dan tempoh tesis ini perlu dikelaskan sebagai TERHAD.
The project entitled Quality in marital relationship and self-esteem was prepared
by Chong Chin Yee and submitted to the Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and
Human Development in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Bachelor of
Counseling with Honours.
Received for examination by:
__________________________
Pn. Fatahyah Yahya
Date:
___________
___________
Gred
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Special thanks are given to my supervisor, Pn. Fatahya yahya, who guided me
through out this research and monitored my progress through out this research.
She had given me clear explanation and command. Thanks for her concern about
my research and referred me to Cik Nurfatihah and En Rizal who are expert in
research analysis.
Appreciation goes to the cooperation given by Grace Baptist Church. Special
thanks to Reverend Daniel Wong Chin Choy who gave me the ideas and
commands when doing this research.
Thanks also given to my beloved family members, my mom and my brothers,
who not only give me moral support, but also providing me with useful resources.
With the support from them, I am able finished this study even though I faced
many difficulties and problems.
Special thanks are also given to the lecturers who gave the command for me to
improve during the presentation of proposal and presentation of findings. The
lecturers are En. Rizal Abu Bakar, Ms. Amalia Madihie, Pn. Jamayiah and En.
Idris. Also, I would like to thank En Rizal Abu Bakar for his advising on data
analysis and permission to get the factor analysis value for Rosenberg Self-esteem
Scale pilot test.
Appreciation goes to my course mates for sharing of knowledge and information:
Set Foon, Surriyani, Lee Chen, Yook Pei and Izarrina and Joe.
Thank you.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
iii
iv
vii
viii
x
Acknowledgement
Table of Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Abstract/ Abstrak
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.0
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
Introduction
Background of the study
Statement of problem
Objective of the study
1.3.2
General objective
1.3.3
Specific objectives
Conceptual framework
Research hypothesis
Significance of the study
Definition of key terms
1.7.1
Quality in marital relationship
1.7.2
Task accomplishment
1.7.3
Communication
1.7.4
Affective expression
1.7.5
Self-esteem
Limitation of the study
Conclusion
1
2
8
10
10
11
11
12
13
14
15
16
16
18
19
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0
2.1
Introduction
Literature review
2.1.1 Past research regarding quality
in marital relationship
2.1.2 Past research regarding self-esteem
2.1.3 Past research regarding the relationship
between marital relationship and
self-esteem
2.1.4
Past research on task accomplishment in
marital relationship
iv
20
21
24
25
27
2.1.5
2.2
2.3
2.4
Past research on communication in marital
relationship
2.1.6 Past research regarding affective expression
in marital relationship
2.1.7 Past research regarding the demographic
factors of gender
Theory approach
2.2.1 Theory approach to relationship:
Attachment Theory
Triangular Theory of Love
System Theory
2.2.2 Theory approach to communication
Social Exchange Theory
Structural Family Theory
2.2.3 Theory approach to affective expression
Experiential Family Theory
2.2.4 Theory approach to self-esteem
Theory of Maslow
Process model of Family functioning
Conclusion
28
31
32
33
35
37
38
39
41
42
44
45
CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
Introduction
Research design
Population and sampling
Research instrument
3.3.1 FAM-III, Dyadic Relationship Scale
3.3.2 Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale
3.3.3 Validity of reliability of Dyadic Relationship
Scale (2003)
3.3.4 Validity and Reliability of Rosenberg
Self-Esteem Scale (1965)
Pilot test
Data collection
Data analysis
Conclusion
v
46
47
47
47
49
50
51
52
53
53
56
CHAPTER 4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
4.0
Introduction
57
4.1
Descriptive statistic of demographic factors
of respondent
4.1.1 Gender
4.2 Result of hypothesis
4.2.1 Relationship between quality of marital
relationship and level of self-esteem
4.2.2 Difference of self-esteem base on gender
4.2.3 Relationship between task accomplishment in
marital relationship and self-esteem
4.2.4 Relationship between communication in
marital relationship and self-esteem
4.2.5 Relationship between affective expression in
marital relationship and self-esteem
4.3 Summary of result
4.4 Conclusion
58
58
60
63
65
67
69
70
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 Introduction
5.1 Research summary
5.2 Recommendation (based on the result of the research)
5.2.1 Church
5.2.2 The field of counseling
5.2.3 Researcher in the future
5.3 Conclusion
REFFRENCES
APPENDIX
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Questionnaire
Letter to the organization
vi
71
72
75
76
78
80
LIST OF FIGURES
Diagram 1.1
The conceptual framework of quality in marital relationship and
self-esteem
11
Diagram 2.1
The diagram of John Bowlby’s description about patterns of
attachment
34
Diagram 2.2
The diagram of the triangular theory of love
37
Diagram 2.3
The diagram of Maslow hierarchy of needs
42
Diagram 2.4
Process Model of Family Functioning
44
vii
LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1
Four point scale of Dyadic Relationship Scale ranging from
strongly agrees to strongly disagree.
48
Table 3.2
The ranking for the score of Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale.
49
Table 3.3
Four point scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree.
50
Table 3.4
The strength of correlation value
54
Table 3.5
Data analysis methods which are used to measure the subjects of
study.
55
Table 4.1
The descriptive statistic of gender
58
Table 4.2
The result of Spearman Correlation of relationship between quality
relationship and self-esteem
59
Table 4.3
The analysis of t-test to the self-esteem base on the demographic
factor of gender.
61
Table 4.4
The result of Spearman Correlation of the relationship between
task accomplishment and self-esteem
63
Table 4.5
The result of Spearman Correlation of the relationship between
communication and self-esteem
65
viii
Table 4.6
The result of Spearman Correlation of the relationship between
affective expression and self-esteem
67
Table 4.7
The summary of the result of this research
69
ix
ABSTRACT
QUALITY IN MARITAL RELATIONSHIP AND SELF-ESTEEM
Chong Chin Yee
This study aims in studying the relationship between quality in marital
relationship and self-esteem. In studying the relationship between quality in
marital relationship and self-esteem, researcher make hypothesis to study the
relationship between quality in marital relationship and self-esteem, the
relationship between task accomplishment and self-esteem, the relationship
between communication and self-esteem, and the relationship between affective
expression and self-esteem. Spearman correlation Analysis Method was used to
analysis the relationship between these variables. Besides studying the
relationship between these variables, the researcher also looked at the differences
of participants’ self-esteem base on selected demographic factor of gender. The
difference in term of gender was analyzed using t-test. A survey research was
conducted using questionnaires which were selected from Dyadic Relationship
Scale (2003) in Family Assessment Manual, version III and, Rosenberg
Self-esteem Scale (1965). The Dyadic Relationship Scale was used to measure the
relationship of the participants with their partner while the Rosenberg Self-esteem
Scale was used to measure self-esteem of the participants. Task accomplishment,
communication and affective expression are three of the seven subscales taken
from Dyadic Relationship Scale in this study. By using purposive sampling
method, 75 out of 120 Christians from Grace Baptist Church Kuching were taken
as the sample. The result shows that there is relationship between quality in
relationship and self-esteem. The hypothesis of difference of the Christians’
self-esteem base on demographic factors was accepted. There is no difference of
individuals’ self-esteem base on the demographic factor of gender.
Communication in marital relationship is found to have no relationship with
self-esteem. However, the researcher found that there is relationship between task
accomplishment and self-esteem, and affective expression and self-esteem. This
shows that task accomplishment and affective expression is an important element
in marital relationship as they affect Christians’ self-esteem and Christian’s
self-esteem might be affected by task accomplishment and affective expression in
marital relationship.
x
ABSTRAK
PERHUBUNGAN PERKAHWINAN DAN SELF-ESTEEM
Chong Chin Yee
Kajian ini dijalankan untuk mengenalpasti perhubungan di antara kualiti
perhubungan perkahwinan dengan self-esteem. Pengkaji membuat enam hipotesis
untuk mengkaji perhubungan perkahwinan dan self-esteem dalam kajian ini. Di
antaranya ialah perhubungan di antara perhubungan perkahwinan dengan
self-esteem, perhubungan di antara pencapaian tugasan dengan self-esteem,
perhubungan di antara komunikasi dengan self-esteem dan perhubungan ekspresi
perasaan dengan self-esteem. Korelasi Spearman telah digunakan untuk mengkaji
perhubungan di antara pembolehubah ini.Selain daripada mengkaji perhubungan
di antara pembolehubah ini, pengkaji juga melihat kepda perbezaan self-esteem
responden berdasarkan faktor demografi seperti jantina dan pendapatan bulanan.
Analisis t-test digunakan untuk menganalisis faktor demografi. Satu tinjauan
dibuat dengan menggunakan soalan daripada Dyadic Relationship Scale (2003)
dalam Family Assessment Manual, Versi ke-3 dan Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale
(1965). Dyadic Relationship Scale digunakan untuk menguji perhubungan di
antara responden dengan pasangan manakala Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale
diguankan untuk mengkaji self-esteem peserta. Komunikasi dan ekspresi perasaan
merupakan dua daripada 7 sub-skala instrumen Dyadic Relationship Scale dalam
kajian ini. Dengan menggunakan kaedah sample purposive, 75 responden
daripada 120 orang reponden daripada Gereja Grace Baptist Kuching menyertai
kajian ini. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa terdapat perhubungnan di antara
perhubungan perkahwinan dengan tahap self-esteem. Hipotesis untuk perbezaan
di antara self-esteem berdasarkan factor demografi menunjukkan keputussan
diterima. Dengan itu, tiada perbezaan di antara self-esteem individu berdasarkan
factor demografi. Kajian ini juga mendapati tiada perhubungan di antara
komunikasi dengan self-esteem. Tetapi, pengkaji mendapati terdapat perhubungan
di antara pencapaian tugasan dengan self-esteem dan expresi perasaan dengan
self-esteem. Keputusan ini menunjukkan bahawa expresi perasaan merupakan
elemen yang penting kerana ekspresi perasaan dalam perhubungan perkahwinan
akan mempengaruhi self-esteem. Di sebaliknya, Kristian ataupun self-esteem
Kristian akan mempengaruhi pencapaian tugasan dan ekspresi perasaan dalam
perhubungan perkahwinan.
xi
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
Quality in marital relationship and self-esteem are no longer new subject
study of researchers. For many years, the researchers study about issues of
marriage ranging from communication to the more critical issues like divorce and
domestic violence. Self-esteem is also a popular subject of study currently.
Though these two subjects are popular in the field of research, only in the past 10
years that researchers start to concern about the influence of quality relationship to
the adult’s self-esteem. This chapter will describe the background of the study,
problem statement, conceptual framework, significance of the study and main key
words in this study.
1.1 Background of the Study
Marriage is legal union between a man and a woman. Marriage is defined as a
total commitment and a total sharing of the person with another person until death.
The sharing includes insights, ideas, abilities, problems, success, sufferings and
failures. A husband and wife are a team and whatever each of them does must be
for the sake of the other person, or at least it must not be the detriment of the other
person. Each must be as concerned about the other person’s needs as he is about
his own (Eph..5: 28 and Prov. 31: 12, 27: As cited in Mack, 1999).
In Christian’s perspective, God designed marriage as the foundational
element of all human society. Marriage is a foundational institution, and the first
to be instituted formally as a sphere of human society. Society depends on
marriage because when a marriage was not stable it will affect the other subunit in
the society like workplace and government.
In the Bible, term of companionship in marriage is described as the close,
intimate relationship of a husband and wife to one another. The word
companionship in the bible also poses the meaning of union or association. In this
relationship, there are unity in thoughts, goals, plans, and efforts. Two passages in
Malachi and Proverbs of the bible stated that marriage has the meaning of the
desire for both husband and wife to meet each other’s need for companionship
(Adams, 1986). Thus, in marriage, satisfying spouse’s companionship that he or
she needs is important, as companionship is the essence of the marriage.
Problems come when people fail to establish a good quality of marital
relationship. Both of the spouses or one of them may not satisfy or happy with the
partner. Before they come to the divorce, they will have conflicts and other marital
issues. The issue of divorce is no longer a new issue in the Malaysia. In 2006, the
2
country’s divorce rate is 12.13% (Islamic Department, 2006). People get divorced
with many reasons when they think that they shall not commit to the relationship
anymore.
More and more adults choose to live single instead of committing to marital
relationship. There are people prefer living in a cohabitation relationship rather
than a committed relationship in marriage. In America, married-couple families
declined from 70.6% of all families in 1970 to 52.5% in 2000 (William, Sawyer &
Wahlstrom, 2006). In Malaysia, the rate of marriage shows the figure of 110,951
in 2005, which is slightly lower than 2004 which is 111,944 (Islamic Department,
2006). Generally, the marriage rate does not change dramatically from 1995 to
2005 and the rate is reducing. The reducing rate of marriage implies that marriage
is getting less important to the people nowadays.
Marriage has changed over the time and the quality of relationships is getting
more attention by people. According to a scholar, Watson (2003), marriage has
changed over the past 30 to 40 years. He also described that close and personal
relationships are vital for psychological well-being as the quality of relationship
has great impact on individuals’ development, well-being, and overall meaning of
life.
The concepts of quality in marital relationship were studied by researcher
differently. Marital quality, a catch-all phrase that refers to satisfaction,
adjustment and happiness, was the focus of intense research energy through the
1980's and 1990's. According to Glenns (1990), only modest advances were made
in understanding successful marriage (As cited in Parker, 2002). Some researches
view that the quality of relationship in marriage determines successful of marriage.
Recently, the researchers also try to understand marital developmental processes
3
in studying the marital relationship (Parker, 2002).
Marital relationship has been the issue and also the reason for clients to attend
the counseling session. Warren Research Group (2006) reviewed 40,026
Employee Assistant Program (EAP) marital cases from 2000, 2001 and 2002 in
Canada to study three marital cases: marital or relationship issue; separation or
divorce and domestic violence. Those three issues were found to be the most
frequently assessed, becoming more prevalent over the past three years and
causing greater level of stress among EAP clients. The study also found that
62.1% of all marital or relationship cases, clients tend to seek counseling to
improve the quality of their relationship rather than seeking counseling for the
issue of separation or divorce (Watson, 2003).
Interpersonal communication can be used for developing fulfilling
relationships, managing conflict cooperatively improving relationships, and for
helping spouses meet interpersonal needs. However, interpersonal communication
can also be hurt people, to deceive them, and in aggressive, selfish and
argumentative ways (Steven, Susan & Mark, 2005). Positive communication helps
to build the relationship while the negative communication hurts the feeling and
may influence individual psychologically.
Self-esteem is a widely used concept both in popular language and in
psychology. According to Blascovich and Tomaka (1991), self-esteem refers to an
individual's sense of his or her value or worth, or the extent to which a person
values, approves of, appreciates, prizes, or likes him or herself. The most broad
and frequently cited definition of self-esteem within psychology is Rosenberg's
(1965), who described it as a favorable or unfavorable attitude toward the self (As
cited in Nancy & Stewart, 2004). In psychological interpretation, self-esteem is
4
about psychological health, about motivations, and about personal identity. In
Social Psychology perspective, self-esteem is people’s evaluations of their own
self-worth- that is the extent to which they view themselves as good, competent,
and decent (Aronson, Wilson and Akerf, 2005).
Different approaches define and study self-esteem differently. The
contemporary approach defines self-esteem as a kind of resource or asset. People
desire self-esteem just as they may be expected to desire prosperity, good physical
health, or freedom of thought. But they also regard it as something they should
have by right. And, if they are lack of self-esteem, it is because they have been
denied or deprived of it through the actions or inactions of others. Human science
approach encourages the belief that self-esteem is good for the individual who is
blessed with it and also the society.
It had become a fashionable notion that high self-esteem inoculates people,
and in particular young people, against vulnerability to a wide range of social ills.
According to Emler (2001), those who possess high self-esteem are less likely to
abuse drugs, commit crimes, fail to benefit from education, engage in unsafe
sexual practices that could pose a risk to health or result in unwanted pregnancies,
suffer from stress, develop eating disorders, perpetrate acts of racism or child
abuse or violence towards their partners, become chronically dependent on the
state for financial support, get depressed or make suicide attempts. The benefits of
having high level of self-esteem are more than this.
What are the views of scholars and scientists? According to James (1890),
self-esteem can be increased by achieving greater success and maintained by
avoiding failures. However, self-esteem cannot be predicted purely from the
objective level of success a person achieves. What determine the successes is their
5
opinions towards their achievements (As cited in Emler, 2001).
There is evidence that, in whatever circumstances, young people want many
things. For example, young people from deprived areas share conventional
aspiration for their adult lives. Their goals are nice house, good job, nice car and
nice family (Johnston et al., 2000: Emler, 2001). Self-esteem is more closely
linked to aspirations for personal qualities comparing with other variables.
What shape our self-esteem are not our objective accomplishments
objectively and directly appraised, but the anticipated judgments of these
accomplishments by other people. Morris Rosenberg (1965) devised a method for
measuring self-esteem base on the notion that it is a variety of attitude. Attitudes
were defined primarily in terms of emotional or evaluative reactions; they
constitute our reactions of approval or disapproval, liking or dislike, for social
practices, habits of behaviour, and categories of people, political policies and
public figures. Rosenberg regarded self-esteem as an evaluative attitude towards
the self. This attitude is powerfully shaped by what others are believed to think of
the self. The enduring significance of Rosenberg’s definition is that it is embodied
in his self-esteem scale and this scale has become the gold standard of self-esteem
approach.
According to sociologist, Cooley, people’s propositions about what other
people think of them are derived from how they actually treat them (Emler, 2001).
That is how the Dyadic Relationship Scale measures the quality in relationship
through asking individuals’ perception towards partner. What the partner does to
an individual will affect the individual’s perception. The perception will influence
the individual’s self-esteem. Thus, the quality of relationship has relationship with
self-esteem.
6
In understanding nature of self-esteem and how it differs in different
individuals, William James thought that self-esteem would vary in two ways. First,
it would behave rather like an emotion; it would fluctuate, if not from hour to hour
then certainly from day to day and perhaps from week to week (Emler, 2001). His
perception is that the self-esteem is reactive and it is changeable. The reactions are
the changeable conditions and emotions of a person in daily life. The perception
of this scholar is that there is relationship between affective expression and
self-esteem.
Mark Leary’s view towards self-esteem is that the relevant conditions are the
state of one’s relations with others. When these relations are good, that is, when
one is accepted, included and loved; then self-esteem will be relatively high.
When relations are bad, that is, when one is rejected, excluded and loved; then
self-esteem will be low (As cited in Emler, 2001). This applies to the relationship
between affective expression and self-esteem where individuals’ self-esteem will
be high when they feel accepted, included and loved by their partner. In contrast,
when individuals feel that they are not accepted, included and loved by their
partner, their self-esteem will be low.
For Leary, low self-esteem acts as a warning about the poor state of one’s
relationships with other people and a signal that repair work is needed (Emler,
2001). When relate to the quality relationship in marriage, low self-esteem of a
married individual might be the signal that he or she is in the poor state of marital
relationship. This poor state of relationship will be the signal that something need
to be done to improve the current state of relationship.
7
1.2 Statement of Problem
This study aims to study the relationship between quality in marital
relationship and level of self-esteem among the married individuals in Grace
Baptist Church, Kuching. This research will also examine the relationship
between perception of individuals towards partner’s task accomplishment,
communication and affective expression, and the individuals’ self-esteem.
Grace Baptist Church is one of the churches which emphasize the spirituality
and Christians’ well-being. The church gives lesson to the Christian weekly and
they are encouraged to attend courses to improve their knowledge, well-being and
spirituality in Sunday School. Marriage in the perspective of Christian is holy and
it involves commitment. The issues of marriage are always taken seriously
through educating the Christian, organizing marriage enrichment program for the
adult before they are married. Counseling services are also given to spouses who
face problems in marriage.
Self-esteem is one of the qualities that the members of the church is always
strike for. In Christian’s perspective, spirituality influences individuals’ level of
self-esteem. They believe that believing in the God will determine their
self-esteem. This is from the spirituals perspective that how is the self-esteem
formed. The environment factors such as quality relationship in marriage have not
been considered of having relationship with self-esteem.
In society, there are many issues involves in marriage like divorce, remarriage,
domestic violence, sexuality, and having affair. These issues are related to the
quality in marital relationship as those who involves in these issues will claim
about their satisfaction in marriage.
8
According to Elmer (2001), those with low self-esteem are more likely to
commit crimes, involve in drug abuse and involve in other personality disorder. In
marriage, low level of self-esteem will be the reason for the appearance of the
marital issues discuss earlier. Thus, self-esteem in marriage is also related to the
issues in marriage.
The quality in marital relationship and self-esteem might be the two related
factors that have relationship with issues of marriage like divorce, remarriage,
domestic violence, sexuality and having affair.
Marriage was once part of the natural progression into adulthood, a mean of
achieving independence and an identity distinct from one's parents (Parker, 2002).
As marriage is a part of psychological development, the identities of individuals
are developed in the process of developing marital relationship. Task
accomplishment in marital relationship, communication in marital relationship
and affective expression in marital relationship are elements that have relationship
with the developing of identity or self-esteem of married individuals.
9
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.3.1 General Objective
The main purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between quality
of marital relationship and self-esteem among the Christian of Grace Baptist
Church.
1.3.2 Specific Objectives
The objectives of this study are to determine:
1.
the relationship between quality relationship and level of self-esteem among
the married Christian of Grace Baptist Church.
2.
the difference of self-esteem base on demographic factor of gender.
3. the relationship between task accomplishment in marital relationship and
self-esteem.
4.
the relationship between communication in marital relationship and
self-esteem.
5.
the relationship between affective expression in marital relationship and
self-esteem.
10
1.4 Conceptual Framework
Demographic Factors

Gender
Dependent Variable
Independent Variable
Self-esteem
Quality of the Relationship

Task Accomplishment

Communication

Affective Expression
Diagram 1.1 The conceptual framework of quality in marital relationship and
self-esteem
1.5 Research Hypothesis
Hｏ1:
There is no significant relationship between quality in marital
relationship and self-esteem.
Hｏ2:
There is no significant difference of self-esteem base on demographic
factor of gender.
Hｏ3:
There is no significant relationship between task accomplishment
and self-esteem.
Hｏ4:
There is no significant relationship between communication and
self-esteem.
Hｏ5:
There is no significant relationship between affective expression and
self-esteem.
11