S u m m a r y

Kinnunen U, Rytkönen O, Miettinen N & Pulkkinen L (2000)

Personality and marriage: Personality characteristics as predictors of marital quality and stability.

Psykologia 35(4):332-345. Vammala ISSN 0355-1067

 

The aim of the study was to examine the role of personality in predicting marital quality and stability. Personality and marital data on a sample of men (n = 134) and women (n = 135) who either lived or had lived in a cohabiting or marital relationship by age 36 was obtained in four stages. Personality data was collected at ages 8, 14 and 27 using teacher ratings and personality inventories, and marital data at age 36 using interviews and questionnaires. A series of hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that for both genders poor marital quality at age 36 was explained by personality characteristics, in particular neuroticism at age 27. In addition, a stable career line for women and living in a marriage for men predicted high quality in the current relationship. A series of hierarchical logistic regressions showed that marital instability was predicted by low agreeableness in women and by non-conscientiousness and extraversion in men at age 27. However, also some characteristics at age 8 - aggressiveness in both genders and lack of compliance in men - increased the risk of divorce by age 36. Furthermore, some demographic and life course variables (e.g. women's young age at marriage, men's unstable career line and childnessness) played a significant role in predicting marital instability by age 36.

 

 

Key words:

Marital quality, marital stability, personality characteristics.

 

Ulla Kinnunen, Ph.D., Outi Rytkönen, MA, Nina Miettinen, MA & Lea Pulkkinen D.Ed., Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, P.O.Box 35, FIN-40351 Jyväskylä, Finland.