مطالعه تعارضات زناشویی بین فرهنگی و رضایت در تایوان

Research indicates that culture affects an individual's choice of conflict management strategies. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of culture on conflict management styles and marital satisfaction in inter-ethnic marriages in Taiwan. Data for analysis were provided by 201 couples consisting of Taiwanese husbands and their foreign spouses from Southeast Southeastern Asia and China. Snowball and purposive sampling were chosen to recruit participants nation-wide in Taiwan. Self-report questionnaires were used. This study has examined the validity of Rahim's five styles of conflict management strategies in the context of inter-ethnic marital relations. The effect of culture on marital conflicts and satisfaction proved significant. Results suggest that cultural expectations of sex-appropriate behaviors influence men and women to socialize differently to conform to prevailing gender ideologies in marriage. The theoretical and practical implications of the effect of culture on conflict management strategies and marital satisfaction are discussed.

Couples use strategies to manage their conflict in an effort to construct and execute meaningful and rewarding relationships. Research indicates that culture affects an individual's choice of conflict management strategies (Ting-Toomey, 1994 and Ting-Toomey and Oetzel, 2001). Relatively little conflict research has been reported on ethnically diverse marriages (Mackey and O’Brien, 1998 and Miller, 1994) and even less, if any, on inter-ethnic marriages. Research on marital conflict focuses mainly on white, college-educated, middle-class couples (Caughlin and Vangelisti, 2000, Haferkamp, 1991, Heavey et al., 1993 and Levenson and Gottman, 1985). Although different cultural groups may face similar issues in their interpersonal conflict, they may have different conflict needs, wants, and expectations (Ting-Toomey & Oetzel, 2002). Although working-class and middle-class couples may face similar issues in their interpersonal relationships, there are differences in how diverse groups handle conflicts (Rubin, 1976). Factors that affect marital conflict among white, middle-class Americans may be different from those that affect other ethnic groups. With the world growing smaller, inter-ethnic intimate relations become a common phenomenon in the global village (Ting-Toomey, 1994). Hence, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of culture on conflict management and marital satisfaction in working-class inter-ethnic marriages in collectivist cultures.

This study had examined the validity of Rahim's five styles of conflict management strategies in the context of inter-ethnic marital relations. In general the findings support the gender role strain paradigm in inter-cultural marital conflict. These results demonstrated that culture affects the use of conflict styles and marital satisfaction in inter-ethnic marriages. Overall, the effect of culture on conflict management strategies and marital satisfaction provided both theoretical and practical implications for interpersonal researchers, marriage counselors, social workers, students and teachers. The different conflict management strategies used by husbands and wives are should be recognized by social workers and marriage counselors when selecting modes of intervention. With increasing numbers of inter-ethnic marriages, marriage counselors and social workers may become increasingly active in helping couples to negotiate marital conflict caused by cultural differences. Hopefully, this study also helps individuals to gain new insight to enhance their own options in approaching and managing conflict.