Author: Wen Yang
Yang, Wen, 2020 Comparing levels of marital satisfaction among Chinese populations in mainland China and Australia: A Cross-sectional Study , Flinders University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
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Purpose: The purpose and specific aim of this study are to understand the cultural differences in marital satisfaction when Chinese couples live in Chinese cultural norms and Chinese couples live in Australian cultural norms.
Background: Marital satisfaction has been one of the major reasons to impact couples’ mental health in China. Improving marital satisfaction and wellbeing is one of the most important, contentious and exciting issues in contemporary public health.
Methods: To answer this question, this quantitative study measured and compared the level of marital satisfaction and the degree of happiness for Chinese people living in mainland China and living in Australia by using independent sample t-test. The instrument, The Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI-32) in both Chinese and English vision, have been validated in both languages and were published online. By and large, 1235 responded and finally selected 420 responses (Australian Chinese, n=202; Mainland Chinese, n=218) after data screening.
Results: The result of analysing this quantitative data indicates the level of marital satisfaction and the degree of happiness for those Chinese people who are living in mainland Chinese cultural norms and Australian cultural norms differ significantly. Overall, the Chinese living in mainland China have a lower level of marital satisfaction when compared with Chinese who live in Australia. The higher degree of happiness corresponds to a relative level of the higher degree of happiness. Therefore, both groups considered themselves happy in reference to their cultural situation. Consequently, this was not able to be compared. Furthermore, the length of time Chinese couples spend in Australia increases their level of marital happiness, possibly demonstrating some impact of the Australian culture on happiness.
Implications: Finally, the findings suggest that cultural beliefs can have positive or negative influences on couple relationships. Therefore, health professionals who caring and treating Chinese in mainland China and Australia, need to promote positive cultural factors and inhibit the negative factors in order to improve mental wellbeing for Chinese. This study emphasises the need to take into account the impacts of cultural norms in mental health services along with marital satisfaction for Chinese people.
Keywords: Mental Health, Happiness, Marital Satisfaction, Chinese Cultural Norms, Australian Cultural Norms
Subject: Nursing thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2020
School: College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Supervisor: Dr Yvonne Parry