Emotional Intelligence And Appearance Anxiety As Predictors Of Marital Satisfaction

Abstract

This study investigated emotional intelligence and appearance anxiety as predictors of marital satisfaction. One hundred and fifty (150) participants comprising female married teachers drawn from five government secondary schools in Enugu zone, Enugu State Nigeria, participated in this study. The participants age range were 25- 50 years (mean age = 37.70, standard deviation = 7.26) and were drawn using a multi-stage sampling technique (balloting, systematic and simple random methods). The study adopted a correlational research design in which Emotional Intelligence Scale, Appearance Anxiety Inventory and Index of Marital Satisfaction were administered for data collection, while hierarchical linear regression analysis was used for data analysis. Thus, regulation of emotions as a dimension of emotional intelligence positively predicted marital satisfaction among female married teachers (β= 1.526, t = 2.064, p<.05). Then it also revealed that appearance anxiety positively predicted marital satisfaction (β= 1.143, t = 2.093, P<.05), while emotional intelligence and appearance anxiety jointly did not predict marital satisfaction (β= -.010, t = -1.138, p>.05). The results of the study were discussed; the implications of the findings highlighted, and suggestions were made for further studies. Thus, married women should be enlightened on the need to be emotionally intelligent especially in the aspect of regulation of emotions, in that way they will be able to manage and control their own emotion and that of their spouses, thereby minimizing conflict in their marriage and equally resisting the irrational heat from external pressures.