Professional Dissertations DMin
Date of Award
2011
Document Type
Project Report
Degree Name
Doctor of Ministry
College
Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary
Program
Doctor of Ministry DMin
First Advisor
Richard L. Trott
Second Advisor
Ron M. Flowers
Abstract
Problem. Marital satisfaction for couples in general, and among members of the Seventh-day Adventist church in particular, needs to be improved. Research indicates that marital well being and longevity are critical issues facing both the church and the wider culture. Development of strategies and programs designed to increase happiness within the marital union are vital for strengthening family, church, and community.
Method. A structured facilitation marriage enrichment program was developed and presented by the researcher and his wife in three Seventh-day Adventist churches in southern Maine over a ten week period. A pre-test and an identical post-test were administered to volunteer married participants at the beginning and end of the program. Results were tabulated to evaluate the effect of the program on the marital satisfaction of the couples in ten specific areas.
Results. All areas surveyed demonstrated an increase in marital satisfaction over the 10- week program. Statistically significant (p < .05) positive outcomes for marital satisfaction were found in 7 out of the 10 areas surveyed.
Conclusions. This study demonstrates the value of conducting research-based marriage enrichment programs in order to improve the marital satisfaction of married couples in the Seventh-day Adventist church. Larger sample studies would be helpful in the future to determine if results are replicated for similar marriage enrichment programs. Longitudinal studies could prove beneficial in evaluating the positive duration of the change in marital satisfaction.
Subject Area
Marriage--Religious aspects--Christianity, Marriage mentoring
Recommended Citation
Knowles, Merlin L., "Improving Marital Satisfaction Using a Structured Facilitation Program in Three Southern Maine Congregations" (2011). Professional Dissertations DMin. 68.
https://dx.doi.org/10.32597/dmin/68/
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/68
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.32597/dmin/68/
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