Cultural Values and Marital Satisfaction: Do Collectivism and Gender Role Orientation Affect Marital Satisfaction among Palestinian Couples?

This study investigated the effects of Gender Role Orientation (described as “masculinity” and “femininity) and collectivism on marital satisfaction in Palestine. Three hundred and seven married participants (187 men and 120 women) completed four self-report questionnaires examining cultural dimensions of marriage, gender role orientation, and marital satisfaction. Based on the results, Palestinian participants reported to be more satisfied with marriages that were collectivistic, based on feminine characteristics, and held more egalitarian gender role orientation. All differences between males and females in all observed variables were insignificant (p > 0.05) except the differences in characteristics of “masculinity”, where males were significantly more masculine than females (p < 0.001). The data supports the proposed model (with all paths coefficient significant) that collectivism, and “masculinity” on a cultural level, and gender role orientation at an individual level had significant effects on marital satisfaction. According to the results, counselors and social workers need to understand the roles of collectivism and masculinity in marital relationships when working with individuals from more traditional cultural backgrounds.