| This descriptive study examined the relationship between marital satisfaction and parental satisfaction of families with adolescents. This quantitative approach employed a correlational research design. Participants involved in the study lived in a selected urban area of Chicago, Illinois. The sample was 94 legally married couples ranging in age from 28 to 66 years. Purposive sampling was utilized in obtaining participants. Each participant completed the Cleminshaw-Guidubaldi and Parent Satisfaction Scale (CGPSS) and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). A socio-demographic questionnaire was also developed specifically to obtain information regarding participants' age, race, gender, income, education and number of teen children in the family. Results showed that there was a significant, positive relationship between the satisfaction of parenting teenagers and marriage satisfaction (beta = .60, t = 7.21, p < .001). Results also showed that yearly family income was significantly and positively related to the satisfaction of parenting teenagers (beta = .60, t = 3.89, p < .001), while all other factors, i.e., race (beta = .12, t = 1.10, p = .275), age (beta= .15, t = 1.56, p = .122), gender (beta = .04, t = .349, p = .122), number of teen children (beta = -.738, t = .613, p = .542), and education of parents (beta = -.06, t = -.867, p = .388), did not significantly influence the satisfaction of parenting teenagers. Finally, this study found that yearly family income was significantly and positively related to marriage satisfaction (beta = .43, t = 3.71, p < .001), while educational attainment was found to be significantly but negatively related to marriage satisfaction (beta = -.40, t = -3.75, p < .001). However, age (beta = .04, t = .452, p = .653), gender (beta = -.05, t = -.472, p = .638), and number of teenage children (beta = .04, t = -.003, p = .974) were not significantly related to marriage satisfaction. Implications suggest further research is needed to find ways to aid parents and adolescents who may be having challenges during social exchanges or interactions. |
