1- it can be about some other person or persons whom you can administer your survey.
2- Choose three articles from peer-reviewed journals, please I want a valid article website that I can open in UAE.
3- develop at least two research questions and then make an objective and the methodology for your study.Here I will choose a survey for like about 10 students.
4- Identify any questionnaire or experiment you can do and make that your method of studying the topic.
5- Introduction- and rationale for choosing the topic – 250 words
Literature review- Three articles summary – 250 words each
Purpose of your research and research questions-100 words
Methodology and questionnaire if any -200 words
Discussion of topic in relation to research articles you found or other references you like to put – 500 words
Future research and limitations Lof research in this topic using this intervention or method)- 200 words
Pdfs of three full text literature review articles attached in BB learn
Along with a a research paper in 2000 words minimum total – word format
Finally , I want pdf articles attached for the sources used
Solution
Marriage and Happiness
Introduction
The United Arab Emirates has grown and modernized rapidly over the past four decades. Rapid changes in the welfare system that accompanied the introduction of petrodollars change the Emirates’ lives rapidly. The changes have also resulted from fast urbanization, increased personal wealth, information dissemination and access, and higher mobility. The country has witnessed an increase in the number of women who are getting educated and joining the labor force. The changes have led to a constantly changing culture and an increase in issues that affect social units, such as marriage (Alibeli, Na’amneh, & Nair, 2019). For example, divorce has increased in the country, especially among Emirati citizens. Clearly, the changes have affected the marriage institution in the country, particularly marital happiness. Many couples in the UAE are experiencing critical marriage tension that cause an increase in the rate of tension caused by a decline in the level of happiness and satisfaction. Current research considers the possibility of predicting marital relationship based on subjective evaluation of their relational factors, such as conflict resolution, communication patterns, financial management, as well as economic and demographic realities.
The Rationale for Selecting the Topic
Marital happiness is critical during the current challenging times in the UAE and around the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people are going through major stress and a high rate of domestic violence. Nadoni (2020) revealed that domestic violence had increased worldwide due to lockdown policies to curtail the spread of COVID-19. The pandemic has caused heightened level of tension, stress, and depression, which affects marital happiness and satisfaction. Besides, most couples have spent a lot of time together, which affects their potential for happiness and satisfaction and potentially leads to conflicts and violence. The UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are among the most hit countries by domestic violence, which is one of the collateral damages of the pandemic and measures to control it. Thus, during this difficult period for the UAE, it is important to understand the level of happiness in marriage, which could mitigate against the high rate of violence. The study is necessary to understand subjective evacuations of happiness in marriage and whether high levels of happiness can mitigate against domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings could help understand necessary factors that improve marriage’s happiness to mitigate against the rise in domestic violence in the UAE during the crisis period. The findings will inform relevant interventions to overcome the challenges caused by lack of happiness in marriage.
Literature Review
Research has studied the concept of marital satisfaction as one of the important variables in marital happiness. Al-Darmaki et al. (2014) studied the concept as a culturally-bound construct with various family factors influencing the outcome. Traditional family values and processes play an important role in determining the level of marital happiness. The researcher noted that studies on marital satisfaction (happiness) in the UAE are limited because of the inadequacy of a culturally relevant scale to measure the variable. Al-Darmaki et al. (2014) proposed the use of the Emirati Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMSS) to measure the level of marital satisfaction. They established that the 30-item unidimensional EMSS had high internal consistency reliability and construct validity and could be useful in measuring the level of marital satisfaction in a sample of participants. Using the scale, Al-Darmaki et al. (2014), established the relationship between marital happiness and high levels of life satisfaction and self-esteem. The findings differed across gender since men reported higher levels of marital satisfaction than women. Other variables, such as living location and religious affiliation, also affected marital happiness in the UAE. Overall, the study supported the hypothesis that marital happiness is culturally bound, influenced by traditional values and processes in the UAE. Other factors, such as “compatibility, shared interests, values, and family responsibilities, as well as intimacy, open communication between the couples, and their ability to deal with and adjust to differences” also appeared to have implications in the definition of happiness in marriage (Al-Darmaki et al., 2014, 17). Understanding the factors can help address issues that cause a lack of marital happiness and issues, such as domestic violence.
Studies have focused on the ways that people understand marital happiness and reveal them in research. Alibeli, Na’amneh, and Nair (2019) conducted a study to establish how people in the UAE understand their level of marital happiness through subjective evaluations. Regardless of the increasing rate of divorce in the country, research remains inadequate regarding Emirate citizens’ perception regarding their understanding of their subjective evaluation of the factors that affect marital relationships. Various factors affect marital outcomes, such as “communication patterns, conflict resolution, marital role relationships, managing finances, parenting sharing, and flexibility and closeness while holding constant the effects of relevant socioeconomic and demographic factors” (Alibeli, Na’amneh, & Nair, 2019, 230). While marital happiness/satisfaction lacks a universal definition, literature underscores various issues that affect the variable. Early research emphasizes married people’s subjective evaluations of their marriage and marriage partners (Alibeli, Na’amneh, & Nair, 2019). Recent studies extend the understanding of the factors that influence relational outcomes, such as demographic, social, and contextual influences of marital satisfaction and happiness. The findings suggest that people in marriage understand the feeling of happiness and pleasure they experience in romantic relationships. Using self-administered questionnaires and in-depth interviews, the study provided knowledge of happiness in marriage and the factors that could have a critical implication on the variable. The study could understand the role of communication patterns and conflict resolution styles that marital partners use to improve marital happiness, which is important for a great society.
Further research expounds on the predictors of happiness in marriage and reveals the critical pattern of the relationship between the identified factors and marital happiness. One of the factors that predict happiness in marriage is the type of marital arrangement, such as among love married couples and arrange married couples. Yadav and Srivastava (2019) used the Marriage Satisfaction Scale to measure marital satisfaction and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire to measure happiness. The findings revealed critical differences between couples’ marital satisfaction in the two types of marriage, love and arranged marriages. However, the study did not reveal any much difference in marital happiness between the two types of couples. Like the other two, the study revealed that various other factors, such as “love, emotions, care, respect, trust and belief of a beautiful loving future” (Yadav & Srivastava, 2019, 629). The nature of the marriage plays a key role in marital satisfaction, with those in love marriages rating higher in this factor than those in arranged marriages. Poor communication between partners and the lack of love and attraction leading to marriage are the key factors in determining marital satisfaction. Other factors, such as socioeconomic status, family structure and status, financial conditions, and job profile, affect marital satisfaction and happiness in love and arranged marriages. Therefore, considering the importance of marital satisfaction and happiness, individuals must consider whether to enter into arranged or love marriages. However, other factors should be considered when considering ways to improve marital satisfaction and happiness.
Purpose of the Research and Research Questions
The study aims to establish the factors that predict marital happiness through self-evaluation of happiness among participants. The study’s objective is to establish how married couples rate their level of marriage and the factors they perceive as important in determining the level of marital happiness and satisfaction. The study will answer the two important questions:
- How do married couples rate their level of marital happiness and satisfaction?
- What are some of the important factors in determining the level of marital happiness and satisfaction?
Methodology and Questionnaire
Since the study will collect the narratives of a married couple to understand their self-evaluation of happiness and the factors they perceive important in marital happiness, the researcher will collect qualitative data. The data is relevant for the study since it seeks to understand a social phenomenon in the natural setting. Therefore, it is necessary to have a research approach that will provide subjective data in form of narratives. The study will use a face-to-face interview with a sample of married college students. The study will use ten men and ten women in the college setting but married to rate their level of happiness in marriage using self-evaluation criteria. However, it will not be necessary that the individuals are married to participate in the study. The researcher will use a purposive sampling method, a non-probability approach that draws a sample using individuals with similar characteristics. Once the researcher has a sample of 20 married individuals, an interview will be conducted using a semi-structured interview schedule. The researcher will organize a session with each of the 20 participants for 45 minutes to 1 hour conducting the interview. The responses will be recorded using an audio-recorder for later transcription and analysis. A thematic content analysis will be used to analyze the data after transcribing. The data reporting will include the categorization of common themes in the participants’ responses.
Discussion
Research focuses on self-evaluations of their extent of happiness in marriage. Happiness is marriage is a critical factor in intervening against negative outcomes in marriage, such as an increase in domestic violence rate. Domestic violence has increased in the recent past due to the measures implemented to curtail the spreading of COVID-19, such as stay-home and social distancing (Nadoni, 2020). As a result, a study to understand marital happiness’s self-evaluations is relevant during the current pandemic period to mitigate against domestic violence and other negative experiences, such as divorce. Domestic violence is likely to decline in an environment where marital partners perceive high marital happiness and satisfaction level. Marital happiness and satisfaction underlie positive outcomes due to behaviors, such as improved communication and conflict resolution. Therefore, couples should seek ways to improve marital happiness and satisfaction to improve their marriages’ longevity and prevent domestic violence.
Another critical theme in the study is the need to understand the factors that predict marital happiness and satisfaction among couples in the UAE. Al-Darmaki et al. (2014) assessed marital happiness as a culturally-bound construct because of the various influences that relate to the outcome. According to the study, some of the factors that affect marital happiness are family values and processes that determine the variable in marital settings. Alibeli et al. (2019) revealed factors, such as “communication patterns, conflict resolution, marital role relationships, managing finances, parenting sharing, and flexibility and closeness while holding constant the effects of relevant socioeconomic and demographic factors” as determinants of marital happiness and satisfaction (230). Yadav and Srivastava (2019) revealed other factors, such as “love, emotions, care, respect, trust and belief of a beautiful loving future” (629). The knowledge of the factors plays a key role in improving marital happiness by manipulating the variables within the control of the married couple or other practitioners, such as marital counselors.
The reviewed studies suggested various demographic, social, and contextual factors that predict marital happiness and satisfaction. One of the common factors likely to affect marital happiness and satisfaction is the type of marriage, love married couples, and arrange married couples. Yadav and Srivastava (2019) revealed that marital satisfaction is greater in couples in love marriages than those in arranged marriages. However, marital happiness did not appear to be determined by the type of marriage since the variable did not significantly differ between couples in the two types of marriages. The study concluded that other key factors determine the level of happiness and satisfaction in marriage, such as socio-economic status, family structure and status, financial conditions, and job profile. Al-Darmaki et al. (2014) studied the effect of gender on happiness and satisfaction in marriage. The research revealed that men are generally happier and more satisfied with their marriages than women. Other predictors of marriage include loving location and religious affiliation, which predict social values in marriage. Research supports the argument that happiness in marriage is culturally bound, affecting traditional values and processes in the UAE. The research will help to determine necessary changes and variables that can be changed to improve marital satisfaction and happiness.
Future Research and Limitations
While the research will provide critical information regarding self-evaluations of happiness in marriage and factors that affect marital happiness and satisfaction, it only provides the basis for future research. The reviewed studies indicate that not many studies have been conducted on self-evaluations and perception of marital happiness and satisfaction in the UAE. Future research should expound on the outcomes of such evaluations and understand other factors that affect married couples’ variables. Understanding the factors will help to understand how married couples can improve their marital happiness and satisfaction by addressing issues, such as communication and conflict resolution processes. Therefore, further research should also focus on the UAE’s cultural and social realities that affect marital happiness and satisfaction. Understanding the factors will help to design culturally-relevant interventions to improve marital happiness and satisfaction. Additional research is especially necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic when the two factors appear to have diminished, and domestic violence increased in the UAE. For example, marital counseling and other interventions should focus on the cultural realities of the country, including the need to improve social and cultural values that relate to marriage. Therefore, research is necessary to add to the current body of knowledge regarding happiness in marriage in the UAE.
References
Alibeli, M. A., Na’amneh, M. M., & Nair, S. (2019). Marital Happiness in Time of Change: the Case of United Arab Emirates (UAE). Perspectives on Global Development and Technology, 18(3), 229-248.
Al-Darmaki, F. R., Hassane, S. H., Ahammed, S., Abdullah, A. S., Yaaqeib, S. I., & Dodeen, H. (2016). Marital Satisfaction in the United Arab Emirates: Development and Validation of a Culturally Relevant Scale. Journal of Family Issues, 37(12), 1703-1729.
Nadoni, P. (2020). Domestic Violence against Women And COVID-19, Lockdown. Mukt Shabd Journal 9(6), 1-5
Yadav, S., & Srivastava, S. K. (2019). A Study of Marital Satisfaction and Happiness among Love Married Couples and Arrange Married Couples. International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities 9(8), 624-631
Appendix: Questionnaire
- For how long have you been marriage?
- How can you rate your happiness in marriage?
- How can you rate your satisfaction in marriage?
- Did you marry for love or arranged marriage?
- Which three things cause you happiness in marriage?
- Which three things cause you the most unhappiness in marriage?