Dissertation Defenses

Doctoral Dissertation Announcement

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Candidate: Mark W. St. Martin

Degree of: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology

Title: An Investigation of Relationship Characteristics, Exercise and Physical Activity, Couple, and Life Satisfaction

Committee:
Dr. Patrick Munley, Chair
Dr. Jim Croteau
Dr. Jody Brylinsky

Date: Friday, November 9, 2007 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
3210 Sangren Hall

Abstract:
Exercise has been shown to be positively related to many different variables, including sexual satisfaction, mental health, and physical health. These variables, in turn, have been linked to increased life satisfaction and couple satisfaction. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between exercise and couple satisfaction, as well as between exercise and life satisfaction. A secondary purpose was to replicate previous findings on the relationships between communication, love, sexual satisfaction, self-esteem, and physical health and couple satisfaction.
A total of 229 graduate students from a large midwestern university participated in this study. Participants were asked to complete the following measures: ENRICH Couple Satisfaction Scale, Sexual Satisfaction Scale, and Communication Scale (Olson, 1996), Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985), a health status assessment (Cox, Spiro, & Sullivan, 1988), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1989), a demographic sheet, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) (Craig, et al., 2003).
Correlational analysis, hierarchical multiple regression, and path analysis were employed to investigate the relationships between the variables of communication, love, sexual satisfaction, self-esteem, physical health, life satisfaction, couple satisfaction, and exercise. Results indicated that communication, love, sexual satisfaction, self-esteem, and physical health were significantly correlated with couple satisfaction. These same variables, with the exception of physical health, were also significant predictors of couple satisfaction. Exercise was not found to significantly correlate with couple or life satisfaction and was not a significant predictor in the regression analysis. An exploratory path analysis model in which exercise’s effects were hypothesized to all be indirect and through the variable of health was found to be plausible. Findings are discussed and suggestions made for future research.