Marital Satisfaction Among Taiwanese Young Married Couples: The Effects of Resources and Traditional Norms

Abstract

This study aims to illustrate the importance of cultural norms for marital satisfaction among young married Taiwanese couples. Data are taken from the Taiwan Youth Project, a longitudinal panel since the year of 2000, with 401 married couple data completed in 2015. Based on the resource theory and contextual cultural perspectives, results confirm that both resources and cultural factors produce significant effects on young couple’s marital satisfaction. As proposed, cultural norms have greater impact on wife’s marital satisfaction. The patrilocal coresidence between generations is especially harmful for wives with full-time job, while negative in-law relations reported by husbands produce more powerful negative influence on the couples. However, gender of the child does not attain expected significance. Findings suggest that both continuity and change of family dynamics is occurring in Taiwan. Future studies need to consider both cultural norms and individual resources in analyzing marital relations in changing East Asian societies.