Article Analysis
Problem identification
The problem discussed in the article is the escalating rate of obesity and its prevalence in western countries. Obese is one of among heated concerns in the U.S since the victims have been recorded to be above 70million. Symptoms of overweight include but not limited to, shortness in breath, increased sweating and snoring (Burke, Randall, Corkery, Young, & Butler, 2012). The main problem addressed in the article is to determine whether the development of obesity among the married can lead to romance dissatisfaction, which is a vital domain in adult development Fallon, Harris & Johnson, 2014). The study can aid physiological therapists in handling romance dissatisfaction cases among the victims.
Purpose of the study
The purpose of the study is to determine whether there is a relationship between perceptions of spouse’s weight and marital relationship quality among married couples in midlife. The writer is trying to ascertain the magnitude of gender differences in marital satisfaction. Importantly, the author is also concerned about examining whether the reported cases regarding marital dissatisfaction are related to obesity among the partners (Fallon, Harris & Johnson, 2014). To attain quality study, the author chose to apply a prospective study to determine the risk of obese development to marital relationship quality and spouse’s perception towards their partners (Burke, Randall, Corkery, Young, & Butler, 2012). The author was supposed to observe change on marital relationship quality against the time attributed to the predictors.
Study variables
Variables of the study are extracted from the purpose statement; “to examine prospective links between weight concerns, perceptions of spouses’ weight, and marital relationship quality among married couples in midlife (Frederick, Peplau, & Lever, 2006)”. The article is composed of both the dependent and independent variables. The dependent variable is “marital relationship quality among married couples in midlife,” while the independent variable is weight concerns and perceptions of spouses’ weight (Frederick, Peplau, & Lever, 2006). The reason behind the classification of the variables is that marital relationship quality among married couples may depend on weight concerns and spouse’s weight perceptions towards the partners.
Research hypothesis
The research hypothesis can be defined as a proposed illustration of the limited evidence to pave the way for future research. Two hypotheses can be extracted from the article. The fists one suggests that actor effects for perceptions of spouses’ weight and weight concerns would predict marital conflict and satisfaction one year later (Huston, McHale, & Crouter, 1986). The second hypothesis opines that partner effects for perceptions of spouses’ weight and weight concerns would predict marital conflict and satisfaction one year later (Huston, McHale, & Crouter, 1986). The author was with a view that a spouse’s perceptions towards a partner’s weight would be used to predict the quality of marital relationships in the coming one year.
Methodology
The author utilized both qualitative and quantitative research. The quantitative part of it describes the study by collecting data using statistical methods. Besides, the qualitative part of it explains why a spouse’s quality in marital relationships deteriorates due to partners overweight. A total sample of 197 heterosexual married couples with adolescent children was examined (Markey & Markey, 2011). The samples were focused on European American middle-aged adults, and the method used was simple random sampling. The author who conducted the parent study took three years to complete it. The study was conducted by sending letters to parents who had children between the 8th and 10th levels of education, and interviews were conducted by trained research assistants (Markey & Markey, 2011). During analysis, descriptive statistics were used to calculate the perceptions of participants.
Findings
The first hypothesis that a spouse’s perception towards a partner’s weight is directly associated with marital conflict and negatively related to marital dissatisfaction was not supported. The second hypothesis that the actor’s and partner’s perception towards a spouse’s weight is directed related to marital dissatisfaction was supported (Skoyen, Rentscher & Butler, 2018). There was a significant positive partner effect for perceptions of a spouse’s weight in predicting marital satisfaction and marital conflict (Markey & Markey, 2011). However, there were no partner effects for weight concerns in predicting marital conflict or satisfaction were detected.
Based on the hypothesis, the partner’s effects were regulated by gender in such a way that the heavily weighted husbands considered their wives to having marital conflict and marital dissatisfaction. As opposed to the hypothesis, women’s weight concerns did not predict their husband’s reports regarding the quality of marital satisfaction (Markey & Markey, 2011). A significant partner and actor interactions revealed that there was a likelihood of increased marital conflict for those reported low cases of weight concerns once their weight begins to elevate (Skoyen, Rentscher & Butler, 2018). Furthermore, partners and actor differences in weight predicted deteriorated marital relationship quality in the following one year. Overall, the association of spouse’s perceptions on the partner’s weight and quality of marital satisfaction was in line with the hypothesis stated.
Conclusion
The author recommended that there was an urgent need for conducting a critical study on the narrative regarding a spouse’s weight and the quality of marital satisfaction. Besides, families in the U.S should take a keynote to mitigate overweight development among their members, hence achieving healthy marital relationships. The findings are related to both consumers and healthcare professionals. The reason behind this suggestion is that professional nurses will utilize the finding’s information while treating patients suffering from obesity. Besides, the patients will again use the results to improve their health condition. As a healthcare administrator, I would utilize the information in directing the physiological therapists on the guidelines of treating obese patients, in addition to the diet they should take.
References
Burke, T. J., Randall, A. K., Corkery, S. A., Young, V. J., & Butler, E. A. (2012). “You’re going
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Fallon, E. A., Harris, B. S., & Johnson, P. (2014). Prevalence of body dissatisfaction among a
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Frederick, D. A., Peplau, L. A., & Lever, J. (2006). The swimsuit issue: Correlates of body
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Skoyen, J. A., Rentscher, K. E., & Butler, E. A. (2018). Relationship quality and couples’
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