Differentiation of Self, Need Fulfillment, and Psychological Well-Being in Married Men

Abstract

The contributions of differentiation of self and need fulfillment within the marital relationship to the experience of psychological well-being were examined in a sample of 95 married men. Differentiation of self, interactional-emotional need fulfillment, and sexual need fulfillment were each associated with higher scores on psychological well-being. Perceived interactional-emotional need fulfillment was identified as the most important predictor of well-being, followed by differentiation of self, and then perceived sexual need fulfillment. Regression analysis indicated that collectively these variables accounted for a significant proportion (27%) of the variance in well-being within the sample. Men who perceived their marital partners to be meeting their interactional, emotional, and sexual needs and who are able to maintain interdependent relationships with their partners were more likely to experience positive mental health. The results point to the importance of attending to issues of self-differentiation and perceived need fulfillment within the context of the marital relationship to facilitate psychological health in men.