Self-Silencing, Marital Adjustment, and Mental Health: A Comparative Analysis of Married Men and Women

Abstract

The primary purpose of the study was to examine (a) the connection of self-silencing with marital adjustment and mental health among married men and married women separately, and (b) the role of self-silencing in marital adjustment and mental health among married men and women jointly. A convenience sampling method was employed to recruit a sample of 387 married individuals (193 men and 194 women) from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Taxila, and Muzaffarabad. Participants filled the Silencing the Self Scale (STSS), Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS), and General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Results revealed that greater self-silencing was significantly linked to poorer mental health and lower levels of marital adjustment among married women. Furthermore, self-silencing proved to be a significant negative predictor of marital adjustment and a positive predictor of distress among women as compared to men. These results show that emotional suppression in marriage leads towards conflicting relationships and psychological distress, especially in patriarchal cultural contexts that promote sacrifice and restraint, particularly for women.  The present study highlights the silent struggles women face in their relationships, the tendency to silence their individual needs, emotions and voices in order to maintain their relationships, which often takes a serious toll on women’s emotional and mental wellbeing. The present study emphasizes the significance of examining self-silencing in clinical and marital contexts and stresses on interventions that facilitate clear communication and emotional expression. The research provides meaningful results for counselors, therapists, and mental health practitioners who work with couples and for future research in the areas of relational health and psychological wellbeing of women.