Journal of Educational, Health and Community Karina et al.

Psychology Vol 12, No 2, 2023 E-ISSN 2460-8467

The Effect of Marriage Commitment and Marriage Adjustment

toward Marriage Satisfaction of GBKP Priest’s Wife

Karina Meriem Beru Hotpascaman Simbolon Artiwinata Br Ginting

Brahmana Fakultas Psikologi Universitas Fakultas Psikologi Universitas
Fakultas Psikologi Universitas HKBP Nommensen HKBP Nommensen
HKBP Nommensen [email protected] [email protected]
[email protected]

Tata Lithani Hawi Shinta Winny Sevthyade Manalu

Udek Fakultas Psikologi Universitas
Fakultas Psikologi Universitas HKBP Nommensen
HKBP Nommensen [email protected]
[email protected]

Abstract

This study examines the impact of marriage adjustment and commitment on the satisfaction of
GBKP priests' wives in their marriages. Being a GBKP priest's wife can be challenging as they may
feel neglected due to the husband's responsibilities towards the congregation. Due to lack of time,
the husband’s busy schedule may also prevent them from assisting with household chores or caring
for the children. The research focused on 35 married GBKP priests' wives who have been married
for at least one year and have one child. This study uses three measuring devices, namely Kansas
Marriage Satisfaction Scale compiled by Schumm (1986) to measure marriage satisfaction, The
Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) by Spanier (1976) to measure Marriage adjustments, and the 8-
item Marriage Commitment Scale developed by Stanley and Markman (1992) to measure marriage
commitment. The regression test analysis revealed that marriage adjustment significantly affects
marriage satisfaction, while marriage commitment does not. This study's findings may benefit the
Karo Protestant Batak Church in developing policies supporting priests' families' well-being.

Keywords: Marriage commitment; marriage adjustment; marriage satisfaction

Received 23 November 2022/Accepted 26 May 2023 ©Author all rights reserved

Introduction
Having a happy and satisfactory marriage is the hope of every married couple, including the hopes of
women who marry men who work as priests in the Karo Protestant Batak Church. Working as a
priest generally demands the priest to use much time for service as a Shepard, leader, and teacher,
decreasing the time and quality of relationships in the family. As a member of the family of God's

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servants, the priest's wife is also responsible for the wife's service. Nora (the term for the priest's
wife) is expected to show their care and attention to the church, the environment of the church, and
the surrounding community where her husband serves. In addition to this, the wife is also expected
to support the wife's service in accordance to her given grace or talent, support the husband's
services in the spiritual field or daily life, remind the husband to carry out his services well as a servant
of God in the congregation, not to interfere or regulate husband’s service work, and not to become
a obstruct wife’s service (Clay, Newlin, & Leeks, 2005; Hyun & Shin, 2009; PPWG GBKP, 2014; Sihite,
Suryaningsih, & Claudia, 2022).

Based on the statements above, it can be assumed that being the wife of the GBKP priest is not easy.
The priest's task to provide more attention to the church tends may make the wife feel given less
attention. Because of the many mandatory daily services the husband has, they tend to have little
time to help with childcare or help with domestic tasks. Thus, the priest's wife in GBKP must be
prepared and willing (both voluntarily and involuntarily) to solve problems or conduct household
chores independently (Brahmana, Suryanto, & Suyanto, 2019; Chan & Wong, 2018; Plummer, 2008;
Sihite, Suryaningsih, & Claudia, 2022.)

Every married couple desires a satisfying marriage, but achieving this can be challenging. Although the
level of satisfaction in marriage significantly impacts the relationship between a husband and wife, not
all marriage is satisfactory. Unfortunately, many couples divorce for various reasons (Widodo, 2021).
According to BPS data reported by kumparan.com (2019), divorce cases increased in East Java from
84,000 to 88,000 in 2018. The leading causes of divorce were continuous quarrels (42.51%), economic
difficulties (36.67%), one party leaving (14.38%), and domestic violence (1.66%). These statistics data
show an increased divorce rate, indicating that many couples struggle to find satisfaction in their
marriage, eventually leading to divorce.

For a marriage to be satisfying, the husband and wife must put in effort. That means each partner has
essential roles and responsibilities that contribute to the expected level of satisfaction in the
relationship. In this case, both partners must understand what satisfaction means to their spouses
and act to fulfill their needs. The level of satisfaction in a marriage can have positive or negative effects

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on the relationship. Studies suggest that marriage satisfaction can impact the welfare of individuals
measured by life satisfaction and self-esteem (al-Darmaki et al., 2016).

Conversely, marriage dissatisfaction can impact the instability of husband-wife relations, leading to a
rift in relationships and even divorce (Gottman & Levenson, 2002). Hurlock (2010) states that divorce
is a result of marital dissatisfaction. Marriage satisfaction is also associated with a low level of stress
psychologically and physically in individuals. A husband and wife who are satisfied with their marriage
tend not to experience physical or psychological stress. Conversely, low satisfaction in marriage is
associated with various physical diseases, such as high blood pressure and heart disease, as well as
psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse (Santrock, 2010)

The demand for a priest's wife in GBKP is to ensure a peaceful and smooth domestic life and be
involved in service in the congregation (Brahmana, Suryanto, & Suyanto, 2019; Sihite, Suryaningsih, &
Claudia, 2022). For example, they are expected to have an active role in mother groups, be involved
in the coordination or be vocal in groups of mothers, help when misfortune happens, and so forth.
The abundant household or church demands undoubtedly impact marriage satisfaction (Hyun & Shin,
2009; Brahmana, Suryanto, & Suyanto, 2019). According to Fowers and Olson (1993), marriage
satisfaction is conceptualized as a comprehensive evaluation of marriage life that has ten aspects,
namely personality issues, similar roles, joint activity communication, religious orientation, financial
management, solutions to problems, sexual orientation, children and parents, as well as family and
friends. There are several factors that affect marital satisfaction, such as marriage adjustment and
marriage commitment.

Rachmawati and Mastuti (2013) revealed that based on their study, wives with a high marriage
adjustment generally have a higher level of marriage satisfaction than those with a moderate marriage
adjustment show differences in the level of marriage satisfaction. Thus, adjustments in marriage have
a significant role in marriage satisfaction (Anjani & Suryanto, 2006; Atwater & Duffy, 2009 in Retiara
et al., 2016; Tazkiya and Puspitawati (2022),).

In addition to the adjustment process in marriage, marriage satisfaction is closely related to the

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commitment to maintain a marriage. This aligns with the concepts put forward by Johnson (1999)
that there are three forms of commitment in a marriage commitment: personal, moral, and structural.
A personal commitment combines several components whose core is that personal commitment is
related to individual desires to maintain relationships with a partner based on satisfaction and love in
marriage relations (Johnson, Caughlin & Huston,1999; Arriaga & Agnew, 2001). According to research
by Johnson (1999), the wife generally tends to contribute more to personal, moral, and structural
commitment than the husband. Wismanto (in Serli, 2016) states that commitment is the main
foundation in maintaining marriage relations. The higher the commitment to a marriage, the higher
the satisfaction the couple feels so that the decision is to continue the relationship between the
couple (Serli, 2016). Commitment is an all-positive and negative power that keeps individuals in a
relationship (Taylor, Peplau, & Sears, 2009; Owen et al, 2014). People who are very committed in a
relationship have a high possibility of staying together in all situations, both joy and sorrow, to achieve
common goals (Taylor, Peplau, & Sears, 2009). This is evidenced by Boseke's (2015) research, which
showed a significant positive relationship between marriage commitment and satisfaction.

Based on the description above and considering the condition of the phenomenon of marriage in the
priest's family at the Batak Protestant Karo Church, where the success of the husband's service is
not only based on the quality of his servants alone but is also influenced by the service of the wife,
the authors are interested in examining the effect of marriage adjustment and marriage commitment
on marriage satisfaction of the priest's wife at the Batak Protestant Karo Church. This research is
unique because it was conducted on the priest's wife and comes from the Karo Batak culture, where
this research has never been done before.
There are 2 hypotheses in this research:
1. Marriage adjustment affects the marriage satisfaction of the GBKP pastor's wife.
2.Marriage commitment affects the marriage satisfaction of the GBKP pastor's wife.

Method
Design
This study is categorized as a correlation study using a quantitative approach. According to Creswell

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(2013), the quantitative approach measures the relationship between variables. Variables are generally
measured using instruments so that the data obtained can be analyzed using statistical procedures.
This study consists of three variables that are divided into independent and dependent variables. The
independent variable consists of marriage adjustments and marriage commitments, whereas the
dependent variable is marriage satisfaction.

Participants
The research subjects who could be involved in this study are 35 people. The subjects in this study were
the wife of the GBKP priest, with the criteria set as follows:
a. Married for at least one year
b. Has a minimum of one child
c. Originally from the Karo Tribe
d. Is a member of the GBKP since before marriage
e. Does not work as an active priest, both inside and outside the GBKP
Research sampling uses accidental sampling techniques; therefore, samples were chosen by
recruiting whomever from the population meets the research characteristics.

Questionnaire
The data in this study were collected through several scales measuring the three research variables.
Marriage Satisfaction is a subjective reflection and evaluation of the individual's satisfaction with their
marriage, which has one-dimension, unidimensional unity. The marriage satisfaction score was
measured using the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale assembled by Fowers & Olson (1993) has 15
items. The EMS scale was used with its original five response categories from strongly disagree to
strongly agree. The higher the score obtained, the higher the marriage satisfaction felt by the
respondent and vice versa. Using SPSS, it is known that the reliability of this instrument is 0.817. The
following is an example of an item on the EMS scale: My partner and I understand each other perfectly;
I am very happy with how we handle role responsibilities in our marriage; I have some needs that are
not being met by our relationship.

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Marriage Adjustment is the adaptation process between the husband and wife who unite in a family
and are willing to learn to accommodate each partner's needs, desires, and hopes. Marriage
adjustments are measured using The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) from Spanier (1976). The DAS
scale contains 32 items and can be completed in just a few minutes because of its simple form and
easy answer. The DAS scale consists of four components: consensus, unity, satisfaction, and
affectional expressions. The results of the reliability test of the marriage adjustment scale show that
the reliability value of this scale is 0.846, with sample items as follows: how often do you or your
partner leave the house after a fight ? ; Have you ever regretted getting married ? ; How often do
you and your partner fight?

Marriage Commitment is the desire of husband and wife to maintain long-term marriage relationships,
both emotionally and cognitively. The Marriage Commitment Scale assesses marriage commitment
was developed by Stanley and Markman (1992), which consists of eight items (for example, "I pay
attention to the needs of my partner"), assessed on the Likert 5-point type scale from 1 (strongly
disagree) up to 5 (strongly agree). The average score is the overall measure of a marriage
commitment. .The results of the reliability test of the marriage adjustment scale show that the
reliability value of this scale is 0.803, with sample items as follows: Except when a spouse dies,
marriage should be a once-in-a-lifetime commitment; It would be difficult for my friends to accept it
if I ended the relationship with my partner; I want this relationship to stay strong no matter what
rough times we may encounter.

Data analysis
Based on the hypothesis submitted above, the data analysis used in this study uses SPSS (Statistical
Program for Social Science). The collected data will be analyzed using multiple linear regression
analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis aims to determine the relationship between two or more
independent variables with the dependent variable.

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Result
Demographic Data
This section describes the study's results based on age. The range of respondent’s age is 29 years
(youngest) to 50 years (oldest), with the following details: age 29 (2,86%), 38 (2,86%), 46 (2,86%), and
47 (2,86%); age 30 (5,71%), 34 (5,71%), 36 (5,71%), 39 (5,71%), 42 (5,71%), and 48 (5,71%); age 32
(8,58%), 35 (8,58%), and 40 (8,58%); age 33 (14,28%), and age of 43 (11,42%).

Based on research, the last level of education respondents is quite heterogeneous, ranging from SPK
to Masters. The level of education with the same frequency (n=1) is found in high school (2,86%),
SPK (2,86%), Doctoral (2,86%), and Diploma One (2,86%), each with one participant. In contrast, the
last level of education was predominantly Undergraduate Students, with a frequency of 20 people
(57,14%).

Research shows that the youngest marriage age of respondents was three years of marriage (5,71%),
and the longest marriage was around 28 years (2,86%). The frequency of the length of the respondent
married from the smallest to the most significant year spread evenly.

Research also presents various duration in which the respondent accompanied the husband as a
priest. The most minor year accompanies a long time accompanying three years (5,71%), while the
longest accompanies 22 years (8,58%). The most frequent assistance is for eight, nine, and 16 years,
each of which is four couples.

Variable Categorization
The research variable is categorized into high, medium, and low. Categorization of the level is based
on the value of the empirical mean and group normative deviation. The following is the exposure of
statistical data on the marriage commitment variable and marriage adjustment as the independent
variable of research and marriage satisfaction as a variable depending on the research.

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Regarding marriage, the study found that the average score for marriage commitment is 67, with a
standard deviation of 8. The average score for marriage adjustment is 90, with a standard deviation
of 9, while the average score for satisfaction is 45, with a standard deviation of 7. From the study
result above, marriage adjustment appears to influence marriage satisfaction, but commitment does
not.

The researcher then categorizes each variable into three levels to see the number of satisfied subjects
in their marriages at a high, medium, and low stage. The categorization is arranged empirically, with
the following description.

Table 1
Category of Marriage Satisfaction Viewed from Marriage Commitment
Interval Category Subject
Frequency Percentage
75 < x High 7 20%
59 <= X < 75 Medium 24 69%
X < 59 High 4 11%
Total 35 100%

Table 2
Empiric Score
Variable Empiric Score
Min Max Mean SD
Marriage 8 40 67 8
commitment

Table 3
Interval Distance Formula
Interval Category
M + 1.SD<X High
M – 1.SD < X < M + 1.SD Medium
X < M – 1.SD Low

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Based on the categorization, it can be seen that empirically there are seven research subjects or 20%
high category subjects committed to their marriages, 24 people (69%) are in the medium category of
their marriage commitment, and four people (11%) in the category of marriage commitment low.

Table 4
Category of Marriage Satisfaction Viewed from Marriage Adjustment
Interval Category Subject
Frequency Percentage
X >= 98 High 7 20%
81 <= X < 98 Medium 23 66%
X < 81 Low 5 14%
Total 35 100%

Table 5
Empiric Score
Variable Empiric Score
Min Max Mean SD
Marriage 32 160 90 9
adjustment

Table 6
Interval Distance Formula
Interval Category
M + 1.SD<X High
M – 1.SD < X < M + 1.SD Medium
X < M – 1.SD Low

Based on the categorization, it can be seen that empirically there are 7 research subjects, or 20% of
the high category subjects, already feel appropriate for their marriage, 23 people (66%) are in the
medium category of the suitability of their marriage, and five people (14%) the remaining discrepancy
against marriage.

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Table 7
Category of Marriage Satisfaction Viewed from Marriage Satisfaction
Interval Category Subject
Frequency Percentage
X >= 51 High 9 26%
38 <= X < 51 Medium 20 57%
X < 38 Low 6 17%
Total 35 100%

Table 8
Empiric Score
Variable Empiric Score
Min Max Mean SD
Marriage 15 75 45 7
adjustment

Table 9
Interval Distance Formula
Interval Category
M + 1.SD<X High
M – 1.SD < X < M + 1.SD Medium
X < M – 1.SD Low

Based on the categorization, it can be seen that empirically there are nine research subjects, or 26%
of subjects, are in the category of high satisfaction with their marriage, 20 people (57%) are in the
medium category of marriage satisfaction, and six people (17%) the remaining dissatisfaction with
marriage.

Normality test
Data can provide a complete picture of the spread of variables measured if it meets normality. The
benefits of data are normal as a basic form of applicative data that is said to be applied. Based on
Normality Test Result by using One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test knows that the three variables
have met the requirements for data normality. Both marriage adjustment data, marriage commitment,

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and marriage satisfaction have significant data (P> 0,05), so the third can be said to be all normally
distributed data.

Linearity test
The linearity test identifies that 2 (two) data on the variables included in the data analysis stage meet
the equation of y = x. In this study, both independent variables, the marriage adjustment variable
(IV1) and the Marriage Commitment (IV2), will be tested with the variable dependent on marriage
satisfaction. The following are the results of the linearity test. The linearity test reveals that the
marriage and marriage satisfaction variables have a linearity significance value of p <0,05. Therefore,
it is understood that the two variables have the closeness of the data in the line of the line y = x and
that the two variables move together.

Hypothesis test
The hypothesis test is used to answer the research assumptions. This study used a multiple linier
regression test involving the marriage listing variable as the first independent variable, marriage
commitment as the second independent variable, and marriage satisfaction as a dependent variable.
Here are the results:

Table 10
Multiple Regression Analysis
Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. The error of the Estimate
1 .630a .397 .360 5.095
a. Predictors: (Constant), Marriage_Commitment, Marriage_Adjustment

Table 11
Research Variable ANOVAb Result
Model Sum of df Mean Square F Sig.
Squares
1 Regression 547.621 2 273.810 10.547 .000a
Residual 830.779 32 25.962
Total 1378.400 34
A. Predictors: (Constant), Marriage_Commitment, Marriage_Adjustment
B. Dependent Variable: Marriage_Satisfaction

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Table 11 shows that the two independent variables free have an influence of 0.397 on the dependent
variable, marriage satisfaction. This data aligns with the significant value in the value of F count
(empirical) with the acquisition of a value of 0,00. Therefore, both the marriage commitment variable
and the marriage adjustment simultaneously affect marriage satisfaction significantly.

Regression Equation
The regression equation explains how independent variables can contribute to variable-dependent
changes. The following is a change in the regression line equation. The results of this study by paying
attention to the coefficient table below:

Table 12
Coefficients Research Variable
Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized t Sig.
Coefficients
B Std. Error Beta
1 (Constant) -7.417 10.752 -.690 .495
Marriage Adjustment .400 .103 .545 3.883 .000
Marriage Commitment .181 .115 .221 1.573 .126
A. Dependent Variable: Marriage_Satisfaction

From the above research findings, it is known that marital adjustment has an influence on marital
satisfaction, while marital commitment does not affect marital satisfaction.

Discussion
Based on the statistical test results, marriage commitment and adjustment simultaneously affect
marriage satisfaction significantly. The following is a discussion of the two variables.

Marriage Commitment Does Not Influence Marriage Satisfaction

The findings of this study differ significantly from previous research, which suggested that marriage

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commitment significantly impacts marriage satisfaction. Wismanto's (2004) research indicates that
marriage commitment plays a role in one's level of satisfaction with their marriage. This study further
supports the idea that commitment is the foundation for a successful marriage, as highlighted by
Stafford & Canary (in Wismanto, 2004), which reveals that one of the strategies to maintain marriage
relations is a commitment in the husband's relationship with the wife. Rusbult, Kumashiro, Coolsen,
& Kirchner (2004) define marriage commitment as the level of dedication couples have to each other
and their desire to remain married for a long time. When a couple is committed to marriage, they
work together to overcome challenges and build a robust and lasting relationship.

The study found that the situation is different for the GBKP priest's wife, which makes the results
unique compared to previous studies. While studies by Hou, Jiang, and Wang in 2018 showed that
marriage commitment alone does not directly lead to satisfaction but is moderated by
communication. This study found that effective communication between partners generally affects
marital satisfaction. In addition, research conducted by Givertz, Segrin & Woszidlo (2016) also
supports the results of previous studies, where from his research on married couples, it is argued
that marriage commitment does not directly affect marital satisfaction.

According to the results of descriptive tests, the priest's wife shows medium levels of commitment
and satisfaction in their marriage. This suggests that marriage commitment and satisfaction may
decrease without trying to balance these factors early. In preparation for marriage, the GBKP typically
provides marriage counseling led by the priest. During this counseling, the priest explains the
Christian perspective on marriage. He emphasizes the importance of total commitment between a
married couple, as stated in Mark 10:9 of the Bible: "Therefore, what God has united, should not be
divorced by humans."

As a priest's spouse, it is highly regarded to have a strong understanding of the Bible, both directly
and indirectly. Despite facing challenges in maintaining a healthy marriage due to the demands of the
husband's service, the wife must remain committed to the relationship without worrying about
personal satisfaction. This aligns with the Biblical teaching to "submit to your husband as to God, for
the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church" (Ephesians 5:22-33).

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Marriage Adjustment Effect on Marriage Satisfaction

According to Hurlock (1991), marriage adjustment is a process of adaptation between husband and
wife. In this case, the husband and wife try to adjust to one another to prevent or resolve conflicts
that arise. Unity between two individuals with many differences, such as the background of parenting,
culture, perspective, and attitude towards something generally challenging. Many contradictions will
emerge as a reaction to these differences but must continue to be pursued to lead to happiness and
satisfaction in marriage (marriage satisfaction). According to Lasswel & Lasswel (1987), marriage
adjustment is a continuous and continuous process in marriage. Thus, of course, many changes will
be experienced by individuals throughout marriage life.

This change certainly does not always run smoothly. There will be times when conflicts, disputes, and
even conflicts will occur. This is in accordance with what Gurin et al. (in Sears, 1994) stated, that
conflict will always occur in marriage. The conflict, disputes or conflicts that often arise are about
finance, children's education, relationships with others or extended families, the activities desired by
couples, communication, and division of labor in the household (Sadarjoen, 2005). This is also in
accordance with the research results delivered by Arond & Pauker (in Olson & Defrain, 2003), which
state that the main problems often faced by newly married couples are domestic duties or work. The
results of the study were also supported by the results of research conducted by Edward Bader and
his colleagues (in Olson, Defrain, 2003), namely, for six months to 5 years the age of marriage
problems that often became the leading cause of problems in the household is related to domestic
duties.

Seeing the many negative impacts caused by marriage conflicts on marriage happiness is essential to
make efforts so that the happiness of marriages experienced by married couples continues to be
achieved and even increases. One indicator of achieving marriage happiness, a married couple must
reach a satisfied marriage. It is just that the marriage satisfaction a married couple feels is not
necessarily the same. Mar'at (2012) explains gender differences in marriage satisfaction; the wife has
a lower level of marriage satisfaction than her husband. Ibrahim (2002) also made the same statement
that the marriage satisfaction the wife feels is less than the husband.

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From the results of the study, it is known that marriage adjustments influence marriage satisfaction
in the wife of the GBKP priest, where the results of descriptive tests are known that the marriage
adjustment and the marriage commitment of the wife of the GBKP priest are in the medium category.
Based on the study results, the GBKP priest's wife has been able to adjust to his marriage. The
condition of the husband who works as a servant of the congregation with a solid work time, coupled
with an unbalanced domestic labor division and the demands of the wife to assist the husband's
services, can be accepted and carried out by the wife. This aligns with the results of research
conducted by Tazkiya and Puspitawati (2022), which reveals that marriage adjustments have a
significant positive relationship with marriage satisfaction—the higher the marriage adjustment, the
higher the marriage satisfaction created in the family.

In Genesis 2:18, it is said that the wife's function is a helper for her husband. This gives a meaning that
in Christian marriages, the wife is given the responsibility to help and accompany her husband in his
daily life. Furthermore, as a wife's wife, the priest's wife is assumed to understand this so that in family
life, marriage satisfaction can be achieved because marriage adjustment can be made well.

Conclusion
Based on the results of research conducted on the wife of the GBKP priest, it can be concluded that
there is no significant influence between marriage commitment on the marriage satisfaction of the
GBKP priest's wife and there is a significant influence between marriage adjustments and the marriage
satisfaction of the GBKP priest's wife

Suggestion
Further research is expected to include other variables yet to be studied in this study, such as
spirituality, religiosity, coping strategies, and cultural influences to enrich and develop psychology,
especially social psychology. And for Karo Protestant Batak Church Institute expected to make a
particular division or part in the GBKP organizational structure that overshadows Nora/priest's wife
to give Nora more attention. This particular division is expected to be able to compile routine and
non-routine programs or activities that will involve the priest's wife so that through these activities,

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GBKP can find out the problems and obstacles experienced by the priest's wife. Knowledge of
problems and obstacles experienced by the priest's wife can help GBKP to compile steps to overcome
them.

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