RAJIV GANDHI UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES, KARNATAKA

PROFORMA FOR REGISTRATION OF SUBJECTS FOR DISSERTATION

1. Name of the candidate and address

Ms. MINALI DUTTADr.SYAMALA REDDY COLLEGE OF NURSING #111/1 SGR MAIN ROAD, MUNNEKOLALA, MARATHAHALLI,BANGALORE -560037.

2. Name of the Institution Dr. Syamala Reddy College of Nursing.

3. Course of study and subject.M.Sc. Nursing I year.Psychiatric Nursing.

4. Date of admission to course 9th June, 2008

5. Title of the topic. A study on marital maladjustment

among computer professionals in

selected IT companies at Bangalore.

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6. BRIEF RESUME OF THE INTENDED WORKS

INTRODUCTION

“A great marriage is not when the perfect couple comes together but it is when an

imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.”

- Dave Meurer

Marriage is an important social institution that permits or admits man and

women for family life. It is more or less durable condition between male and female

beyond the more acting of propagation (birth of offspring). By marriage they start the

basis for family life. The merits of the marriage include the regulation of sex life, sex

relation, leads to establishment of family, provide for economic corporation,

contribute the emotional and intellectual interstimulation of the partner and aim at

social solidarities. Factors which influence marital satisfaction include demographic

individual factors such as, security or alcoholism, marital interaction like the husband

attribution to household labor etc. Marital satisfaction is a subjective feeling of

happiness, and pleasure experienced by spouse while considering all current aspect of

marriage.

Marital maladjustment can occur when two individual from different

background start living together and face adjustment problem. It is more common in

urban setting. Marital maladjustment has long been a popular topic in studies of

family. Probably because the concept is believed to be closely related to stability of a

given marriage. Well adjusted marriages are expected to last for a long time while

poorly adjusted marriage end up with divorce and separation. Marital maladjustment

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is the disability of the person to adjust with the partner (husband and wife) due to

problems that lead to inappropriate coping and marital problems. Marital

maladjustment can be determined by the cases of divorce In India the rate is very low,

only 1.1 percent But the divorce cases are in a increasing trend among computer

professionals working in IT sector Nearly 2000 divorce cases reported every year

from IT sector. Bangalore is becoming highest number of divorce cases from IT

sector in the world.

The causes of marital maladjustment may be various factors, such as change in

life style, improvement in technologies, urbanization, single parenthood, broken

family and so on. Marital satisfaction has direct effect with job analysis. It can be

done in 3 levels- within individual affect, how my job is associated with perception of

marriage, how my spouse job is associated with perception of marriage, and how two

joint perspectives of the couple is related to perception of marriage.

Marital discord has been related to personality, job and home stress, mental

illness, depression, education, sex role attitude, happiness and success in life. Women

if they are working then also she has to perform all duties at office as well as at home.

As a result this may cause stress, depression during marital adjustment.

Several studies showed that there are several causes due to which computer

professionals working in IT companies are having marital maladjustment. Heavy

work load, stresses full work place, competition, high technology, hours of works,

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night duty, dual career both husband and wife, cyber sex, financial stability, change in

marital role, less time for family life etc are factor lead to marital maladjustment.

Studies show that computer professionals have more job stress and less job

satisfaction though they get a handsome salary. Computer professional are more prone

for some of the occupational diseases such as computer vision syndrome, musculo

skeletal problem, suicidal tendency, back ache, infertility problem, depression etc. due

to which they are not able to carry out marital role which indirectly influence marital

maladjustment.

6.1.NEED FOR THE STUDY

The effect of distorted marital relationship may end up with divorce or

separation. Marital maladjustment may be arising due to problem in adjusting in the

married life. Some of the causes of marital maladjustment are lack of communication,

finance religious conversion, culture and life style difference etc. In India among

general population the divorce rate is very low, 1.1 percent. In case of America 50

percent of marriage ends up with divorce. In 2004 United state Bureau of census

report that marriage age is increasing for men from 23 – 27 years and for women 20 –

25 years. The involvement of women in job is increasing to 75 percent; as a result

there is a change in marriage role in negative or positive ways.

Bangalore is becoming highest number of divorce cases in world. There is a

rising divorce rate in Bangalore from IT sector. Since the year 2003 the number of the

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divorce cases pertaining to IT sector was seen a steady rise. Statistics revealed that in

2003, the number of the divorced cases from the IT sector was 1280, in the year 2004

number was 1240, in 2005 number was 1860 and in 2006 the number was 2493. The

statistics available till June 2007 stated that the number of the divorce cases from IT

sector is 828 already in Bangalore.

The chairman of marriage registration commission, Pramila Nesargi says that

in most cases she has come across marital discord is due to an unhappy physical

relationship. She says that viewing the computer for long hours has proven to cause

impotency and she wants to inspect the working condition and would like to make

suggestion to change the working pattern of the employer so that they get more time

at home.

Sanjanthi Sajan, who runs a boutique matrimonial firm in Bangalore handled

every year around 1700 marital discord cases from IT sector. Shilini P. Shetty an

advocate says that financial stability is a major problem between married couple. The

couples do not try and work out the marriage as they are confident that they can lead a

life without each other because they are financially stable. Viswanath B.N., an

advocate who has handle at least 5 cases pertaining to couple from IT sector says that

couple do not try to even reconcile and are in a hurry to end the marriage. There is a

very little that they can do after they come to court.

Supreme Court layer V. Ranjith Sankar who has handle many cases regarding

marital discord among IT professionals told to freelance journalist that it is the time to

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analyze this phenomenon. Sociologist and psychologist should examine this issue. He

wishes that some body will conduct a study on this.

A study reveals that marital satisfaction and job satisfaction are positively

related. Stresses at the work are likely to lead marital conflict. IT companies makes

Bangalore most stressed out city.

According to a study working women are less martially adjusted and are more

depressed because they cannot give proper attention to their marital life resulting

depression and stress. Nearly 21 percent working women reported marital split. There

is a negative correlation between work involvement and demographic variable such as

age, sex, year of experience, year of marriage, hour of work etc.

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Another study revealed that stress among IT professionals suffering from

psychological problems. Work related concern such as severe competition, unrealistic

expectation from superior, being achievement oriented lack of job security and

inability to accept failure have lead to a host of psychological problems among

software professionals. People working in IT sector go through a lot of anxiety,

depression, loneliness because of their work environment and often exhibit feeling of

inadequacy, lowered self esteemed and dissatisfaction. This reflects itself in the form

of social, marital and sexual problem. Several IT personnel reported that they felt

guilty about neglecting their families as a result of their heavy work load.

According to Padmini Prasad, director of the institute of sexual medicine, 40

percent of the couple visiting infertility clinics are computer professionals. Long

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working hours, stress and pressure at work, night shift and lack of sleep can lead to

various sexual problems.

A study shows that the changing nature and composition of work place with

participation of working mother, dual career couple and single parent has made for a

more productive work force which result greater work family conflict. Marital

satisfaction decline sharply after marriage and sharpest for the first 10 years.

A recent article in Times of India by Vicky Nanjappa at Bangalore explores

some causes of marital discord among people who are working in IT companies.

Usually husband who work in IT companies do not spend much time with their wives.

He used to return late to home and too tired even to talk. As a result marriage

becomes pointless and conflicting. Some times both couple work in IT companies in

two different shifts. As a result they get less time for sharing. Loneliness become too

much for them to handle. Cyber sex also plays a big role in disintegrating families.

Most of the IT professionals develop relationship online. As a result they become less

interested to their partner.

A study shows that continued stress and strain at work lead to circumstances

where women find it difficult to carry on especially during in pregnancy and in

situations of double burden of family and work. Those women who are above 30

years and married were found to be leaving under special circumstances which result

most of them to divorce.

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Hence these studies explore many of the drawbacks and statistics evidence

regarding marital maladjustment and its ill effect among IT professionals. There are

very few studies done it this aspect. So the researcher felt that there is a need to

explore and identify the factors of marital maladjustment among computer

professional. On the basis of this study the management will be able to take

appropriate measure for the computer professionals.

6.2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Marital maladjustment may be defined as the disability to adjust or cope with

the spouse and inability to extent marital satisfaction until the end of life due to social,

psychological and economical problem inside the family and from the society. The

cause of marital maladjustment may be various. Some of the factors are change in life

style improvement in technologies, urbanization, broken families, both husband and

wife from different background, single parents etc. the cause related to marital

maladjustment among computer professional in IT companies may be stress in their

work place, workload, financial stability for both partner, hours of work, competition,

less time for family member, technologies etc.

The review of literature has been arranged in the following order:

1. Meaning and definition of marriage

2. Factor influencing in marital satisfaction

3. Meaning and definition of marital maladjustment

4. Prevalance rate of divorce

5. Factor affecting marital maladjustment

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6 Studies related to marital maladjustment

1. Meaning and definition of marriage:

Marriage is an institution of society which can have different implication in

different culture. Its purpose ,function and forms may differ from society to society

but it is present everywhere as an institution .Marriage can be define as the more or

less durable connection between male and female lasting beyond the mere act of

propagation till after the birth of offspring .

2. Factor influencing in marital satisfaction:

Factors which influence marital satisfaction include love and loyalty, shared

value, length of the marriage, security or alcoholism, marital interaction like the

husband attribution to household labor external stressors etc.

3. Meaning and definition of marital maladjustment:

Marital maladjustment is the disharmony or disequilibrium between husband

and wife which leads to problem in their married life. Maladjustment can occur when

two individual from different background start living together and face problem in

their married life. It is more common in the age group of 20-30 years and in teenage.

Well adjusted marriages are expected to last for life time Marital maladjustment is the

disability of the person to adjust with the partner (husband and wife) which leads to

marital conflict.

4. Prevalence rate of divorce:

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Divorce is most prevalent between the age of 20-30.Globally divorce statistics

reveal that Sri Lanka 1.5 percent, Japan 1.9 percent, Italy 10 percent, Canada 37

percent, France 38.3 percent, united kingdom 42.6 percent, Russia 43.3 percent,

Denmark 44.5 percent, united nations 54.8 percent, Sweden 54.9 percent etc. In India

the rate is very low, only 1.1 percent But the divorce cases are in an increasing trend

among computer professionals at Bangalore.

5. Factor affecting marital maladjustment:

Factor affecting marital maladjustment include inability to deal with each

other ,petty idiosyncrasies ,mental instability or illness ,criminal behavior ,physical or

psychological health problem ,lack of commitment ,infidelity ,kind of abuse (drug,

sexual, physical, emotional), difference in career and personal goal, sometime as

simple as household chores ,child rearing ,lack of maturity ,intellectual and sexual

incapability

6. Studies related to marital maladjustment:

Allen, Bruck and Sutton (2003) have done a study on work family interface

and marital outcome. The researcher found a weak relationship (r=-23) across all

studies. Such as increased conflict from work to family was related to lower

satisfaction in married life. This study showed that if the person has any work related

conflict it may effect on family life. The person will not be able to carry out family

role or marital role which causes marital maladjustment.

Singapore management reviews published an article (2003) on work family

conflict of managers by survey approach. Work and family are two important aspects

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of man’s life. The paper examines the nature of the conflict and its affects on

manager. An empirical survey was described, aimed at enhance the understanding of

conflict that the individual experienced. This showed that although most of the

respondent would trade some learning for family time, job related issue, investing

security, flexible working hour and high profile for value ahead of laser activity but at

a cost of behavior based, time based and strain based. Twenty percent of respondent

strongly agreed that they would traid their income for lesser hour at work to spend

time with their families, 30 percent of the respondent were neutral, 40 percent of the

respondent agreed that their family will accept and adjust to any necessary

arrangements required.

Phyllis et al., (2003) investigate about couple work/ retirement transition,

gender and marital quality among computer professional. They studied whether

couple employment/ retirement circumstances predict marital quality differently for

both men and women worked as computer professionals. They used a life course

frame work and two waves of data. They found that actual retirement transition (from

one primary career job) was related to declined in marital quality for both husband

and wife. Married man and woman who move to retirement while their spouse

remains employed reported the greatest marital conflict, regardless of gender.

Actually being retired for more than two years, however prompt marital quality,

suggesting that the role strain is reduced once the couple are settle into retirement.

Not yet retired women still in their primary career job report higher marital conflict

when their husbands are no longer employed. Finding indicates the importance of

incorporating couple joint work / retirement status, gender and actual status.

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Robert and Leventon (2003) have done a study on work and family life. They

found that after a day at work wife and husband both react differently at home to their

marital life. Husband reported more withdrawn from their wives at home that evening.

Whereas wives intended to exhibit more angry marital behavior. This suggests that

physiological and psychological stressors may be differently associated with marital

functioning.

Roehling and bultymen (2003) have done a research study on parental status

and marital satisfaction among computer professionals. They stated that married

couple with children particularly young children often face a different set of obstacle

in work family balanced than the couple without children. In general couples with

children tend to experience lower marital satisfaction than the couple with non

children. They have found that the relationship between work schedule flexibility and

marital quality was a strong for parent than non parent.

Kinnunen Geurts and Mauno (2004) conducted a research study on marital

role as a predictor. They have done a longitudinal study on Finnish computer

professional working in IT companies and found support for reversed causal modal

where marital satisfaction act as a predictor of work family conflict rather than

outcome. They found that strong marriage was a significant predictor for stressful

balance between work and family life.

Heller and Watson et al., (2005) had done a study on marital satisfaction and

job satisfaction in work place. They used a daily diary approached and theorized the

relation ship between marital and job satisfaction as driven primarily by spill over of

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emotional state. The stress and argument at work place are likely to lead marital

conflict. Another longitudinal study by Rogers and May showed that marital

satisfaction and job satisfaction are positively related. If the person is not satisfied in

their job they show conflict in their marital life.

Hina (2006) had done a study on marital adjustment, stress and depression

among working and non working married women. The samples were consisting of

150 married women out of which 75 working and 75 non working women. She used

Urdu transilation of dynamic adjustment scale for this study. The result showed that

working married women cannot contribute significantly for the well being of the

family. They are attention diverted because working in two situations. They cannot

give proper attention to their married life and causes depression.

Kista, Brockwood, Pacific university (2007) has done a study on marital

satisfaction among African American working couple and Nigerian male / African

female working couples. The samples were consists of 19 homogenous and 19

intermarried couple. He used marital satisfaction inventory, demographic data sheet

and follow up questionnaire which was filled up by participant. The inter married

couple persistently expressed greater marital satisfaction than the African American

couples.

Journal of occupational health (2007) published an article on gender difference

in work family conflict among Japanese IT Engineer with pre school children. Since

the family policy act, which require companies to develop action plan to support their

employees who has children in an attempt to reserved declining birth rate in Japan

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was enacted in 2003. A cross sectional survey of regularly employed IT engineer with

pre school children was conducted to examine the gender difference in work and

family conflict. Data were collected from 78 male 102 female respondent were

analyzed. Finding showed that there are no significant gender differences in total level

of work family conflict.

Journal of management (2007) published an article related to Antecedents of

marital happiness and career satisfaction. It is an empirical study of dual career

manager in IT companies of US. Work family balanced is seen as critical to life

satisfaction. They have studied two elements of work family balance i.e. marital

happiness and marital satisfaction for manager with dual career family in U.S. They

used predictive variable of negotiation skill and assistant provided from outside the

couple. After controlling for age, gender and number of children; negotiation skills

were strongly predictive of marital happiness and career satisfaction.

6.3. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

A study on marital maladjustment among computer professionals in selected IT

companies at Bangalore.

6.4. OBJECTIVES

1. To assess the level of marital maladjustment among computer professionals.

2. To determine the association between socio-demographic variables and marital

maladjustment.

6.5. HYPOTHESIS

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There is a significant relationship between marital maladjustment and socio

demographic variables.

6.6. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS

Marital Maladjustment:

Marital disharmony or dissatisfaction among IT Professionals.

Computer Professionals:

Those who are working in Computer Companies more than 6 Hours per day.

IT Company :

An IT company is a company where the primary business of which involves

the provision or development of software and hardware for a better today and

tomorrow.

6.7. ASSUMPTION

1. Marital maladjustment is prevalent among computer professionals.

2. Socio demographic and work related variables influence marital maladjustment

among Computer professionals.

3. Gender difference has an effect on marital maladjustment.

6.8. DELIMITATION

The study is limited to married IT computer professionals.

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7. MATERIAL AND METHOD

7.1. SOURCE OF DATA

Computer professionals who are working in IT companies at Bangalore

7.2. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE

Research method : Descriptive study method

Research design : Cross sectional descriptive design

Sampling technique : Non probability convenient sampling

Technique

Sample size : 100 samples

Setting of the study : Study will be conducted in selected IT

Companies at Bangalore.

7.2.1. SAMPLING CRITERIA

INCLUSION CRITERIA

This study include ‘computer professionals’

1. Working in selected IT companies.

2. Willing to participate in the study

3. Those who are married

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

This study excludes ‘computer professionals’

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1. Computer professionals who are working in leadership position.

2. Divorces, widow and widower.

7.2.2. DATA COLLECTION TOOL

A modified structured marital maladjustment scale will be used for data

collection among computer professionals. Content validity of the tool will be

ascertained in consultation with guide and experts from various fields. Prior to the

study written permission will be obtained from the concerned authority an verbal

consent will be taken from computer professional willing to participate in the study.

7.2.3. DATA ANALYSIS METHOD

Data analysis can be done by descriptive and inferential statistics. The

descriptive statistics will be mean, standard deviation, frequency distribution table and

percentage. Whereas inferential statistics will be correlation coefficient.

7.3. DOES THE STUDY REQUIRE ANY INVESTIGATION OR

INTERVENTION TO BE CONDUCTED ON PATIENT OR

OTHER HUMAN OR ANIMALS?

No.

Only a modified structured questionnaire will be used. No other invasive

physical or laboratory procedure will be conducted on the samples.

7.4. HAS ETHICAL CLEARANCE BEEN OBTAINED?

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Yes.

Confidentiality and anonymity of the subject will be maintained. Consent will be

obtained from the computer professionals before conducting the study. A written

permission from institutional authority will be obtained.

8. LIST OF THE REFERENCE

1. Ahmed, H. (2007). Marital Adjustment, Stress& Depression among working & non

working women; Internal Journal of Medicine; 2(1), 60-67 p.p

2. Aziz, M. (2004). Role stress among women in the Indian information technology

sector; Women in management review; 19(7), 356-63p.p

3. Jeffcoat,S. (2001).Work Family Conflict ; Journal of Management ; 1(1) , 211-19

p.p

4. Kulkarni, G.K. (2003).Occupational stress and job satisfaction among managers;

Indian journal of occupational and environmental medicine; 7(2), 187-93p.p

5. Manelkar,R.K. (2002). A text book of sociology; second edition; Vora Medical

Publication, Bombay; 27-8 p.p

6. Moen,P.et al., (2001). Couple Work / Retirement Transition; Social Psychology

Quarterly; 64(1) 55-71 p.p

7. Nanjappa, V., “The Rising divorce rate in the IT Sector”.

8. Nanjappa, V., “Bangalore is the most stress out city”.

9. Neeraja, K.P. (2005). Text book of Psychology; First edition; J.P. Brothers Pvt Ltd;

301-09 p.p

10. Rajeswari, K.S. & Anantharaman, R.N. (2003).Role of human computer

interaction factors as moderators of occupational stress and work exhaustion; 19(1),

137-54p.p

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11. Robert, et al. (2001). Work and Family Life; Australian Psychiatry; 9(3), 269-73

p.p

12. Shankar Rao, C.N. (2002). Sociology- Primary Princilple; First edition; S Chand

& Company Ltd; 327-38 p.p

13. Staff Reporter, “Stress causing psychological problems in IT Professionals,” The

Hindu, January 30, 2005.

14. Rajeswari, K.S. & Anantharaman, R.N. (2003).Role of human computer

interaction factors as moderators of occupational stress and work exhaustion; 19(1);

137-54p.p

15. Robert. et al .(2001). Work and Family Life; Australian Psychiatry; 9(3) , 269-73

p.p

16. Viven, K.G. & Thompson, T.S. (1999). Occupational stress among information

technology personnel in Singapore. Electronic Journal; Asian pacific Newsletters.

17. Watai, I.; Work Family Conflict ;( 2007); Journal of Occupational Health; 50 (1),

4317- 27 p.p

9. SIGNATURE OF CANDIDATE

10. REMARK OF THE GUIDE

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11. NAME AND DESIGNATION

11.1 GUIDE

11.2 SIGNATURE

11.3 CO- GUIDE

11.4 SIGNATURE

11.5 HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT

11.6 SIGNATURE

12. 12.1 REMARKS OF THE CHAIRMAN AND PRINCIPAL

12.2 SIGNATURE

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