Child-Rearing Choices and Social Factors

The issue of child disciplining, particularly, the choice of respective methods and the evaluation of their efficacy, have been the source of multiple debates for decades. Though presently, the negative outcomes of using corporal punishments when disciplining children have been scientifically proven, a significant number of parents still practice the specified approach as the means of keeping children compliant. The case under analysis features a family of a mother, a father, a daughter, and a son, who has been showing a clear propensity toward disruptive behavior.

Specifically, in the case under analysis, Danny, the boy, has been demonstrating the tendency to misbehave in class, get involved in fights with fellow students, and use profanity in his speech. Furthermore, Danny has been subjected to corporal punishment by his father, Jack, which has made Danny fear taking responsibility for his actions and has locked him in the loop of perpetual misbehaving and seeking to avoid the punishment. The case establishes that the mother’s weak attempts at reducing the harshness of the punishment have not yielded any effects. Given the presence of a younger sibling, the described situation may lead to potentially unhealthy relationship dynamics within the family, which is why parental counseling must be advised as the means of introducing the parents, particularly, the father, to a different disciplining strategy that does not involve corporal punishment, explaining the negative implications of the latter.

Introducing healthier options for parents to use when raising and disciplining their children remains a vital area of concern for social services. As the case under analysis indicates, the presence of violence in child-rearing strategies inevitably results in children responding by developing unhealthy coping mechanisms and major emotional trauma. Indeed, multiple studies prove that the use of corporal punishments and physical violence in child upbringing causes children to develop unhealthy and even antisocial behaviors, particularly, inducing violence and aggression in children (Al-Saadoon et al., 2021). Chong and Yeo (2018) warn that the outcomes of corporal punishments in children are likely to percolate into their further adult life, causing the victims of parental abuse to fail to adjust psychologically to social interactions. Therefore, there is a strong incentive to explore the factors that are likely to inhibit Danny’s father’s ability to change his approach toward Danny’s upbringing.

In turn, the focus on culture and socioeconomic factors as the main force behind the child-rearing choices of parents of adolescent boys is largely justified by the multitude of factors affecting parents’ choices on the socioeconomic and cultural levels. Klevens et al.’s (2019) research asserts that sociocultural factors, particularly, the presence of gender stereotypes and specific values associated with the concept of social norms determine parents’ propensity toward using corporal punishments as the means of affecting the behaviors of their sons. The research results offered by Klevens et al. (2019) confirm the necessity to examine the problem of parents resorting to violence and corporal punishments in their treatment of their children from the cultural perspective. Namely, the author points out that the persistence of certain stereotypes within a range of cultures, particularly, gender-related misconceptions, may make parents inclined to believe that a harsher way of parenting is a more appropriate manner for raising boys. Thus, the threat of parental violence becomes particularly high for the specified demographic due to cultural stereotypes, which is worth researching.

Additionally, the socioeconomic angle is worth integrating into the analysis due to the impact that parents’ socioeconomic status has on the accessibility of resources for educating themselves about child upbringing. Specifically, the study by Finkelhor et al. (2019) outlines the significance of the accessibility of learning opportunities for parents from challenging socioeconomic backgrounds on their choice of upbringing strategies. Particularly, the research indicates that complications in managing financial resources imply the lack of opportunities for accessing and studying the resources needed to change the existing child-rearing approach and acknowledge the problems of the corporal punishment concept. Ain addition to economic constraints, social factors, including the presence of social pressure and the established social norms that parents need to overcome in order to build a healthy child-rearing approach, should eb examined. Therefore, the research question is justified and worthy of further exploration, with a particular focus on cultural and socioeconomic constraints preventing parents, particularly, fathers, from adjusting their child-rearing approaches.

By introducing a therapy-based strategy geared toward changing the parents’ perspective on child-rearing, particularly, on shaping the father’s idea of disciplining his son, one will be able to address the scenario in question properly. Therefore, it is vital to explore the factors that affect parents’ choice of strategies and methods for child upbringing. By focusing on the specified issue, one will be able to define the core factors that may help shape parenting strategies accordingly and introduce corrections to the methods that should be deemed as inappropriate. Specifically, methods of changing the minds of parents that resort to corporal punishments in their selection of upbringing approaches will be isolated and developed into an overarching program for promoting effective and healthy upbringing approaches can be designed.

References

Chong, C. H., & Yeo, K. J. (2018). SAGE Open, 8(1), pp. 1-11. Web.

Finkelhor, D., Turner, H., Wormuth, B. K., Vanderminden, J., & Hamby, S. (2019). Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28(7), 1991-1997. Web.

Klevens, J., Mercer Kollar, L., Rizzo, G., O’Shea, G., Nguyen, J., & Roby, S. (2019). Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 36(1), 19-28. Web.

Al-Saadoon, M., Al-Adawi, M., & Al-Adawi, S. (2021). Child Indicators Research, 14(1), 239-267. Web.

Personality Theories and the Future of the Personality Field

Notably, personal growth and development can take unexpected directions, including prejudice. Allen (2016) emphasizes Allport investigated how different aspects of personality development, experiences in infancy and adulthood, influence bias. Prejudice is stated aversion based on a flawed and rigid generalization, and it can be directed either toward a group or a person because of group identity (Allen, 2016). Thus, prejudice is defined as unfavorable attitudes against members of a particular group that is sometimes felt inwardly and stated overtly. The fundamental concept offered in connection to prejudice is discrimination, which means directing negative behavior and negative feelings toward a particular group compared to others (Allen, 2016). Yip (2018) states that ethnic or racial discrimination is a component of a more sophisticated structure of racism, prejudice, and injustice. Discrimination transmits inferiority and marginalization signals from offenders of all ages and backgrounds, including educators, parents, and acquaintances (Yip, 2018). Youths are in the process of personality development, and how they perceive their ethnic or racial group membership may influence their views and experiences of prejudice. Hence, I believe it is critical to ensure that youngsters are taught and informed about discrimination and its harmful effects on society.

The essential component of personality theories that should be a focus of personality in the future, in my view and experience, is that personality is complex. Allen (2016) claims that deciding whether people are good or evil eventually leads to unsatisfactory answers. Personality theories must account for both external and internal drivers of cognition, emotion, and action (Allen, 2016). Personality psychology will always have philosophical roots, but factual evidence may now have relied on more.

Gender differences, according to social role theories of development, are primarily caused by perceived gender roles, norms, and sociostructurally power imbalances. The surprising conclusion is that social role theorists predict that gender disparities in personality would be lower in countries with greater gender equality. I believe this is a valid perspective because culture significantly influences personality, especially gender role perception.

References

Allen, B. P. (2016). Personality theories: Development, growth, and diversity. Psychology Press.

Yip, T. (2018). Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(3), 170-175.

Maternal Fetal Care Issue and Social Impact

Description of the Problem

Women are more vulnerable than men because of prejudices and stereotypes about their social roles. Pregnancy and childbirth are women’s abilities, so the mother-fetus relationship has long been studied in medicine. This relationship is complex due to ethical constraints and the lack of valuable medical information that affects the outcome of childbirth (Schmitz & Clarke, 2021). The problems associated with maternal-fetal care stem from the difficulties in providing maternal care and organizing care for both the woman and the fetus (Schmitz & Clarke, 2021). Ethical dilemmas create limitations for the creation of a unified and understandable system of care organization.

Key Points

When examining issues related to maternal-fetal care, attention should be paid to the conditions in which the pregnant woman lives because they determine the social opportunities for medical support. In addition, it should be accepted that the bodies of the mother and the fetus are different, so all interventions should be perceived in two ways (Chervenak & McCullough, 2021). In making decisions, medicine usually relies on fundamental ethical principles of medical care, namely the autonomy and rights of the mother (Minkoff & Ecker, 2021). This raises the question of what kind of care for the fetus is in question if the mother’s opinion is the dominant one (D’Alton et al., 2019). Based on this, interdisciplinary collaboration and maintaining a trusting relationship with the mother could be the best solution in maternal-fetal care.

Population

As stated, the main target population of the problem is women who are already pregnant and who are potentially going to have a baby. In addition, some women are not going to be pregnant at all but are at risk of becoming pregnant and cannot have an abortion (Epstein, 2008). Issues related to pregnancy affect any woman, but the black population can be expected to be more susceptible. This is because economic and social inequality does not allow women of color to have insurance or access to health care. The problem probably affects cultures more than those with pronounced religious identities because many religions value fetal life and do not value women’s lives and roles in society enough.

Other critical social identities are sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. Women with a heterosexual orientation have a higher risk of facing pregnancy than those with a homosexual orientation. A significant difference in their pregnancy care is related to the pressure women feel from society to remain pregnant and place the rights of the fetus above the women (Minkoff & Ecker, 2021). Socioeconomic status largely determines the extent to which women are willing to invest in supporting their health and that of the fetus. Despite insurance, pregnancy care is much more costly than it seems and requires considerable effort to organize care.

Society’s Influence

Society exerts pressure on women who have problems with maternal-fetal care. Religious parts of society forbid women from choosing their rights and autonomy, so women from religious communes, even at the risk of their health, choose to keep the fetus alive. In addition, social beliefs force women to be more empathic so they can feel more empathy and protect the fetus without understanding the harm to themselves (D’Alton et al., 2019). Similarly, society dictates the ethical rules applicable to maternal-fetal care, thereby limiting medical care. Until a change in public attitudes about the value of maternal life is achieved, we can expect women to continue to encounter care problems.

Reasons for Choice

This issue was chosen in light of the urgency of pregnancy management issues and the end of the Medicaid act to perform abortions. The unstable economic and political climate creates social tensions, so the relationship between social classes and their attitudes should be explored in depth. Identifying potential solutions and ways to manage maternal-fetal care can make providing women with all kinds of help and psychological support throughout their pregnancies easier.

Thesis statement

When it comes to maternal-fetal care for women who are pregnant or about to become pregnant, the problem arises from the lack of sufficient protection by the state, healthcare, and society to fully respect the ethical principles of providing medical care to both mother and fetus.

References

Chervenak, F., & McCullough, L. (2021). . Maternal-Fetal Medicine 3(3), 208-212. Web.

D’Alton, M. E., Friedman, A. M., Bernstein, P. S., Brown, H. L., Callaghan, W. M., Clark, S. L., Grobman, W. A., Kilpatrick, S. J., O’Keeffe, D. F., Montgomery, D. M., Srinivas, S. K., Wendel, G. D., Wenstrom, K. D., & Foley, M. R. (2019). . American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 221(4), 311–317. Web.

Epstein, A. (2008). The business of being born. Paulo Netto.

Minkoff, H., & Ecker, J. (2021). . American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 224(5), 479–483. Web.

Schmitz, D., & Clarke, A. (2021). . BMC Medical Ethics, 22(1), 161. Web.

“The Five Love Languages” by Gary Chapman Review

One of the most critical issues is developing a strong love relationship. Each person wants to know how to convey their affection to another person in the best way possible. In 1995, Dr. Chapman released the first book on the five love languages, followed by a series of love-language-themed novels. While his writing and coaching have generally focused on marriage and family, the author finds himself amid a culture rife with single adults (Chapman 12). Every person, married or single, young or old, has an emotional desire to be loved. As a result, this flyer is dedicated to all singles looking for real love.

People live in a community, and most individuals crave social connections. Good and affirming relationships provide much joy, while toxic ones may cause pain (Chapman 24). Learning to express love and admiration in a language that the other person understands is essential for improving all human relationships (Chapman 37). When people use the principles of the five love languages, they become more successful in their interactions.

Words of affirmation

Given the power of words, it is logical that words of affirmation would be one of the five essential languages of love. Single individuals who grew up in a negative language context are more likely to struggle with learning to say words of affirmation (Chapman 39-40). There are several language varieties, such as encouragement, praise, and kind words.

Gifts

The essential thing is not the gift but the emotional affection it expresses. The ideal present is any large or tiny symbol expressing emotional affection (Chapman 73). The gift can be of any size, shape, color, or cost; it can be bought, found, or made. The cost of the item will be irrelevant to the person whose primary love language is getting gifts (Chapman 74). People talk about what they are interested in or what needs they have (Chapman 77). If one starts listening attentively, they will pick up on hints about what might be acceptable gifts for the beloved people.

Acts of service

The act of service is a fundamental language of love. On the other hand, allowing oneself to be exploited or controlled by another is not an act of love (Chapman 96). Real love is frequently shown via deeds of service. It is voluntarily provided service, not out of fear, but out of desire (Chapman 97). It stems from the realization that giving is more pleasant than receiving.

Quality time

People may be in one other’s company all day, yet they may not always feel connected. “We are all so much together, but we are all dying of loneliness, ” stated physician Albert Schweitzer (Chapman 114). Quality time is a strong emotional communicator when utilized to show genuine affection. Nonetheless, individuals do not need to dedicate all their time to looking into each other’s eyes (Chapman 114). This love language implies doing something enjoyable together.

Physical touch

Many child development research investigations have all come to the same result. Infants that are cuddled, caressed, and touched compassionately have a healthier emotional existence than those who are left alone for lengthy periods (Chapman 130). Physical touch has the power to create or ruin a relationship by communicating hate or love. A delicate embrace conveys love to any youngster, but it “shouts love” to the child whose primary love language is physical contact; the same is true for single people (Chapman 132). Being fluent in the love language of physical contact necessitates being attentive to the other person’s wishes (Chapman 147). It is critical that individuals touch at the right moment, in the right location, and in the right way. Fact: Force is never used in the love language of physical touch; otherwise, it is considered harassment.

Why did I choose this topic, and why is it important

I selected the topic of love languages because it is fundamental since each person has a primary love language out of the five fundamental languages. That is the one that has the deepest emotional impact on them (Chapman 156). One method for determining someone’s preferred love language is to try a few different approaches and see what works (Chapman 168). A person may not understand the partner’s primary language or be near enough to articulate a question. The solution is to express one of the five love languages and observe how the other reacts. For instance, a person may spend a week focusing on positive words, setting a goal of speaking at least one uplifting phrase to a beloved one every day(Chapman 169). The following week, one may offer the loved modest gestures of appreciation as a present. Discovering another person’s primary love language requires time, dedication, and thought. Hence, if one wants to show love and admiration effectively, it is time well spent (Chapman 169). Understanding another person’s dominant love language is essential for conveying care, attention, and affection on an emotional level.

Work Cited

Chapman, Gary. The Five Love Languages. Singles Edition. Northfield Publishing, 2009.

Parenting Styles in the Chinese Culture

The Chinese culture is renowned for its work ethic, discipline, and pursuit of greatness, as well as its focus on family and ancestry. Considering that this ethnicity accounts for almost one-sixth of the world’s populace, the parenting concepts utilized in Chinese families have a significant impact not just on Chinese social structure but on global society as a whole. However, the Chinese approach in this vein is quite questionable for me as a representative of the US culture.

Historically, Chinese parents are actively engaged in their children’s development and exert a tremendous deal of influence. Zhu & Chang (2019) find that owing to the intrinsic nature of the Chinese cultural environment, it is uncommon to find supportive parents who have little impact on their child’s growth. There is a substantial correlation between a mother’s devotion to traditional Chinese beliefs and the way she raises her children. Mothers who were more faithful to traditional Chinese beliefs were more likely to be ‘authoritarian’ with their children. With this parenting style, children are never allowed to dispute their parents’ requests and directives.

Then, the Chinese culture has a profound respect for its elders. In this manner, the majority of grandparents have an active part in childrearing. The use of babysitters is far less prevalent than in the United States, for example. This implies that a kid may have two to four active parental characters if grandparents reside in the same household. This is supported by Zhu & Chang (2019), who find that Chinese parents embrace parenting approaches defined by high expectations, significant parental participation, and promotion of academic desire and compliance in order to enhance adolescents’ social learning abilities, which are essential in the school system. Essentially, Chinese parents feel that successful parenting entails being very engaged and pushing their kids to their ultimate limits.

It seems reasonable to state that for me – as for the representative of American culture – the explored approach is quite uncommon. I consider support, a considerable extent of freedom, and even babysitting as integrated elements of parenting. This perspective is founded on the cultural environment in which I have been developing (Heine, 2020). It shapes my views of distinctive parenting practices to a great degree..

References

Heine, S. J. (2020). Cultural Psychology. W. W. Norton & Company.

Zhu, N., & Chang, L. (2019). Education and parenting in China. In: Sorbring, E., Lansford, J. (eds.) School systems, parent behavior, and academic achievement. Springer.

Care at a Distance: Close People and Familiar Surroundings

Introduction

Close people and familiar surroundings can be no less valuable conditions for well-being than professional care. Hubert Crean, an 81-year-old Buffalo resident, lives with his 78-year-old wife in his home (Mapp, 2023). Hubert received his initial diagnosis of cognitive impairment in 2017. The family council decided Hubert would stay home, maintaining his autonomy and independence. His home became a safe place of support for him.

Discussion

Hubert’s son David said long-distance care requires calls, attention, and patience. In addition to the support of his family, Hubert began to use telemedicine, which allowed him to receive quality care at home. Hubert’s symptoms gradually progress, but he continues living a full life, maintaining dignity, worth, autonomy, and independence. A study by Van Leeuwen et al. showed that it was these items that older people considered valuable for quality of life (2019). Thus, the house, neighbors, familiar objects, and places make seniors happier and more peaceful.

Now Hubert can live at home and not feel lonely and stressed due to being forced to move to a long-term residence. For older people, home is more than just a place where they live. A home is a safe place that gives confidence and a sense of self-worth. The care of his family allowed Hubert to avoid stress and loneliness due to a long move to a new place.

This story uses some of the best and essential practices from reading. It differs from a message because it talks about people and has a beginning, a middle, and an end (Christiano & Neimand, 2018). Like a good story about a social issue, it focuses not on the problem but on the solution (Storytelling and Social Change, 2021). In addition, the story has a “moment of truth” and a clear meaning (How to Tell a Story, 2010).

Conclusion

Finally, this story shows a time when people overcame an obstacle and made their lives better and happier (Indeed Editorial Team, 2021). This story has meaning and a message about care and quality of life in old age.

References

Christiano, A., & Neimand, A. (2018). . Stanford Social Innovation Review. Web.

How to tell a story. (2010). . Web.

Indeed Editorial Team. (2021). 8 Types of Useful Stories for Interviews. Indeed.

Mapp, L. J. (2023) . The San-Diego Union Tribune. Web.

Storytelling and Social Change. (2021). . Web.

Van Leeuwen, K. M., Van Loon, M. S., Van Nes, F. A., Bosmans, J. E., De Vet, H. C., Ket, J. C., & Ostelo, R. W. (2019). . PloS one, 14(3), e0213263. Web.

The Time Value of Money: Embedding Futurity in Urban Governance

A fundamental financial concept that is frequently applied in several financial choices is the time value of money (TVM). It is a concept that because of prospective revenue in the interim, an amount of money is currently worth more than it will be in the future (Weber, 2021). Money that is currently in the account has a higher worth than money that will be paid out in the future. TVM is a crucial component of risk management and financial planning processes. Thus, it is crucial to comprehend it and use it in everyday life.

Once, there was a situation when I did not use this concept and got a financial loss, which could have been easily averted to profits if considering TVM. A friend offered to pay off $8,000 of his debt for me, but he questioned if I wanted the money now or in two years when I really needed it. I chose to wait, but after using the concept’s formula, it became clear that accepting the money right away would be more advantageous. My investment would have been worth more if I had used that money to open an account with a 6% yearly interest rate. I calculated that my $8,000 investment would be worth $8,988 after two years using formulae. This shows that taking $8,000 now is more beneficial than waiting two years to earn $8,000 since doing so would net you an additional $988.

This became a good example for me that financing decisions should be made very cautiously. Using such concepts as TVM, it is easier to calculate profits and develop the personal financial situation. Moreover, if you master this ability in daily life, working in a big company or owning a business would be way easier. Thus, TVM is a vital part of any financial decision, which can be beneficial in many instances.

References

Weber, R. (2021). . Environment and Planning: Economy and Space, 53(3), 503-524. Web.

Connection: A Strong Emotional Link

Introduction

Connection is a strong emotional link between two or more people, places, or things. It helps us to form relationships, build trust, and create a sense of belonging. It can be experienced through physical touch, conversation, shared experiences, and ideas and beliefs (Court, 2022). This link can be experienced in various ways and can help create a sense of harmony and balance in our lives. The connection can also help us feel supported and more connected to the world, resulting in increased self-esteem, improved mental health, and a greater sense of purpose (Grise-Owens et al., 2016). In essence, this emotional link is an essential part of self-care, as it allows us to be more present in our lives and to take time to appreciate the people and things around us.

Connection in a Holistic and Healthy Way

I feel connected holistically and healthily when I am in balance. Balance is a state of equilibrium, where one neither overdoes nor underdoes any life activities (Court, 2022). It is achieved when I attend to physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health needs. For instance, my daily routine entails taking time for myself by going for a walk, meditating, or doing yoga. This helps to keep grounded and mindful of the present experience. Spending quality time with loved ones, talking, laughing, and sharing experiences also helps me feel connected in an all-around and healthy manner.

Furthermore, maintaining a balance by interacting with others enables me to feel healthily connected. This feeling also happens when taking care of important tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and running errands. It helps me feel organized and in control of my life. Moreover, doing something creative and inspiring daily, such as writing, painting, or playing music, helps bring joy and possibility into my life. In essence, I can feel linked comprehensively and positively by making time to partake in events that bring harmony to my life. I can feel anchored, connected, and invigorated because of this equilibrium. It supports my ability to live in the now and handle life’s difficulties with grace and resiliency.

Making Intentional Connections

To be more intentional with each connection, one can create a self-care plan that includes daily connection through prayer, meditation, or a walk in nature. For example, suppose one is looking to create a more mindful connection with their spiritual side. In that case, they could begin by incorporating prayer, meditation, and readings of sacred texts into their daily routine (Court, 2022). This could be done in the morning or evening, depending on one’s schedule and preference. Additionally, walking in nature can provide an opportunity for reflection, peace, and relaxation. It could be done in a park, lake, or woods (Grise-Owens et al., 2016). Ultimately, taking a few moments to appreciate the beauty that nature can provide can be a great way to reconnect with oneself and the world around them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, no matter how one creates intentional connections, it is important to remember to be flexible and mindful of not being too hard on oneself. It is sometimes difficult to maintain a self-care plan, which is okay. Finding the balance that works best for an individual is most important. Therefore, being patient and gentle with oneself is essential while creating a self-care plan tailored to one’s needs.

References

Court, P. (2022). . Psychologist’s Guide to Adolescents and Social Media, 121-131. Web.

Grise-Owens, E., Miller, J., Eaves, M. (2016). The A-to-Z self-care handbook for social workers and other helping professionals. Liberty University.

The Language of Love: The Ways We Show Love

Introduction

Love is typically seen as one of the core emotions that constitute the essence of the human experience. In turn, the language of love is quite diverse and nuanced, allowing for a broad range of options for expressivity. Words of affirmation represent one of the essential categories of demonstrating love and usually include direct statements of love, such as “I love you,” or more oblique phrases. Nonetheless, the phrases in question emphasize the important role that the loved person plays in one’s life, either with the help of terms of endearment or similar linguistic tools.

Acts of Service

Similarly, acts of service are used to prove one’s affection for another person. These may include actions aimed at meeting the loved one’s needs or removing the factors that dissatisfy the person in question. The described acts of service allow expressing one’s affection for someone indirectly yet quite obviously, therefore, creating a semblance of language that transcends linguistic barriers and relies on the use of unanimously understood cultural signs and symbols. Therefore, while also utilizing signs and symbols as in the previous group, this one avoids integrating verbal components.

Gifts

The category of gifts is very similar to the one of the acts of service since it implies offering the loved one a means of meeting his or her needs and improving his or her experience, therefore, leading to positive outcomes. However, unlike services, gifts offer a physical confirmation of the act of kindness and love that one does to the person for whom one sows affection. Gifts may vary extensively, ranging from food, such as a box of chocolates, to tokens such as a picture taken together.

Quality Time

The fourth and final category is represented by the concept of quality time. Implies that people show affection for each other by spending time together and engaging in an activity in which they share interest, quality time contributes to reinforcing a bond. For instance, playing a game together can help reinforce the connection and encourage a better understanding of each other. The specified category is quite different from the rest since it involves both partners actively participating in it.

Conclusion

The purpose of classifying these groups is to examine how people demonstrate their emotional attachment to each other. The insights gained from this activity help us understand the nuances of interactions and determine whether the relationships observed between two people involved in romantic relationships are healthy. The governing principle for the classification is the type of communication and the language used as the means of conveying the core message.

Couple Relationship: Key Dimensions

Introduction

Marriages play a significant role in society since they ensure community continuity. Moreover, marriages enhance intercultural diversity and the spread of various ethnic groups across the globe. While it is easy for two people, normally a husband and a wife, to come together and live, various aspects must be considered for a healthy and successful relationship. Marital relationships involve routine interactions between a couple as they try to achieve personal and family goals. Commitment is the willingness of the couples to do whatever it takes for their marriage to work. Teamwork is the collaborative aspect of the couples, determining their unity of purpose. Effective communication allows couples to express themselves to each other without fear and misunderstanding. Meanwhile, mutual intimacy denotes vulnerability and openness in a relationship. Therefore, commitment, teamwork, mutual intimacy, and effective communication are key aspects of a successful and happy couple relationship.

Key Dimensions of a Happy Couple Relationship

Commitment

While marriage may seem an easy thing to start, it takes dedication and a non-fainting heart to sustain it. Marital commitment involves the capability of married people to remain dedicated to the relationship regardless of the encumbering circumstances (Clyde et al., 2019). A committed couple is always ready to protect their partner and marriage image before the public. Marital commitment is three-dimensional: personal, moral, and structural. While the personal commitment level involves finding joy and pleasure in marriage for individual gain, the moral level stays in marriage because of being bound to a certain set of beliefs and core values (Blake & Janssens, 2021). Meanwhile, structural commitment occurs when couples stay in the marriage for the sake of other people such as children (Gopinath et al., 2022). Through commitment, couples can explore things that make them happy and satisfied.

Teamwork

Marriage is a collaborative social aspect since the couples compromise their endeavors in favor of the new relationship. Therefore, getting married means a new journey that involves sharing responsibilities. Marital teamwork involves a feeling of unity and mutual support on multiple fronts. Couples develop teamwork at the beginning of their relationships because they are always madly in love (Brien-Bérard & des Rivières-Pigeon, 2022). However, there is always a possibility of the togetherness fading as the days go by. Teamwork allows the couples to feel appreciated and helped in case of troubles. Moreover, through teamwork, the couples become successful in various aspects such as finances and raising their children (Braughton et al., 2022). Consequently, every party to marriage feels happy due to the common sense of unity in the relationship. Marital unity promotes happiness, satisfaction, and stability due to mutual efforts in overcoming problems.

Effective Communication

Effective communication is crucial for a successful relationship and marriage is not an exemption. Couples often face difficulties that require responsive intervention from their partners. For instance, a couple with a personal condition that is secretive must communicate with their partner to avoid misunderstandings. Marital communication is the capability of couples to feel safe and talk openly without fear (Sanford, 2010). Through effective communication, the partners feel satisfied and protected since they are always ready to intervene in any situation. Additionally, effective communication helps in avoiding instances of dishonesty that are detrimental to a successful and happy relationship (Le et al., 2022). A marriage where couples effectively communicate is stable, and none doubts each other’s intention.

Mutual Intimacy

Commitment, teamwork, and effective communication are not sufficient for a happy and stable couple relationship. The three aspects must be backed up by a sense of vulnerability, openness, and sharing. For instance, a couple needs to be open when communicating with their partners. Marital intimacy is an aspect of closeness and excitement among couples and takes place in four different ways: sexual, experimental, intellectual, and emotional. Experimental intimacy occurs when a couple bonds during leisure activities such as watching a movie together (McDaniel et al., 2020). Sexual intimacy involves the couples enjoying sensual and sexual activities (Balderrama-Durbin et al., 2015). Meanwhile, couples feel safe sharing their feelings through emotional intimacy. Intellectual intimacy allows the couples to share ideas and opinions that contribute to a successful marriage relationship. Through mutual intimacy, the marriage remains stable since there is a special interconnection and satisfaction from the couples.

Assessing the Dimensions

Various measures can be adopted to assess whether there is effective communication, mutual intimacy, teamwork, and commitment in marriage. I would adopt three significant measures to determine the presence of the dimensions, discussed above, in a marriage. Firstly, I will determine whether the couple is pursuing more than just happiness. The ultimate goal of marriage is not just happiness, but procreation among other social aspects. Committed couples will exhibit perseverance in their marriage even if there is no longer much happiness. For instance, if one of the partners falls sick and can longer provide conjugal rights, a committed couple will remain in that marriage. Pursuing more than just happiness means communicating and remaining intimate during difficult times.

Secondly, I would assess the dimension by determining whether the couples are inspiring change in each other. A marriage involves compromising individual happiness for the relationship’s sake. Consequently, the couples must exhibit some changes that benefit their relationship. For instance, if a married person stops their bad old habits such as drug abuse it means that they are committed to their relationship and finding happiness in it. Additionally, positive change indicates that the partners effectively communicate and exhibited intimacy for their betterment (Funk & Rogge, 2007). Lastly, I would assess the dimensions by determining whether the couples are setting good examples for others, including their children. Every person strives for success and happiness in marriage. Therefore, couples must exhibit mutual intimacy, teamwork, effective communication, and commitment to their marriage, setting an example to their children and others who want a successful and stable marriage.

Assessment Rationale

The chosen three assessments are crucial for any successful, happy, and stable relationships. Happiness is one of the ingredients of marriage since there is always a commitment to stay in the marriage for better or worse. Therefore, exploring whether the couples are pursuing more than happiness helps understand their levels of commitment, teamwork, communication, and intimacy. Inspiring a change in each other helps understand whether the couples are working in the interest of their relationship or not (Balderrama-Durbin et al., 2015). The assessment helps reveal the couple’s intention for their marriage and individual partners. Meanwhile, determining whether the couples are setting good examples for each other is significant. The assessment helps in determining the attitudes of the couples toward their marriage. Couples with a positive attitude will do whatever it takes to ensure that their marriage is the best example. Therefore, the chosen assessment is crucial in determining various aspects of couple relationships.

Conclusion

A successful, happy, and stable marriage is anchored on four dimensions: commitment, teamwork, mutual intimacy, and effective communication. The four dimension helps in determining whether a couple’s relationship is beneficial or detrimental to the partners’ endeavors. Commitment and teamwork enable couples to preserve marital problems and have a unity of purpose. Meanwhile, mutual intimacy promotes openness and understanding between a couple. The four dimensions can be assessed by determining if the couples are pursuing more than just happiness, setting a good example to others, and inspiring changes in each other. Therefore, a beneficial couple relationship is built on commitment, effective communication, mutual intimacy, and teamwork.

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