Date of Award:

5-2008

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Family and Human Development (MFHD)

Department:

Family, Consumer, and Human Development

Advisor/Chair:

Scot M. Allgood

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore sex differences in the use and evaluated helpfulness of advice received before marriage. In addition, this study explored who typically gave premarital advice. Advice is considered by some to be a form of social support which can be helpful or hurtful to the marriage relationship. The sex of the advice-giver and advice-receiver as well as the relationship quality between them was explored in order to highlight how these variables affect advice use and helpfulness. Utilizing a questionnaire and interviews with individual newlywed husbands (n = 56) and wives (n = 56), data were collected and analyzed. Advice was mostly given by mothers, fathers, friends, and religious leaders. Generally, both husbands and wives used the advice they were given and both evaluated the advice as helpful. Sex did not have a significant impact on advice use or helpfulness, but in some cases, the relationship between the advice-giver and advice-receiver significantly influenced the use and evaluated helpfulness of advice.

Copyright for this work is retained by the student.