Index

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the impact of emotional divorce and its relationship with psychological hardiness for a sample of married female students at Yarmok University. It also aimed at recognizing the differences between those students impacted by emotional divorce in light of certain factors, namely the duration of marriage, the family's monthly salary and the husband's educational level. The researchers used a questionnaire as the study instrument that consisted of a thirty-item emotional divorce scale and a thirty-one-item psychological hardiness scale. The researchers found that by using the statistical analysis of means and standard deviations, three- way ANOVA analysis, and Pearson Correlation Coefficient, the level of emotional divorce among married female students at Yarmok University was low. Unexpectedly, the level of psychological hardiness among the married female students was high. In addition, the study results showed that there is a negative statistical relationship between emotional divorce and psychological hardiness for married female students at Yarmok University.

Keywords: Divorce, Emotionalm divorce, Psychological, hardness, Married, students, University, students, Counseling, Education.

Received: 25 October 2019 / Revised: 29 November 2019 / Accepted: 6 January 2020/ Published: 11 February 2020

Contribution/ Originality

This study documented the negative emotional impact of divorce in the constitution of the psychological –hardiness personality among the married female students at Yarmok University. The study can help Ministry of Higher Education to help create an educated generation capable of successfully solving family problems.


1. INTRODUCTION

Marital compatibility is a pattern of social harmony through which the individual aims to establish harmonious relations with his/her spouse. Marital compatibility means that the husband and wife find the marital relationship satisfying their physical, emotional and social needs. In order to achieve marital compatibility, the couple has to work to satisfy the needs and desires of the other party (his/her spouse). He/she should try his/her best to do this. As such, marriage can continue as an important component of the society (Kafafi, 1999).

No marriage lacks a crisis in which the interaction between the couples is disrupted, their lives are troubled, their relationships become difficult, and their marriage becomes difficult and requires their effort, patience and their desire to resolve the crisis. Such situations need the support of friends and family until the crisis passes peacefully, disruption disappears and marital compatibility is re-secured.

The impact of crises on the marital relationship varies. Severe and chronic crises are more dangerous to marriage because they indicate persistence of the crisis and the difficulty of adapting to it. The light and moderate crises are more common and are useful in strengthening the marital relationship. The lack of civilized dialogue between couples in addition to the frequent clashes between them might cause the couple to suffer from a state of coldness and bore of daily routines and life. Therefore, some couples resort to remaining silent and calm (Hassan, 2008).

Al-Hakbani (2013) defined the emotional divorce as follows: the husband abandons his wife, whether it through desertion of the emotional relationship or through abstaining from mutual conversation and loss of affection and psychological accommodation between the spouses, while the husband's other matrimonial rights such as maintenance and housing insurance are provided. Hadi (2010) defined it as imbalance and bad distributive justice regarding the rights and duties of the spouses. This leads to the disruption of married life and the disunity and loss of emotion between the two spouses. The couple lives in one house but they are strangers to each other.

Emotional divorce leads to further separation, which increases the psychological pressure on the couple. It also increases the difference and problems between them. One or both becomes irritable and behaves erratically and can become harmful to the other party. He/she cannot coexist with him, making it more difficult to sustain life between them (Attieh, 2009).

Emotional divorce passes through several stages, beginning with the loss of affection and love and then partial abandonment of the emotional practices of all types gradually, to complete abandonment. It also involves any sexual relationship, and living outside the home and neglecting maintenance and care. This way, the wife is neither divorced nor married (Al-Hakbani, 2013). These stages include:

First: the destabilization and loss of confidence: At this stage one of the parties loses confidence in the other party. He/she does not believe in the other party, leading to the situation that the image of the other party is shaken. This stage also includes doubt in other’s sayings and actions. This leads to a cooling of the love between the spouses and its loss at the end (Hadi, 2010).

Second: the chill and loss of love: At this stage, there is a lot of blame and the severity of accounting for every shortcoming and accusation of irresponsibility. Both parties feel aggrieved and loss of love is a focal point in the dispute between them. They feel that their passion for each other is no longer as it was in the past. No one is attracted to the other, does not care about his/her requests, tends to exaggerate his/her shortcomings, and seems reluctant to love or to be courteous to him/her (Al-Rashidi and Al-Khalifi, 2008).

Thirdly: selfishness: Selfishness contributes to the destruction of family rules. Each one of the couples think of himself/herself. The husband or wife feels unwilling to sacrifice and does not consider the interests of the other party’s life. He/she becomes preoccupied with himself/herself or his/her work away from the other. He/she is not committed to performing his/her duties in the relationship (Mursi, 1995).

Fourth: Marital silence: This means not speaking and or exchanging feelings of friendship with the other party because of his/her persuasion of the futility of dialogue with him/her. This leads to increase the gap between the two spouses, which in turn threatens the marital relationship with separation (Al-Makhzoumi, 2004). If the couple is forced to engage in dialogue, they will have a sharp tone that is devoid of love, respect and appreciation. Each one may try to injure the other or to blame him/her with criticism or reproach (Al-Iraqi, 2006).

Fifth: Emotional Divorce: At this stage, the psychological barriers between the spouses increase. If they have to deal with each other in a few situations, this deal takes a form of coldness, sharpness or seriousness that is similar to formal dealings, not the friendly or spontaneous treatment that is supposed to be the default. In some cases, one or both spouses make use of the different positions to deliver hatred or negative feelings or lack of interest to the other party or even disrespect. This situation adds new problems to the already problematic relationship. Each party sleeps in his/her own bed, which causes, the inability of reform to break up, hatred and stubbornness (Hadi, 2012).

The marital relationship is influenced by several important variables, including the duration of marriage. The first stages of marriage are characterized by extreme closeness, while the later stages are characterized by confrontation, discussion and negotiation in terms of control and power. It is natural that the length of marriage causes a kind of routine with respect to activities and shared decisions. People who are happy in their marriage look at their partners less admirably over time, while the unhappy look at their partners as undesirable at all. The continuation of the marital relationship may be a sign of surrender rather than happiness (Abdali, 2009).

The marital relationship is also influenced by the self-efficacy and psychological hardiness which have a considerable impact on the individual and his/her behavior. The couple's awareness of their own self-efficacy and psychological hardiness is related to their assessment of their ability to satisfy a certain level of achievement and their ability to control events. Bandura confirmed that high and low self-efficacy is related to the environment. When the efficiency is high, and the environment is appropriate, the results are likely to be successful. The highly effective people, when they are faced with inappropriate environmental situations, adjust their efforts to change the environment around them. When low self-efficacy is related to inappropriate environment, the person becomes depressed when noticing that others are doing difficult work (Saeed, 2005).

1.1. Psychological Hardiness

Psychological hardiness is one of the characteristics of personality that helps the individual to cope well with stress, maintain physical and psychological health, and not be subjected to stress-induced psychophysiological disorders. Individuals with psychological hardiness are characterized by optimism and emotional calm. They are effective in coping with stress and pressures. They can shift stress situations to less threatening situations (Al-Sayed, 2007).

Kobasa (1979) was one of the first scholars to lay the foundation for the term "psychological hardiness". She noted that some individuals can achieve their own potential, despite being subjected to many frustrations and pressures. Kobasa (1979) derived the term psychological hardiness, influenced by existential philosophical thought, which focuses on the future rather than the past in interpreting the behavior of the individual. This thought considers that the individual is in a continuous state and that the motivation of the individual stems from the continuous search coming from the meaning and purpose of life (Maddi, 2004).

Muhaimar (1996) argued that psychological hardiness is a form of mental engagement where the individual becomes committed towards himself/herself and his/her goals, values, and others around him/her. It also subsumes the belief of the individual that he/she can have control over the events that he/she faces, and that what happens regarding the aspects of his/her life is exciting and necessary for growth, rather than a threat to it. Konstantionova (2005) defined psychological hardiness as: the individual's belief in his/her ability to cope with stressful life events that affect his/her mental health, and make these pressures less threatening to his/her life by using effective strategies in solving and confronting his/her problems. Khanfar (2013) believed that psychological hardiness is the process of adapting the individual to life stresses, and through his/her confidence in his/her ability to control his/her feelings, solving the problems he/she faces successfully. This also includes having several qualities such as commitment, challenge and the ability to manage the problems of his/her daily life.

Kobasa, cited in Lambert (2003) argued that a person with psychological hardiness has major characteristics: the ability to engage and commit towards his/her life and towards society, the ability to control and influence his/her life, and his/her belief that change is challenging. These characteristics are fundamental dimensions of psychological hardiness. Kobasa (1979) found that these three dimensions of psychological hardiness are related to the ability of the individual to challenge environment pressures as well as life events and to transform them into promising opportunities for personal growth. The lack of these three dimensions is described as psychological combustion. One dimension is not enough to provide us with the courage and motivation to turn the pressure to positive things. Psychological hardiness is a compound that consists of three dimensions which are independent and measurable.

Majdi and Al-Safadi (2013) pointed out that psychological hardiness focuses on an individual's ability to adapt. The individuals who have high psychological hardiness have better cognitive abilities, more adaptive responses, and high self-efficacy.

Upon reviewing the related literature, it appears that there are some studies that addressed emotional divorce and psychological hardiness. For example, Al-Rahim (2016) aimed to identify the roles conflict and its relationship to married students’ psychological hardiness in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Qadisiyyah. The study sample consisted of 100 male and female students. The results of the study showed that married students suffer from roles conflict and low psychological rigidity. The results of the study also revealed a positive relationship between roles conflict and the low married students’ psychological hardiness.

Obeidi (2015) conducted a study that aimed at identifying the emotional divorce of married students and the differences related to emotional divorce according to gender, the duration of marriage, the economic situation and the age difference between spouses. The study sample consisted of 150 students suffering from emotional divorce. The results of the study revealed that married university students suffer from emotional divorce and showed differences in emotional divorce due to marriage duration (for the benefit of those who have less than five years), economic situation ((for the benefit of not good status), and age difference (for the benefit of those who have more than ten years). The results showed differences in emotional divorce due to the gender variable.

Al-Fatalawi and Jabbar (2012) measured the level of emotional divorce of married employees in the government departments in the province of Qadisiyyah. The study sample consisted of 300 employees in the state departments in Qadisiyyah Governorate. The results of the study showed a low level of emotional divorce among the study sample.

Hadi (2010) conducted a study that aimed at identifying the emotional divorce and self-efficacy of families in the city of Baghdad. It also identified the knowledge of the differences related to the emotional divorce of families in the city of Baghdad, according to the variables of sex, the economic situation and the duration of marriage. The study sample consisted of 300 husbands and wives. The results of the study showed that there was emotional divorce among the families in the city of Baghdad, and there was emotional divorce between males and females to the same degree. The results also showed an inverse relationship between emotional divorce and the socio-economic background. Emotional divorce is mainly manifested in families that have been together for 5-14 years and 15-24 years of marriage.

Abbasi and Al-Obeidi (2010) aimed at identifying the emotional divorce level of a sample of married couples in Baghdad and identifying the differences in emotional divorce between married couples according to the duration of the marriage (married, old and newly married). The study sample consisted of 50 couples. The results of the study revealed the existence of emotional divorce in the sample of the study. It also found that there were differences between married couples regarding the degree of feeling of emotional divorce for the benefit of old married couples.

Al-Mishaan (2010) examined the relationship between psychological hardiness, physical complaints, hope and neurosis. The study was conducted on a sample of 373 male and female students at Kuwait University. The results of the study showed no statistically significant differences regarding the degree of psychological hardiness. The results also indicated a statistically significant positive relationship between psychological hardiness and hope, while there was a statistically significant negative relationship between psychological hardiness and neurosis.

Al-Mafriji and Al-Shamri (2008) studied the relationship between psychological hardiness and psychological security in a sample of Umm Al-Qura University students. It also aimed to identify differences regarding the degree of psychological hardiness according to gender, age, specialization, school year, and household income. The study sample consisted of 445 male and female students. The results of the study showed a statistically significant positive relationship between psychological hardiness and psychological sense of security. The results of the study showed no statistically significant differences regarding the degree of psychological hardiness due to sex, age, specialization and the year of study. The degree of psychological hardiness was attributed to the level of household income, for the benefit of those with high income.

As is clear from the studies above, emotional divorce and psychological hardiness were investigated separately. The current study is consistent with the previous studies in trying to identify the level of emotional divorce and the degree of psychological hardiness of married women but it is differs from other studies in that it addresses emotional divorce and psychological hardiness in one study. It also identifies the level of emotional divorce and degree of psychological hardiness of married students depending on the duration of marriage, monthly income rate, and the educational qualifications of the husband.

1.2. The Problem and the Question of the Study

The sense of this problem and the desire to explore the level of emotional divorce and its relationship with psychological hardness of married students at Yarmok University comes from the researchers’ knowledge of the previous related literature and the existence of this phenomenon in some couples who have relationships with the researchers, including their relatives, acquaintances and neighbors. The researchers do not find adequate studies either local or foreign on this subject, something that also prompted them to carry out this study.

The problem of emotional divorce is that it is an internal problem that is not explicitly visible, and its occurrence does not necessarily lead to divorce and formal separation between spouses. Emotional divorce is the negative form of the marital relationship and arises as a result of the ongoing differences between the spouses because of the failure of one or both of them to satisfy the needs of the other party. The negative relationship obstructs the development of emotional life between the spouses and leads to further divergence and widening gap between them, which negatively impacts on their treatment of each other of all family members.

The present study also sought to reveal the degree of psychological hardness as it mediated between the individual’s cognitive assessment of the stressful experiments, and the readiness using coping strategies, which help the individual deal with the pressures effectively.

The problem of the current study is depicted through answering the following questions:

1.3. The Significance of the Study

This study derives its importance from its continual importance to society As long as there is marriage, there are differences and crises. There is no marriage without marital differences. Marriage is the starting point for the establishment of the family and it is of great importance for most young men and women. This is because of its important role in achieving psychological and social compatibility. The goal of the society is to maintain its existence through realizing its needs and fulfilling the needs of its members and this results in a close relationship between the couple, which is called marital relationship (Mursi, 1995).

There have been numerous Arabic studies that dealt with marital relationship, divorce and marital compatibility, whether psychologically or socially. However, the researchers did not find in-depth studies - within the limits of their knowledge – which dealt with emotional divorce and psychological hardness. This led them to investigate the nature of the relationship between the level of emotional divorce and the degree of psychological hardness of married students.

From the practical point of view, this study is important because its results can be used by directing the concerned bodies and civil society organizations that are interested in the family. They also can be beneficial to the Ministry of Higher Education to help educate the community in order to build a strong generation that is armed with science and that can cope with the family problems successfully to ensure family cohesion.

1.4. Definition of Concepts

Emotional divorce: It is a kind of response that involves the physical departure and the non-consideration of the other party who is treated as he/she does not exist (Kafafi, 1999). It is procedurally defined as the overall degree obtained by the respondent on the emotional divorce scale used in this study.

Psychological hardness: The process of adapting the individual to life pressures, through his/her confidence in his/her ability to control his/her feelings, solve problems successfully, in addition to having a number of qualities such as commitment, challenge and the ability to manage the problems of his/her daily life (Khanfar, 2013). It is procedurally defined as the overall degree obtained by the respondent on the scale of psychological hardness used in this study.

1.5. Limitations of the Study

2. METHOD AND PROCEDURES

2.1. The Study Sample

The sample of the current study consisted of 100 married female students, who were selected from the Faculty of Education at Yarmok University for the academic year 2017/2018. Table 1 shows the distribution of the sample of the study according to the study variables.

Table-1. Distribution of the sample of the study according to the duration of marriage, the monthly income rate, and the academic qualification of the husband.

Variables
Categories
Repetitions
%
Duration of marriage
Less than 5 years
49
49.0
5-10 years
20
20.0
More than 10 years
31
31.0
Monthly income
Less than 500 JD
42
42.0
From 500-999 JD
40
40.0
More than 1000 JD
18
18.0
Academic level of the husband
Diploma and less
55
55.0
Bachelor and love
45
45.0
Total
100
100.0

Source: (SPSS).

2.2. Study Instruments

2.2.1. Emotional Divorce Scale

The researchers developed the emotional divorce scale by referring to previous studies related to the subject of the current study and benefiting from them (Abbasi and Al-Obeidi, 2010; Al-Fatalawi and Jabbar, 2012). The scale consisted in its initial form of 32paragraphs, which were answered according to the five-dimensional Likert scale (always, often, sometimes, rarely, and never). The following rating was adopted to judge the mean:

2.3. Validity

The researchers presented the scale to a set of arbitrators who are specialists in the field of psychological counseling and educational psychology to judge the validity of the paragraphs, accuracy, and clarity. The results of the arbitration resulted in six paragraphs being re-worded due to lack of clarity, and two paragraphs dropped because of their unsuitability. The paragraphs of the scale become 30 paragraphs in its final form.

2.4. Stability of the Scale

For the purposes of checking the stability of the scale, it was applied to a sample of 25 students from outside the sample of the current study. The stability factor was calculated in the internal consistency method of Alpha Cronbach and found out to be 0.79 which was acceptable for the purposes of this study.

2.4.1. Psychological Hardness Scale

For the purposes of the current study, the researchers developed a scale of future anxiety, appealing to previous studies which are related to the subject of the present study (Joud, 2012; Naffa', 2013). The number of paragraphs of the scale was in its initial form34, which was answered according to the five-dimensional Fifth Likert Scale (always, often, sometimes, rarely, and never).
The following rating was adopted to judge the mean:

2.5. Validity of the Scale

The researchers presented the scale to a set of arbitrators who are specialists in the field of psychological counseling and educational psychology to judge the validity of the paragraphs, accuracy, and clarity. The results of the arbitration resulted in five paragraphs being re-worded due to lack of clarity, and three paragraphs dropped because of their unsuitability. The paragraphs of the scale became 31 paragraphs in its final form.

2.6. Stability of the Scale

For the purposes of checking the stability of the scale, it was applied to a sample of 25 students from outside the sample of the current study. The stability factor was calculated in the internal consistency method of Alpha Cronbach and found out to be 0.93, which was acceptable for the purposes of this study.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Question 1: What is the level of emotional divorce of married female students at Yarmok University?

To answer this question, the mean and standard deviations of emotional divorce of married female students at Yarmok University were extracted. Table 2 shows this.

Table 2 shows that the means of the paragraphs that measure the level of emotional divorce of married female students at Yarmok University ranged from 1.17 to 2.66. The paragraph that states: "I will give up my goals to avoid conflict with my husband" was ranked first with the average level (2.66). The lowest mean was for the paragraph that states "my husband travels without a convincing reason" with mean (1.17) and a low level. The overall average of the instrument was (1.90) which is low.

Table-2. The mean and standard deviations of emotional divorce of married female students at Yarmok University are downwardly ordered by means.

Rank
No
Paragraph
Mean
SD
Level
  1.  
5
Stay away from my goals to avoid a conflict with my husband
2.66
1.183
Medium
  1.  
14
My husband is keen to go out together for a walk
2.51
1.480
Medium
  1.  
7
My husband meets my wishes quickly
2.43
1.157
Medium
  1.  
9
My husband insists on his mistakes
2.43
1.458
Medium
  1.  
10
I tolerate my husband when he does not meet my requests
2.36
1.040
Medium
  1.  
15
I feel bad while shopping with my husband
2.32
1.370
Low
  1.  
25
I exchange gifts with my husband
2.30
1.374
Low
  1.  
2
Signs of grief and depression appear on my husband for no convincing reason.
2.26
1.143
Low
  1.  
17
I check the messages and contacts on my husband's phone.
2.25
1.366
Low
  1.  
1
I feel that our marital life is based on grumbling and complaining.
2.17
1.256
Low
  1.  
28
My husband respects my opinion and takes it. Low
2.13
1.220
Low
  1.  
6
Our marital life lacks dialogue and quiet discussion.
2.09
1.232
Low
  1.  
18
I feel that my husband is related to me and does not spare me.
2.00
1.333
Low
  1.  
3
My husband objects to the way I care about children.
1.94
1.081
Low
  1.  
8
My husband is intent on doing things that will cause me trouble.
1.82
1.149
Low
  1.  
29
I apologize to my husband when he wronged him.
1.80
1.137
Low
  1.  
26
I feel an emotional emptiness between me and my husband.
1.79
1.250
Low
  1.  
27
I tell my husband with the feelings of love and attraction to him.
1.77
1.090
Low
  1.  
11
I feel remorse and dissatisfaction with my marriage.
1.71
1.157
Low
  1.  
4
I think my husband is deficient in the performance of his family duties.
1.66
.987
Low
  1.  
13
I feel that my husband does not love me.
1.63
1.212
Low
  1.  
22
I find support from my husband when I am in crisis.
1.58
1.017
Low
  1.  
20
My husband gives up helping me when I need it.
1.57
1.103
Low
  1.  
24
I feel weak and insulted when expressing my feelings to my husband.
1.57
1.027
Low
  1.  
21
It is better for the husband's family to take care of him if he has a health problem.
1.51
1.078
Low
  1.  
23
I feel that my husband is not happy to marry me.
1.44
.808
Low
  1.  
12
I feel happy when I exchange ideas with my husband.
1.42
1.046
Low
  1.  
16
I am glad to hear the words of love and praise from my husband.
1.38
1.042
Low
  1.  
19
I feel that the relationship between me and my husband is based on interest.
1.37
.928
Low
  1.  
30
My husband travels without a convincing reason.
1.17
.652
Low
Total
1.90
.678
Low

Source: (SPSS).

The researchers explained this result as one of the positive indicators experienced by married female students at Yarmok University, meaning that they do not suffer the consequences of emotional divorce in their marital life. The married students are keen to take care of the family and its cohesion. These values ​​are firmly rooted in the continuation of the marital life and its preservation, as well as the affirmation of the religious values ​​of compassion and separation between the spouses. This alleviates the reasons for emotional divorce and leads to an increase in emotional attachment between the spouses. This result is consistent with the results of Al-Fatalawi and Jabbar (2012) which showed a low level of emotional divorce among the study sample. This result is different from the results of Obeidi (2015); Hadi (2010) and Abbasi and Al-Obeidi (2010) which revealed that married individuals suffer from emotional divorce.

Question 2: What is the degree of psychological hardness of married female students at Yarmok University?

To answer this question, the means and standard deviations of the degree of psychological hardness for married female students at Yarmok University were calculated. Table 3 shows this.

Table-3. The mean and standard deviations of psychological hardness of married female students at Yarmok University are downwardly ordered by means.

Rank
No
Paragraph
Mean
SD
Level
1
11
I have certain values ​​and principles that I adhere to and preserve.
4.51
.689
High
2
9
I think my life has a purpose and meaning for which I live.
4.50
.798
High
3
4
The value of life lies in the individual's adherence to principles and values.
4.34
.879
High
4
23
I  can do anything that serves my family or my community.
4.32
.920
High
5
3
I think that the fun and excitement of life lies in the ability of the individual to meet the challenges.
4.21
.935
High
6
7
My success in studying and family depends on my efforts, not on luck and chance.
4.18
1.201
High
7
17
I stand by others when facing any problem.
4.17
.943
High
7
27
I feel responsible for others and take the initiative to help them
4.17
.853
High
9
13
I have the ability to persevere after solving any problem
4.14
.817
High
10
29
I plan for my life and do not leave it to luck, chance and external circumstances.
4.14
1.015
High
11
22
I had the love of adventure and the desire to explore my surroundings
4.12
.935
High
12
24
I take care of problems because I trust my ability to solve them
4.11
.952
High
13
20
I can control the course of my life.
4.07
.913
High
14
1
I can achieve my goals no matter what the challenges are.
3.98
.887
High
14
8
I have a curiosity and a desire to know what I do not know.
3.98
1.172
High
16
5
I have the ability to implement my future plans.
3.87
.884
High
16
26
I think life with all of its aspects is not worth living
3.87
1.383
High
18
2
I make my own decisions, and they are not made by an external source
3.81
.884
High
19
14
Problems raise my energy and my ability to challenge.
3.71
.946
High
19
30
I change my values ​​and principles if circumstances require so.
3.71
1.289
High
21
12
I think the failure is due to reasons that lie in the person himself/herself.
3.62
1.052
medium
22
6
Most of my life is lost in meaningless activities
3.55
1.058
medium
22
10
I think the exciting life is that I have problems I can face.
3.55
1.067
medium
24
15
I participate in any activity that serves the community in which
I live without hesitation
3.54
1.193
medium
25
18
I think luck and chance play an important role in my life.
3.52
1.176
medium
26
21
I think bad luck is due to poor planning.
3.50
1.227
medium
27
31
I am afraid to face problems even before they happen
3.38
1.204
medium
28
16
I feel scared and threatened as a result of circumstances and events.
3.00
1.231
medium
28
25
I think that individuals' lives are affected by external powers that they have no control over.
3.00
.985
medium
30
28
I am afraid of life changes that may threaten my life.
2.48
1.202
medium
31
19
I think that distance from people is a gain
2.43
1.297
medium
Total
3.79
.452
High

Source: (SPSS).

Table 3 shows that the means of the paragraphs that measure the degree of psychological hardness of married female students at Yarmok University ranged between 4.51 - 2.43. The paragraph that states "I have certain values ​​and principles that I adhere to and maintain” was ranked first with 4.51 and with a high degree. The lowest mean was for the paragraph, which states that "I think the distance from people is a gain" and had a mean of 2.43 and a medium degree. The overall average of the tool was 3.79.

This can be explained in the light of the concept of psychological hardness that acts as a barrier and oppressor against the individual's corresponding pressures. This is done according to its components of "commitment, challenge and control". Highly controlled individuals try to solve difficult and challenging problems. In addition, in the light of existential theory, the result of the present study is characterized as upholding the will of life and seeking to create meaning for this presence, despite the events of stressful life. This result differs from the results of Al-Rahim (2016) which showed that married students suffer from low psychological hardness.

Question 3: Are there statistically significant differences (α = 0.05) regarding the level of emotional divorce due to the duration of marriage, average monthly income, and the academic qualification of the husband?
To answer this question, the means and standard deviations of the level of emotional divorce among married female students were extracted according to the variables of marriage duration, monthly income rate, and the husband's academic qualifications. Table 4 shows this.

Table-4. The means and standard deviations (SD) of the level of emotional divorce among married female students were extracted according to the variables of marriage duration, monthly income rate, and the husband's academic qualifications.

Variables
Categories
Means
SD
NO
Duration of marriage
Less than 5 years
1.78
.522
49
5-10 years
2.05
.780
20
More than 10 years
2.01
.802
31
Monthly income
Less than 500 JD
2.01
.667
42
From 500-999 JD
1.97
.746
40
More than 1000 JD
1.51
.348
18
Academic level of the husband
Diploma and less
2.06
.753
55
Bachelor and love
1.70
.516
45

Source: (SPSS).

Table 4 shows apparent differences between the means and the standard deviations of the level of emotional divorce due to differences in the duration of marriage, the average monthly income, and the academic qualification of the husband. To illustrate the significance of these differences, the 3 WAY-ANOVA analyses were used as shown in Table 5.

Table-5. Analysis of the triangular variation of the effect of the duration of marriage, the average monthly income, and the academic qualification of the husband at the level emotional divorce.

Source of variance
Square totals
Freedom degrees
Mean
F-Value
Statistical
significance
Marriage duration
1.702
2
.851
2.082
.130
Average monthly income
2.760
2
1.380
3.376
.038
The academic qualification of the husband
1.295
1
1.295
3.167
.078
Error
38.428
94
.409
Total
45.471
99

Source: (SPSS).

Table 5 shows that there were no statistically significant differences regarding the level of emotional divorce among married female students according to the variables of the marriage duration and the academic qualification of the husband. The researchers explained the absence of such differences due to the variable duration of marriage in that the nature of the Jordanian society and the prevailing family culture make the husband more connected to his wife, a matter that increases their family cohesion and reflects a high degree of marital compatibility. This leads to a decrease in marital problems and family differences. This results in a low level of emotional divorce between spouses. The marital life based on mutual understanding and support between the spouses gives rise to a sense of satisfaction with the marital relationship, which decreases with the levels of emotional divorce that disrupts the marital life. This result differs from the results of Obeidi (2015) which showed differences regarding the emotional divorce due to variable of marriage duration for the benefit of those who have (less than 5 years), and the results of Hadi (2010) which refers to an increase of emotional divorce within the families with (5-14 years) marriages and (15-24 years) marriages. This was also different from the results of Abbasi and Al-Obeidi (2010) which pointed to the existence of differences between married couples regarding the degree of feeling of emotional divorce, for the benefit of married couples.

The researchers attributed the absence of significant differences attributed to the variable of the husband's academic qualification to the fact that the qualities of women and their needs are close. Women need the attention of their husbands; their imposition and happiness lie with the husbands who rejoice to their joy and pains for their pain and takes care of their feelings. The results also indicated that there were statistically significant differences regarding the level of emotional divorce among married female students due to the variable of average monthly income. In order to demonstrate the significance of the statistically significant differences, the dimension comparisons were used in the same way as shown in Table 6.

Table-6. The dimension comparisons of the effect of average monthly income on emotional divorce level.

Variable
Categories
Mean
Less than 500 JD
500-999 JD
More than 1000 JD
Average
monthly
income
Less than 500 JD
2.01
500-999 JD
1.97
.04
More than 1000 JD
1.51
.50 *
.46

Source: (SPSS).

Table 7 shows significant differences between the average monthly income category (less than 500 JD) and the average monthly income category (1000 JD and above) for the sake of the average monthly income category (less than 500 JD). This is explained by the fact that marital problems increase as the economic level decreases and vice versa, i.e. the higher the economic level is the less the problems between the spouses are. This situation is explained by the theory of social learning (Bandura) that poverty supports marital dissonance, leading as such to more marital problems and differences. In addition, some wives refuse a low standard of living; therefore, they cannot control their emotions to cope with economic pressures and become less effective in facing their economic problems, feeling insecure, and feeling frustrated and pessimistic in their married life. This may also be due to a lack of commitment in terms of spending on the family and the provision of their needs, something which generates separation between the spouses, increases the gap between them, and leads to differences and quarrels, hence the feeling of emotional divorce. This finding is consistent with the results of Obeidi (2015) which showed differences in emotional divorce due to the economic situation and poor welfare. It was also consistent with the results of Hadi (2010) which showed a negative relationship between emotional divorce and economic level.

Question 4: Are there differences of statistical significance (α = 0.05) regarding the degree of psychological hardness due to the duration of marriage, average monthly income, and the academic qualification of the husband?

To answer this question, the means and standard deviations of the level of psychological hardness among married female students were extracted according to the variables of marriage duration, monthly income rate, and the husband's academic qualifications. Table 7 shows this.

Table-7. The means and standard deviations (SD) of the level of psychological hardness among married female students were extracted according to the variables of marriage duration, monthly income rate, and the husband's academic qualifications.

Variables
Categories
Means
SD
NO
Duration of marriage
Less than 5 years
3.81
.360
49
5-10 years
3.62
.534
20
More than 10 years
3.86
.511
31
Monthly income
Less than 500 JD
3.82
.429
42
From 500-999 JD
3.75
.508
40
More than 1000 JD
3.81
.386
18
Academic level of the husband
Diploma and less
3.76
.427
55
Bachelor and love
3.82
.484
45

Source: (SPSS).

Table 7 shows apparent differences between the means and the standard deviations of the level of psychological hardness due to differences in the duration of marriage, the average monthly income, and the academic qualification of the husband. To illustrate the significance of these differences, the 3 WAY-ANOVA analysis was used as shown in Table 8.

Table-8. Analysis of the triangular variation of the effect of the duration of marriage, the average monthly income, and the academic qualification of the husband at the level psychological hardness.

Source of variance
Square totals
Freedom degrees
Mean
F-Value
Statistical significance
Marriage duration
.939
2
.469
2.330
.103
Average monthly income
.426
2
.213
1.057
.352
The academic qualification of the husband
.351
1
.351
1.745
.190
Error
18.935
94
.201
Total
20.224
99

Source: (SPSS).

Table 8 shows no statistically significant differences regarding the degree of psychological hardness of married female students according to the variables of marriage duration, monthly income, and the academic qualification of the husband. The researchers explained the absence of such significant differences due to the variable of duration of marriage through the theory of symbolic interaction and the nature of family formation. Some families raise their daughters to take responsibility and prepare them for the role of matrimony since maturity, by providing them with marital values ​​such as partnership between spouses, mutual cooperation and respect of the other side, the commitment to her duties towards her husband, and the ability to control the course of her life. This makes them have strong psychological hardness. Psychological hardness is a personal trait that cannot be determined by a specific marriage period. Kobasa (1979) pointed out that psychological hardness was a personal trait and not defined by a certain age.

The researchers attributed the lack of impact of the variable of average monthly income regarding the degree of psychological hardness to the conditions experienced by single female students, similar to the culture and customs of the Jordanian society. In addition, married female students have similar strategies and philosophies, and their circumstances are similar reducing the impact of income variable on their degree of mental rigidity. The results also showed no significant differences regarding the degree of psychological hardness attributed to the variable of the academic qualification of the husband. The researchers found that the married female students enjoy a high degree of psychological hardness. The academic qualification of the husband has no role in changing the degree of psychological hardness, so the degree of psychological hardness enjoyed by married female students was a degree of strength and psychological motivation, regardless of the academic level of their husband. These results agree with the results of Al-Mishaan (2010) that there are no statistically significant differences regarding the degree of psychological hardness. The results also differed with the results of the study of Al-Mafriji and Al-Shamri (2008) which indicated that there were no statistically significant differences regarding the degree of psychological hardness due to the variables of sex, age, specialization and the year of study, but there are statistically significant differences regarding the degree of psychological hardness due to the income level of the family, for the benefit of those who have high incomes.

Question 5: Is there a statistically significant relationship at the level (α = 0.05) between the level of emotional divorce and the degree of psychological hardness?

To answer this question, the Pearson correlation coefficient was extracted between the level of emotional divorce and psychological hardness. Table 9 shows this.

Table 9 shows a statistically significant negative relationship between the level of emotional divorce and the degree of psychological hardness of married female students. The higher the psychological hardness is, the lower the level of emotional divorce is, and vice versa. Individuals with high psychological hardness are characterized by emotional optimism and calmness, cognitive abilities, a more adaptive response, and high self-efficacy, something that reduces the possibility of dimension or emotional divorce.

Table-9. Pearson correlation coefficient was extracted between the level of emotional divorce and psychological hardness of married female students.

Variable
Relationship
Psychological Hardness
Emotional divorce
Correlation coefficient
-.484 **
Statistical significance
.000
No
100

Source: (SPSS).

4. RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The need to adopt the idea of ​​organizing courses or programs for marital life and offering them to people getting prospective marriages and making it mandatory. Its successful completion should be a condition of completing the marriage contract.

2. Conducting more studies on emotional divorce and psychological hardness, in the light of variables which were not addressed in the current study, such as the academic qualification of the wife, the type of housing, and the size of the family.

3. Conducting a specialized pilot study that aims at designing guidance programs to improve the degree of psychological rigidity of married women.

Funding: This study received no specific financial support.  

Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Acknowledgement: Both authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study.

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