The Relationship Between Premarital Expectation and Marital Satisfaction Among Married Couples in Bole Sub-city of Addis Ababa City Administration

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between married couples’ premarital expectations and marital satisfaction in the Bole sub-city of Addis Ababa. A quantitative descriptive survey was employed in this study. A sample of 100 married couples (200 participants) was used as a primary source of data. The sampling technique employed was a convenience sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from primary sources. Pearson’s correlation, standard linear regression, one way ANOVA, and independent T-test were used as data analysis techniques with an acceptable significance level (p < 0.05). The result of the study indicated that there was a significantly positive relationship between premarital expectation and marital satisfaction. Marital communication was observed to have a statistically significant predictor effect on marital satisfaction. Socio-demographic factors assumed to have a contribution to variance in premarital expectations and marital satisfaction of couples have been identified; educational level, religious affiliation, and source of marital information were identified to have a contribution to differences in premarital expectation. Age, religious affiliation, income level, and duration of courtship were identified to have a significant contribution to differences in marital satisfaction of married couples. The findings of the study have practical implications in marriage counseling, couples capacity building training, couples conflict resolution, and for researchers in the area of marriage and marital relationship.