Introduction: Retirement and old age often creates a symmetry time together and bring some changes in the mental and physical aspects including marital satisfaction, family functioning and the spouse’s perception of sacrificing behavior. The present study aims to explore the relationship between the perception of spouse’s sacrificing behavior and family functioning and marital satisfaction in the elderly retired nurses of Tehran.
Method: In this descriptive correlational study, 218 people were selected by multistage cluster sampling out of all elderly retired nurses of Tehran. Data were collected by using Sacrifice Measure Figuerres, Family Assessment Device Epstein & et al, and Marital Satisfaction Haynes questionnaires. Data were analyzed by the software SPSS version 19 and Pearson correlation test as well as regression analysis.
Results: The study suggests a significant positive relationship between the perception of spouse’s sacrificing behavior and family functioning and marital satisfaction as well as between the family functioning and the perception of spouse’s sacrificing behavior (P<0.001). The regression analysis revealed that the perception of spouse’s sacrificing behavior and family functioning may predict the marital satisfaction.
Conclusion: These results emphasize that the spouse’s perception of sacrificing behavior and family functioning leads to increased marital satisfaction in the elderly retired nurses.