It is evident in the marital studies that besides the differences in opinions on the importance of the conflictual fields related with the prevalence, frequency, and intensity of the conflict between spouses, it also appears out that the very cause of the conflict may change according to the attachment to both one’s her/himself and her/his spouse. Prevalent and constant conflict in marriage causes spouses feel alone. Increase in the conflicts about the family which both women and men feel as the most fundamental social atom in their individual lives or as the closest emotional space also effects life satisfaction. Being able to speak with each other in case of a problem; having time for each other, friends, and hobbies; helping and sharing in housework; fulfilling the responsibilities for each other; participation in decisions; problems such as physical abuse, violence, and alcoholism effect spouses’ individual self-concepts.

METHOD: In this study, a non-retrospective way for experimental studies was assumed. 497 husband and wife in total have been reached as the representative of the Ankara sample, and a questionnaire on the conflictual fields and emotional needs of spouses, Birtchnell’s Spousal Assessment Scale, and the Scale of Loneliness and Life Satisfaction have been used.

In this study, emotional needs of spouses, lack of communication between them, constant dispute, and the dimensions of the Birtchnell scale such as dependency, protectiveness and reliability have been examined. Group analyses have been done through the questionnaires prepared for both women and men separately, and the scale. The findings have been interpreted through one-sided variance analysis, and statistical analyses such as t test.

According to some of the research findings, when the relationship of sharing between spouses is examined, there is a statistically significant difference in all sub-dimensions of the Birtchnell’s Spousal Assessment Scale, and there is no statistically significant difference in the scales of Life Satisfaction and Loneliness. In the resolution of inner family problems, self-sacrificing creates significant differences in all scales except the Loneliness Scale. In cases of an authoritarian spouse, while there is significant difference in both the Spousal Assessment Scale and the Scale of Life Satisfaction, for the loneliness part there emerges no difference. As to the problems such as physical abuse and alcoholism, there is negative influence on life satisfaction for women, but not for men. This is related with the fact that men show more symptoms in physical abuse and alcoholism in society than women do.