INTRODUCTION:

Women play an essential role in both family and society. In the traditional Indian context, they have long been seen as caretakers, managing household duties and raising children. Over time, societal roles have evolved, and many women now contribute financially by joining the workforce.

However, a large portion of society still views caregiving as a woman’s primary responsibility. This perception often creates role conflict, as women juggle both professional and domestic roles. Balancing these demands requires continuous adjustments in their daily lives to maintain physical and emotional well-being¹.

In India, there are approximately 160 million housewives, and in Kerala alone, the number is around 15 million. These women frequently face challenges such as economic pressure, caregiving stress, and limited social support, which can negatively affect their overall quality of life².

Housewives, particularly in rural settings, often carry out multiple roles, including managing finances, caring for children and the elderly, and contributing to agricultural work. Despite their critical contributions, these responsibilities can impact their interpersonal relationships and life satisfaction. A study conducted in Bangladesh among 280 rural housewives found that those burdened with heavy caregiving duties had significantly lower life satisfaction (mean = 3.5, SD = 0.8) compared to those with fewer responsibilities (mean = 4.0, SD = 0.6). Similarly, their interpersonal relationship scores were lower (mean = 3.3, SD = 0.7 vs. 4.1, SD = 0.5), with caregiving stress shown to have a statistically significant negative effect (p = 0.02)³. These findings underscore how caregiving strain can adversely impact emotional well-being and relationships. The physical, mental, and emotional demands placed on housewives have a considerable effect on their overall well-being. Stress from these multifaceted roles often contributes to strained communication within families and impacts their confidence and autonomy.

A cross-sectional study conducted in Saudi Arabia among 250 housewives revealed that better physical health (β = 0.45, p < 0.01) and positive family dynamics (β = 0.39, p<0.01) were significantly associated with higher life satisfaction⁴. This reinforces the importance of maintaining both physical wellness and nurturing family relationships in improving the psychological and emotional health of housewives⁵. Economic dependence and a lack of recognition for their contributions further exacerbate the challenges faced by these women.

Social support and socio-economic conditions also play a significant role in determining life satisfaction among housewives. A descriptive study conducted in Tamil Nadu among 300 rural housewives reported a strong positive correlation (r = 0.65, p<0.001) between social support networks and life satisfaction⁶. Likewise, research in rural Andhra Pradesh showed that women with higher education and improved financial conditions reported greater life satisfaction, indicating the importance of enhancing educational and economic opportunities⁷. Building effective relationships characterized by shared responsibilities, emotional support, and clear communication can significantly improve life satisfaction. Promoting emotional well-being, personal autonomy, and access to support systems is essential for enabling housewives to lead more balanced and fulfilling lives⁸.

NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY:

Housewives, particularly in rural settings, often face a multitude of challenges such as economic dependence, social isolation, and the dual burden of household management and caregiving responsibilities. These persistent pressures can lead to various physical and mental health issues including chronic fatigue, stress, and depression, all of which negatively affect their well-being and interpersonal relationships⁹. Strengthening relationship quality among housewives involves improving communication, promoting shared responsibilities, and providing emotional support. Strategies such as family counselling, community-based support systems, and equitable distribution of household duties have been shown to enhance mutual understanding and reduce familial conflict¹⁰. Creating such supportive environments is essential for improving the overall life experience and relational health of housewives.

Life satisfaction is a vital component of a housewife’s overall well-being, influencing not only individual mental health but also the emotional climate of the entire household. Key factors contributing to life satisfaction include financial stability, social engagement, personal fulfilment, and the ability to balance responsibilities with personal aspirations. However, housewives often face barriers such as lack of recognition for their domestic contributions, social isolation, and limited opportunities for personal or professional growth. Enhancing life satisfaction has been associated with reductions in stress and improvements in both mental health and family relationships¹¹. A descriptive study conducted in Punjab involving 200 housewives used the Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Social Support Scale to assess these dynamics. The study reported a mean life satisfaction score of 24.32 (SD = 5.67) and revealed a significant positive correlation between social support and life satisfaction (r = 0.45, p < 0.01), highlighting the role of community and emotional networks in enhancing overall well-being¹².

In Kerala, around 15 million housewives are spread across the state, with nearly 60% residing in rural areas where they face unique socio-economic and health-related challenges. These include economic dependency on spouses, limited healthcare access, and insufficient educational opportunities. Additionally, the physical and emotional strain from balancing household duties, caregiving, and sometimes agricultural labour leads to heightened stress and burnout. Observations made in clinical settings confirm that many housewives experience these issues daily, prompting the need for focused research.¹³

In 2023, a quantitative study examined how family support affects life satisfaction among rural women in Himachal Pradesh. Using stratified random sampling, researchers selected 300 rural housewives and gathered data through structured interviews and standardized questionnaires. The findings revealed a strong positive link between family support and life satisfaction, showing that higher support is associated with greater satisfaction. Family support was a significant predictor, explaining 52% of the variation in life satisfaction, highlighting its role in improving well-being and quality of life.¹⁴

In 2015, a comparative study in Agra evaluated life satisfaction among 40 working and non-working women aged 30–50 using Hardeo Ojha's Life Happiness Scale. Data were collected through random sampling and analyzed using mean, SD, and t-tests to compare both groups. The main finding revealed that working women had significantly higher life satisfaction (mean 65.29± 2.53) than non-working women (mean 63.25±1.89), indicating a clear difference in satisfaction levels between the two groups.²⁶

In light of these concerns, this study seeks to evaluate the relationship dynamics and life satisfaction of housewives. By uncovering the key factors influencing their everyday lives, the research aims to enhance understanding of their difficulties and overall well-being.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

A descriptive study to assess the relationship status and life satisfaction among housewives of selected rural area, Thrissur district

OBJECTIVES:

1. To assess the relationship status and life satisfaction among housewives.

2. Determine correlation between relationship status and life satisfaction among housewives.

3. Find the association between relationship status among housewives and selected socio demographic variables.

4. Find the association between life satisfaction among housewives and selected socio demographic variables.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS:

Assess: Assess is the phrase used to describe the methodical assessment that involves gathering, examining, and interpreting data in a structured and uniform manner in order to ascertain the housewife’s subjective well-being and general level of life satisfaction.

Life Satisfaction:

Life satisfaction is the cognitive, subjective assessment of a person's general well-being and contentment with regard to their life as a whole.

Relationship status:

Relationship status refers to the current state of their marital or partnership dynamics, which includes factors such as marital satisfaction, communication quality, emotional support level, and overall relationship stability as perceived by the housewives themselves.

House wives:

Housewives are married women who handle domestic duties such as cooking, cleaning, child care, and other household chores and obligations primarily without holding a formal career outside the home.

HYPOTHESIS:

H₁There will be a significant correlation between relationship status and life satisfaction among housewives

H₂There will be a significant association between relationship status and life satisfaction among housewives with selected socio-demographic variables.

METHODS AND MATERIALS:

Research approach: Quantitative research approach

Research Design: A descriptive correlational research design

The setting adopted for the study: Tholur pancahayath, Thrissur.

Population: Housewives

Sample: 45 housewives living in Tholur Panchayath, who met the inclusion criteria.

Sample size: 45

Sampling Technique: Purposive sampling technique.

SAMPLING CRITERIA:

Inclusion criteria:

Housewives who are

1. Age between 20-55 years

2. Should know read and write English or Malayalam

Exclusion criteria:

1 Housewives who are not willing for data collection.

2 Housewives suffering from chronic physical and psychiatric problems.

TOOLS AND INSTRUMENTS:

Tool 1: A self-structured questionnaire:

A self-structured questionnaire to assess the socio demographic variables such as age type of family, area of residence, educational status, occupational status, economic status, marriage status, duration of family life, number of children, primary decision maker in the family, family support, husbands primary living arrangement, contact with friends, type of social activities, presence of relaxation technique.

Tool 2: SWLS (satisfaction with life scale) was used to assess level of life satisfaction.

The SWLS is a short 5-item instrument designed to measure global cognitive judgments of satisfaction with one’s life. The scale usually requires only about one minute of a respondent’s time, where respondents answer on a Likert scale. Respondents answer on a seven-point Likert scale, and their scores are added together to create a total score between 5 and 35. A score of 20 indicates that the respondent is equally satisfied and dissatisfied.

SCORING:

Scoring	Result
31-35	Extremely satisfied
26-30	Satisfied
21-25	Slightly satisfied
20	Neutral
15-19	Slightly dissatisfied
10-14	Dissatisfied
5-9	Extremely dissatisfied

Tool-3 Relationship Assessment Scale:

The Relationship Assessment Scale (“RAS”) is an instrument used to measure general relationship satisfaction. The RAS is appropriate for use with any individuals who are in an intimate relationship, such as married couples, cohabiting couples, engaged couples, or dating couples. This instrument is 7 questions long. Items 4 and 7 are reverse scored. To calculate the total score, add up all of the items. The scores range from 7 to 35.

Score	Level of relationship satisfaction
7-14	Low satisfaction
15-21	Average satisfaction
22-35	High satisfaction

Reliability of Tool:

Reliability is the degree of consistency and accuracy with which an instrument measures the attributes which it is designed to measure.²⁷ It is then concerned with consistency, accuracy, precision, stability, equivalence, and homogeneity. The tool can be considered reliable if it measures an attribute with similar results in repeated use. The Satisfaction with Life Scale is reported to have very good internal consistency, with an alpha of 0.87 and excellent test–retest reliability, with a correlation of 0.82 across a two-month time period. Studies have shown that the RAS has high internal consistency and reliability, with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.86 and 0.82, respectively, at one time point.

DATA COLLECTION PROCESS:

· Formal permission is obtained from the principal Amala college of nursing.

· Purpose and need of the study will be explained to the participants and informed consent were obtained for assuring their confidentiality.

· The data were collected using self-structured questionnaire to assess socio demographic variables, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Relationship Assessment Scale.

PLAN FOR DATA ANALYSIS:

· All the categorical variable will be summarized using frequency and percentage, continuous variable will be using mean and standard deviation if the data follows normality.

· Association between selected socio demographic variables and relationship Assessment Scale and Satisfaction with Life Scale among housewives will be assessed using Fisher Exact test and correlation assessed using correlation coefficient, p<0.05 will be considered statistically significant and the entire analysis will be performed using SPSS software.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

Section I: Distribution of the housewives according to the socio-demographic variables:

The majority of housewives (33.3%) were aged between 41–50 years, and most (77.8%) belonged to nuclear families, with all participants residing in a panchayath area. A significant portion (35.6%) had high school education, and 66.7% were unemployed. Most held pink (44.4%) or blue (44.4%) ration cards, and 97.8% were married, with 60% having more than 10 years of marital life. About 62.2% had two children, and in 57.8% of families, the husband was the primary decision-maker. While 33.3% reported little family support, 82.3% of husbands lived with their wives. Additionally, 46.7% had no contact with friends, 53.3% engaged in no social activities, and 62.2% practiced some form of relaxation technique.

Section II: Distribution of the housewives according to relationship status

Figure 1: illustrated that 51.1% of the subjects were average level of relationship satisfaction, 35.6% were high satisfaction, 13.3 % were low level of satisfaction.

Section III: Distribution of the housewives according to level of life satisfaction

The result revealed that majority of subjects (37.8%) level of life satisfaction was satisfied, 26.7% were slightly satisfied, 15.6% were slightly dissatisfied, 13.3% were neutral, 4.4%were extremely satisfied and 2.2% were dissatisfied.

Section IV: Correlation between relationship and life satisfaction scale

The result showed that correlation coefficient is 0.648 and has significant positive correlation (p 0.001) between life satisfaction and relationship status.

Section V: Analysis of the association between relationship among housewives with selected socio-demographic variables:

The result illustrated that there is no significant association between relationship status among house wives with socio demographic variables such as age type of family, area of residence, educational status, occupational status, economic status, marriage status, duration of family life, number of children, primary decision maker in the family, family support, husbands primary living arrangement, contact with friends, type of social activities, presence of relaxation technique.

Section VI: Analysis of the association between life satisfaction among housewives with selected socio-demographic variables:

Result showed that there is no significant association between life satisfaction among housewives with socio demographic variables such as age type of family, area of residence, educational status, occupational status, economic status, marriage status, duration of family life, number of children, primary decision maker in the family, family support, husbands primary living arrangement, contact with friends, type of social activities, presence of relaxation technique.

CONCLUSION:

Statistical analysis revealed that there is significant positive correlation between relationship status and life satisfaction. There is no significant association between relationship status and life satisfaction with selected socio-demographic data.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

· Similar study can be conducted among large number of samples.

· Suggest further studies to explore other factors influencing life satisfaction and relationship status in diverse populations.

· Similar study can be conducted among large number of samples or in a large community setting.

LIMITATIONS:

· The small sample size of 45 limits the generalizability of the study's findings to a broader population.

· The self-reported nature of the data may introduce bias, as participants might not accurately reflect their true feelings or circumstances.

· The study's focus on a specific rural area may limit the applicability of the results to other regions or urban settings.

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Received on 11.04.2025 Revised on 09.06.2025

Accepted on 22.07.2025 Published on 13.08.2025

Available online from August 20, 2025

Asian J. Nursing Education and Research. 2025;15(3):155-159.

DOI: 10.52711/2349-2996.2025.00032

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