Investigation of Factors Affecting the Marital Intimacy of Veteran Couples: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Introduction: Intimacy is especially important in married life. The objective of this study was to investigate the factors affecting the marital intimacy of veteran couples. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using a phenomenological approach. The study population consisted of veteran couples in Shiraz. Sampling was done purposively and continued until the saturation point was reached. The data were collected from 10 semi-structured interviews with veteran couples on intimacy and Colaizzi's method was used to analyze the data. Results: Factors affecting the marital intimacy of veteran couples were extracted in the form of 4 categories and 17 sub-categories. The identified categories included individual factors (personality traits, attachment styles, differentiation, physical and mental health), interpersonal factors (communication patterns, communication skills, matching and similarity, conflict resolution styles, emotional and sexual needs), religious and cultural factors (religious beliefs and attitudes, interaction with in-laws), and demographic factors (education, occupation, economic status, presence of children, duration of the marriage, gender). Conclusion: Marital intimacy of veteran couples is influenced by individual, interpersonal, religious and cultural, and demographic factors. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to different factors affecting marital intimacy in the counseling of veteran couples. The present study can be a good guide for therapists to provide appropriate interventions to increase intimacy.