The role of family of origin in differentiation of self and marital conflicts

Multi-generational family theory suggests that individuals acquire a foundation for interpersonal relationships in their families of origin. Current marital difficulties are seen as extensions of relationship problems in the spouses’ original families. Thus, the aim of this research was to examine the role of family of origin in differentiation of self and marital conflict. 207 married students of Islamic Azad University of Karaj from nursing and midwifery department were selected via single cluster sampling method and answered to three questionnaires such as family of origin (FOS), Barati and Sanaei marital conflicts and differentiation of self (DSI-R). For Data analysis Pearson correlation, stepwise regression analysis and independent T-test were performed. Results showed that there was a negative significant correlation between family of origin function and its components and marital conflicts (P>0.01). There was a negative significant correlation between marital conflicts and differentiation of self (P>0.01). There also was a positive significant correlation between family of origin function and its components and differentiation of self (P>0.01). Also, T-test results indicate a significant difference between marital conflicts and differentiation in healthy and unhealthy family functioning (P>0.01). The results of current research indicated that there was a significant correlation among family of origin function and its components, marital conflicts and differentiation of self and healthy family of origin functioning associated with decrease in marital conflict and increase in differentiation of self