Investigating and comparing positive verbal and non-verbal behaviors of girls and boys with their emotional partner during periods of engagement (acquaintance), official engagement, and post-marriage

The present study investigated and compared positive verbal and non-verbal behaviors with emotional partner during three periods of engagement, official engagement, and post-marriage.

The population of this cross-sectional study comprised all girls and boys in Hamadan city-Iran, who were within their period of engagement, official engagement, or post-marriage in 2021. One-hundred fifty individuals (50 cases in each period) were selected through a convenient stratified sampling method. They responded to the researcher-made scale of verbal and non-verbal behaviors. Data analyzed by t-test, one-way analysis of variance, LSD post hoc test, and SPSS software version 25. 

The results of the one-way variance analysis indicated that positive verbal (P< 0.001, F= 128.045) and non-verbal (P< 0.001, F= 46.416) behaviors changed significantly in all three periods. The results also demonstrated significant changes in the positive verbal and non-verbal behaviors of both boys (verbal: P< 0.001, F= 66.39, non-verbal: P< 0.001, F= 20.106) and girls (verbal: P< 0.001, F= 59.88, non-verbal: P< 0.001, F= 31.48) during the periods. Also, the positive verbal and non-verbal behaviors experience a downward trend in both sexes as the relationship moves from engagement to marriage. The results showed that there seems to be no significant difference between boys and girls in verbal and non-verbal behaviors (verbal: P> 0.001, t= 231, non-verbal: P> 0.001, t= -184).

According to the results, it seems that verbal and non-verbal behaviors are more positive during the engagement period, and they decrease as the relationship moves toward marriage.