Family System and Marital Satisfaction Among Married Women: The Serial Mediating Roles of Perceived Social Support and Marital Autonomy

The present study examined the relationship between family system (joint vs. nuclear) and marital satisfaction among married women in Pakistan, with a specific focus on the serial mediating roles of perceived social support and marital autonomy. A total of N=180 married women (90 from joint families, 90 from nuclear families) participated in this cross-sectional correlational study. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling from Jhang, Pakistan. Data were collected using a demographic information sheet, the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Marital Autonomy Scale. Results showed that women in nuclear families reported significantly higher perceived social support, marital autonomy, and marital satisfaction compared to women in joint families. Serial mediation analysis revealed that perceived social support and marital autonomy fully and serially mediated the relationship between family system and marital satisfaction. The direct effect of family system on marital satisfaction became non-significant after accounting for the mediators. Findings indicate that family structure does not directly determine marital satisfaction; rather, it operates through psychological mechanisms of perceived support and decision-making autonomy. Implications for culturally sensitive family interventions are discussed.