Self Actualization in Marital Enrichment

The study attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Pairing Enrichment Program (PEP), a marriage enrichment program, in enhancing self‐actualization. Shostrom's Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) was administered to an experimental group of married couples immediately prior to participating in PEP. A waiting list control group completed the POI at the same time. Three weeks later, following the completion of PEP for the experimental group, the POI was again administered to both groups. An analysis of co‐variance was performed to test the effects of gender, group, and the interaction of these two factors on change in self‐actualization (Post‐POI minus Pre‐POI), adjusting for six co‐variables: Education of each, age of each, number of years married, and number of children. The results indicated that 1) being husband or wife had no significant effect on one's level of self‐actualization, and that 2) the change in level of self‐actualization was significantly greater (Positive Direction) for PEP participants than for non‐PEP participants on the “I” and ”C” scales of the POI