RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERCEIVED STRESS AND MARITAL WELL-BEING AMONG DUAL-EARNER COUPLES IN SARAWAK: IMPLICATIONS FOR COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOSOCIAL PRACTICE

Abstract

Perceived stress has become an important psychosocial concern among dual-earner couples due to its potential influence on marital relationships and family functioning. Despite the increasing number of dual-earner couples, empirical evidence on the relationship between perceived stress and marital well-being among dual-earner couples in Sarawak remains limited. This study aimed to examine the relationship between perceived stress and marital well-being among dual-earner couples in Sarawak. A cross-sectional quantitative correlational design was employed using an online survey involving 85 respondents who met the study inclusion criteria. Data were collected using the Malay version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS-M) and analysed using descriptive statistics and Spearman's rank-order correlation. The findings showed that the majority of respondents experienced a moderate level of perceived stress (71.8%). No significant relationship was found between perceived stress and overall marital well-being (rs = –.122, p = .268). However, additional correlation analyses revealed significant associations between perceived stress and the three dimensions of marital well-being, namely marital consensus, satisfaction, and cohesion. These findings suggest that although perceived stress was not significantly associated with overall marital well-being, significant associations were observed with specific dimensions of marital functioning. The findings provide empirical evidence to inform counselling practice and psychosocial interventions by emphasising stress management, healthy couple communication, and work-life balance. They also support the development of family-friendly workplace initiatives that promote employee well-being while strengthening marital and family relationships.