本研究主要目的在於改進初步研究在研究方法上的缺失，進一步探討維繫婚姻關係因素在三成人階段差異的現象。本研究以臺灣北、中、南部454位三成人階段（年輕成年人、中年人、老年人）的已婚者為研究對象，以自編的「維繫婚姻關係因素量表」做為研究對象評估維繫婚姻關係因素重要性程度的測量工具。在控制婚姻滿意度、教育程度對維繫婚姻關係的影響下，研究結果顯示，大部份維繫婚姻關係因素的重要性程度呈現年齡期差異現象，而且年齡期差異現象不曾受性別、社經地位的干擾。責任（包括為了孩子、責任感）、富足的經濟生活是受試共同評估為維繫婚姻關係較重要的因素。此外，年輕成年人獨特強調彼此契合的重要性。社會價值觀的約束、熱情（包括性生活美滿、表達情愛）是受試共同評估為維繫婚姻關係較不重要的因素。整體而言，根據受試對維繫婚姻關係因素重要性程度比較結果的趨勢，顯現年輕已婚者比年長已婚者對婚姻生活品質的要求來得高。

　　　　　The main purpose of .this study is to further investigate adulthood differences in elements of maintaining marital relationships by modifying research methodological deficiencies of previous preliminary investigation. A developed scale of factors of maintaining marital relationships is administered to a sample of 454 three age groups (young adult, middle-aged adult, old adult) married adults living in broad Taiwan area. Subjects rate the importance of the elements of maintaining marital relationships. Results showed that there are age period differences in the importance of the most elements of maintaining marital relationships, and both gender and social status do not moderate age period differences after controlling the effects of marital satisfaction and education level on the importance of the elements of maintaining marital relationships. All 3 age groups subjects rate responsibility (including children's well-being, responsibility) and economic richness as the more important elementof maintaining marital relationships, but rate social values constraining and passion (including sexual satisfaction, love expression) as the less important element. In addition, young married adults uniquely stress on the importance of mutual fitness. Overall, the trend of comparing 3 age group subjects' rating of the importance of the elements of maintaining marital relationships revealed that younger married adults have higher demands on marital quality than older married adults.