This report discusses battered women and the role of their previous victimization. After a literature review on family violence in general, these topics are discussed: (1) family violence and the patriarchy; (2) the historical background of family violence; (3) intergenerational cycle of violence; and (4) psychological literature's four ways…

Presents research findings that marriage enrichment participants are neither as satisfied with their marriages as nonparticipants nor as dissatisified as those couples who request marriage counseling. Compared pretreatment levels of marital satisfaction of enrichment participants with published norms and the scores of control couples. (Author/RC)

Increasingly, appeals to the divorce statistic are employed to substantiate claims that the family is in a state of breakdown and marriage is passe. This article contains a consideration of reasons why the divorce statistics are invalid and/or unreliable as indicators of the present state of marriage and family. (Author)

Compares reported levels of marital quality, marital stability, and the marital processes of cohesion, flexibility, and communication in the marriages of nontraditional and traditional women. Results indicated many similarities between the two groups; however, nontraditional women reported greater flexibility in their marriages. Implications of…

Examines the association between family structure, attachment, and identity formation. Results partially support the hypotheses and indicate that unresolved spouse conflict is associated with low levels of attachment in adolescents and attachment to father is linked to identity achieved and the diffused identity status. Findings support a link…

Examines the pathogenic perspective on divorce, pointing out its methodological and conceptual shortcomings. A conceptual model of the divorce experience based upon crisis theory is presented. Provides a framework for understanding short- and long-term reactions to divorce. (Author)

Presents findings from the Virginia Longitudinal Study of Divorce and Remarriage (VLSDR) describing diverse patterns of intimate relationships and personal adjustment. Both a conflictual, unsatisfying marriage and a divorce were associated with diminished psychological, social, and physical well-being. Both marital conflict and divorce in the…

Conducted meta-analytic review of findings from 34 past studies examining marital satisfaction and analyzed moderating effect of certain study characteristics. Found statistically significant differences for three of five comparisons made but concluded that differences had little practical meaning. Included critique of marital satisfaction…

The weeks following the birth of a child can be stressful for new mothers. Maternal stress may be increased when mothers are dissatisfied with instrumental partner support (e.g., division of childcare duties and family decision-making power). The purpose of the current study was to determine if there is an association between dissatisfaction with…

Refines the concept of attachment by distinguishing it from generalized distressed responses to divorce. Among separated adults, characteristics of the marital situation account for feelings of loss of attachment but do not contribute to the explanation of generalized distress. (Author)

Presents a form of insight therapy based upon systems theory and suggests that this has much to offer in marital therapy. Categories of relationship problems with which a couples therapist must deal are described. (Author)

Presents updated information on recent changes in selected stages of the family life cycle and in social developments that have contributed to these changes. Closes with differing outlooks regarding marital stability in the United States. (Author)

Describes investigation of ways in which combat decreases marital quality and stability. Results support three models: (1) factors propelling men into combat also make them poor marriage material; (2) combat causes problems that increase marital adversity; and (3) combat intensifies premilitary stress and antisocial behavior which then negatively…

A vast literature has examined the effects of marital disruption on child well-being, however medically attended childhood accidents/injuries have not been considered as an outcome. This article investigates this association as well as possible intervening pathways using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-linked mother-child file.…

Presents a framework for understanding the crisis of infertility which is characterized by extensive anxiety, damaged self-esteem, grief, uncertainty about the future, and estranged relationships with each other and with family and friends. Proposes some interventions appropriate to helpers from a variety of disciplines. (ABB)