Little evidence exists about either the short or long-term effects of coping strategies on the reduction of emotional distress or the lessening of problems. To examine the predictors and effectiveness of four marital coping efforts (negotiation, optimistic comparison, selective ignoring, and resignation), data derived from a panel study of 758…

Presented at the National Conference of the Forum for Death Education and Counselling, Washington, 1978, this paper explores the effects of childhood malignancy on family dynamics. Problem areas include marital difficulties, forgotten siblings, and the necessity of alternating between a "sick" and "well" world. Constructive approaches are…

According to social-psychological theory, violent acts in a marital relationship can be understood by examining environmental stressors and violent acts spouses experienced as children. Because there is a great variety in the type and frequency of abuse suffered by battered women, it is important to examine abuse type and abuse frequency…

Behavioral and perceptual differences among maritally distressed and nondistressed husbands and wives were investigated. Distressed couples beginning marital therapy and nondistressed couples solicited through community newspapers comprised the criterion groups which were matched for major demographic variables. Couples first enacted and then…

Family sources of stress and conflict are important variables in the well-being of children, adolescents, and young adults. In this study, current models of stress are contrasted with earlier versions, definitions are reviewed, and ambiguities in conceptualization are brought out. Current research on affective information processing is thought to…

One of the most dramatic changes in the American culture in recent years is the emergence of a family unit experiencing stages of disruption and reorganization as a common pattern. The stereotypical middle-class, suburban family continues to exist, but other variations of families exist also, family units for which past guidelines and assumptions…

The effects of business transfers on families were studied through family impact analysis. A small sample (10 couples) of dual-career and dual-worker couples was utilized for the project. The sample was unusual in that both partners were employed by the same company. Four areas were examined for possible impacts of a transfer on the family: family…

Recently more attention has been focused on elder abuse, with laws enacted requiring reporting of this crime. Since service providers often do not recognize elder abuse, a validated screening tool for elder abuse is needed. A screening tool called the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Protocol has been developed and is currently being…

This paper reviews the literature on the role of mediating cognitive factors in marital functioning and satisfaction. Types and patterns of causal attributions of distressed and nondistressed couples are compared and the effectiveness of various intervention models is discussed. The materials also discuss the role of unfulfilled expectations as a…

Stresses which accompany graduate education are often a source of marital conflict and disruption for students and their families. To investigate the effects of the graduate experience on intra- and inter-family relationships among married doctoral student couples, and to discover how these students cope with the dual student/spouse role, 16…

The current trend toward increased participation of women in the work force has produced an emerging contemporary model of dual career families. Previous research about the dynamics of successful working couples has emphasized the need for an investigation of personality characteristics of such couples. Dual career couples (N=51) were separated…

Psychological abuse, defined as behavior that is sufficiently threatening to limit the capacity to work, family and social interactions, and the enjoyment of good physical or mental health can be as damaging to women as physical abuse. To learn more about this behavior a series of open ended interviews was conducted with 25 women who identified…

Factors associated with the speed and level of difficulty with which individuals adjust to separation and divorce were investigated. A scale was developed to analyze these factors, and included items dealing with the subdimensions of stress and the perception of the persons involved. Factor analysis of the scale items as well as additional tests…

Economic loss and hardship during the 1929 Depression produced marital tension resulting from increased conflict over finances and temperamental behavior of husbands and wives. Data on 110 couples were obtained from the Berkeley Study at the Institute of Human Development in California. Annual data were collected from wife, home observer, and…

To estimate the influence of maternal stress, marital conflict, and psychosocial risk on the interaction between mothers and their children, this study observed 97 mother-child pairs in a laboratory setting in the presence of another unfamiliar mother-child pair. All families were francophone families from the Montreal, Canada, region; children…