Based on attachment theory, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) theorizes that attachment styles influence marital quality. Although research supports this relationship among young couples, no research has examined attachment styles and marital quality in midlife marriages. We examined this issue using data from 429 married people between the ages…

Investigates whether accumulated life changes cause or are correlated with family members' perceptions of their family's ability to function in an effective manner. Modest changes in family effectiveness were inversely related to the rate of life change experienced. The family effectiveness of husbands was related to changes in stress. (Author)

Studied 70 rural and urban midlife couples to explore fathers' and mothers' responses to an adolescent leaving home. Found few rural-urban differences, but sex differences appeared salient. Most respondents had little difficulty with the transition. When dysfunction was experienced, boundary ambiguity proved a strong predictor of somatitization…