Examines the age-at-marriage/marital instability relationship in a national sample (N=1,715). Results suggested that the relationship could be largely explained by inadequate role performance, though the specific inadequacies in performance differed somewhat for the early and later marrieds. (NRB)

Presents a Marital Instability Index (MII) designed to detect the "peaks and valleys" of intact marriages and the relative severity of their instability. Discusses the development of the scale, its administration, reliability, and indicators of its validity. Concludes that the MII appears to have considerable utility for diagnostic and…

Proposes a social-psychological model of the dissolution decision in marriage based on prior theoretical formulations. Sequential in character and emphasizing the duality of the marital relationship, the model modifies and refines previous theoretical efforts, and seeks to extend their explanatory power by incorporating various principles of…