Reviews research on premarital factors associated with later marital quality and stability in first marriages. Three major categories of factors are described, including background and context, individual traits and behaviors, and couple interactional processes. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal research are summarized. Recommendations for…

Presents two cases chosen to draw attention to marital and developmental dynamics of suicidal behavior. Both case vignettes are based on individual interviews with suicidal persons and their spouses during the suicidal person's psychiatric hospitalization, and both include observations of the marital interaction. Case vignettes are followed by…

Sixty marital dyads completed Dyadic Adjustment Scale and participated in problem discussions while using communication box. Intent ratings of distressed wives were significantly more negative than those provided by distressed husbands or by nondistressed wives. Distressed wives predicted that impact of their messages would be more negative than…

Tested effects of 3 religious homogamy types (denominational affiliation, church attendance, and Bible belief) upon marital satisfaction and stability using national probability sample of adults in over 6,000 households. Found denominational affiliation most critical although church attendance contributed only slightly to marital success. Found no…

We draw on three waves of the Fragile Families Study (N = 2,249) to examine family stability among a recent birth cohort of children. We find that children born to cohabiting versus married parents have over five times the risk of experiencing their parents' separation. This difference in union stability is greatest for White children, as compared…

Numerous studies have asserted the prevalence of marital conflict among families of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but evidence is surprisingly less convincing regarding whether parents of youths with ADHD are more at risk for divorce than are parents of children without ADHD. Using survival analyses, the authors…

Cognitive factors have been shown to play an important role in marital distress. To examine the importance of the self-other distinction for understanding the impact of attributions on marital satisfaction, two studies were conducted. In the first study, causal attributions for naturally occurring behavior by the self and spouse were investigated…

Investigated whether 30 maritally distressed military couples differed from 30 distressed civilian couples using marital satisfaction questionnaires. Found same-sex differences across groups, and cross-sex differences within groups. Found military wives were more likely to be physically abused than were civilian wives, and more often requested…

Traces history of construct known as "permanent availability,""universal availability," and "permanence/pragmatism." Connects latter with emerging research tradition labeled "causes and consequences of divorce." Based on data collected from college students, constructed an index of permanence/pragmatism in close relationship. (Author)

Assessed marital change following childbirth in a longitudinal study of 72 couples. Analysis indicated the transition to parenthood resulted in somewhat unfavorable changes, but spouses scoring high on marital functioning tended to do so with their new parent role as well. (JAC)

Examines couple complementarity and similarity, and their relationship to dyadic adjustment, from three perspectives: social/psychological research, clinical populations research, and the observations of family therapists. Methodological criticisms are discussed suggesting that the evidence for a relationship between similarity and…

Identified 16 significantly different marital communication practices which distinguished 23 happily married individuals from those undergoing counseling (N=23). Results revealed that happy individuals had significantly more congruency between their self-perceptions and their spouse's perceptions of their communication practices and more congruent…

Describes interactional approach to using standardized self-report instruments as part of assessment of couples entering marital therapy or enrichment. Presents most prominent and well-researched measures of marital satisfaction, instability, and intimacy, and evaluates how well these measures can fulfill necessary assessment functions. (Author/NB)

Examined the interaction between marital distress and spouses' attributions and expectancies regarding the marital relationship in predicting depressive symptoms in a mixed sample of 59 clinic and nonclinic couples. Best predictor of depression for both sexes was measure of disaffection, reflecting emotional distance and alienation in the…

Research on divorce has found that adolescents' feelings of being caught between parents are linked to internalizing problems and weak parent-child relationships. The present study estimates the effects of marital discord, as well as divorce, on young adult offspring's feelings of being caught in the middle (N=632). Children with parents in…