Explored the relationships among masculinity, femininity, and marital satisfaction, and response to behavioral marital therapy in married couples (N=126). Results indicated that for each sex, both femininity and masculinity are significantly correlated with self-reported marital satisfaction. (LLL)

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 a brief, eclectic, research-based program to enhance couples' relationships. Results indicate that couples receiving enrichment counseling (n=26) had higher relationship satisfaction and quality-of-couple skills at posttest and at the three-week follow-up than did written-assessment-only (control) couples (n=25). Concludes that the…

Examined relationship of marital adjustment and level of disability of persons with multiple sclerosis (n=104) to emotional adjustment. Found emotional adjustment significantly related to perceived level of marital adjustment, but no relationship found for level of disability. Results suggest, although marital adjustment is important for emotional…

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)

Describes investigation examining effects of caring for elderly parent with dementia on marital satisfaction. Suggests changes in women's marital satisfaction were associated with variations in husbands' emotional support and hindrance of caregiving effort which were affected by perceptions that caregiving interfered with wives' performance of…

Presents basic information concerning normal aging that therapists need to understand sources of conflict and distress in older or caregiving couples. Describes unique aspects of assessment and intervention with older couples. Examines marital satisfaction across life span, including factors that alter marital functioning, developmental tasks and…

Behavioral couples' therapy has a long history of success with couples and is an empirically validated treatment for marital discord (Task Force on Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures, 1995). However, only about 50% of all couples in treatment experience long-term change (2 years). One of the founders of behavioral couples'…

Examined the value of assessing affect and attitudes in addition to daily behavior in the prediction of marital satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses and semipartial correlations indicated that the affective and attitudinal variables accounted for more unique variance in marital satisfaction than did the behavioral variables. (Author/ABB)

Reviews conceptual and methodological advances in understanding attributional processes in intimate relationships. Studies are organized according to their focus on general versus specific components of attribution making, and their use of distressed versus nondistressed samples. Results offer strong evidence of the importance of attributional…

Presents two articles which examine the relationship between intimacy and self-disclosure in 10 clinical and 10 nonclinical couples using the Self-Disclosure Coding System (SDCS). Results suggested positive self-statements, time spent talking, and affective manner discriminated between the two groups and were related to intimacy. (JAC)

Presents revisions and item analyses of the Positive Feelings Questionnaire (PFQ) from a contrasted group of l04 clinic and community couples. Results found the PFQ to be internally consistent, relatively stable over time, correlated with measures of marital interaction, and sensitive to changes during marital therapy. (LLL)

Investigates the relationship between consanguineous marriage and marital adjustment in Turkey. The results of the study show that the consanguineous marriage group had significantly lower marital adjustment and had more conflict with extended family than the nonconsanguineous marriage group. The finding is discussed in the context of research and…

Investigated relationship between problem-solving self-appraisal, specific coping efforts, and marital distress in 75 couples. Findings showed less problem-solving confidence, tendency to avoid different problem-solving activities, and poor strategies to control behavior in distressed spouses. Three coping efforts--optimistic comparisons,…

Developed a marital typology based on a nonrandom, national sample of 415 African American couples who took the Enriching Relationship Issues, Communication and Happiness (ENRICH) marital assessment inventory. Five marriage types were labeled as vitalized; harmonious; traditional; conflicted; and devitalized. Results were similar to findings in…