Men and women were randomly chosen from courthouse divorce files. After initial contact by mail and by phone, those who agreed were mailed questionnaires developed to assess adjustment to divorce and to obtain information about the nature of divorce. Of those sent questionnaires, 44% completed and returned the assessment; the total sample…

Data collected from 161 married couples were analyzed for communication patterns indicative of "domineeringness" and "transactional redundancy" (the degree of randomness contained within a couple's communicative behavior). From this data came the following observations: There is a negative correlation between domineeringness, particularly by the…

Utilizing data from 1970 National Fertility Survey, this paper compares levels of marital homogamy--in age, education and religious identification--of women in their first marriages and women in second marriages, also in previous marriages of twice-wed women. Twice-wed women experience low homogamy in current and first marriages. (Author)

Investigates certain subtle extraverbal cues and whether these relate to accord or discord between newlywed couples. (MH)

Notes that except for black males, a greater transmission effect is found among respondents from childhood homes disrupted by divorce or separation rather than by death. Also suggests that the role model rationale for the transmission of marital instability be elaborated upon. (Author/AM)

The marital histories of 203 young women who became premaritally pregnant in their early teens and 90 of their classmates most of whom married before pregnancy show that disruption in the courtship process and limited economic resources are the most important factors in marital dissolution. (Author/AM)

Factors that predicted breakups before marriage, investigated as part of a two-year study of dating relationships among college students include unequal involvement in the relationship and discrepant age, educational aspirations, intelligence, and physical attractiveness. (Author/AM)

The study focuses on the relationship of life event stress and marital dysfunction. Couples in which one or both partners were receiving marital counseling had experienced a significantly greater amount of life stress events during the previous 12-month period than had couples who were not experiencing marital dysfunction. (Author)

The marital phenomenon known as the Seven Year Itch is discussed as a marital entity and as a manifestation of a stage of individual adult development-the age 30 transition. Characteristics of couples and treatment methods are discussed. Presented at the American Psychiatric Association, Miami Beach, May 9, 1976. (Author)

Examined attitudes toward marital exclusivity, which includes nonsexual extramarital relationships, among female college students (N=379). The diversity of attitudes reported appeared to indicate a great potential for marital conflict over the issue of exclusivity. Implications for work with clients in marital therapy are explored. (Author/NB)

Longitudinal data, comparing couples who had a child with those who did not, showed related changes in questionnaire measures of "marriage satisfaction." The clearest finding was that women who have a child become more likely to report that their husbands are not paying enough attention to them. (Author)

This paper discusses the role of income in altering the risk of unstable marriages among white and nonwhite men. A causal model in which education and occupation are seen as causes of income is examined but research concluded that income rather than other indicators has the direct effect on marriage stability. (Author/CG)

Data from a sample of 2,143 adult men and women were used to explore the relationship between wives' dependency on marriage, and wife abuse. Results indicated that it is economic and not psychological dependency which keeps women in severely abusive marriages. (Author)

Examined the reliability of spouses as observers of the behaviors that occur in their own marital relationships. Distressed and nondistressed couples collected data in the home. Across the entire checklist, nondistressed couples exhibited significantly greater consensus than did distressed couples, based on both percentage agreement and kappa.…

Examines the relationship between the quality of marital interaction, both as perceived by spouses and as reported by outside observers, and marital instability and divorce in long-time married couples (n=436). Finds that hostility and marital warmth were fairly accurate predictors of which couples would divorce or be extremely stable or unstable.…