Recent trends in marriage and fertility have increased the number of adults having children by more than 1 partner, a phenomenon that we refer to as multipartnered fertility. This article uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine the prevalence and correlates of multipartnered fertility among urban parents of a…

Marital satisfaction, involving 150 couples selected at-large and 40 couples in therapy, was investigated in two studies. An initial focus was the development of a 280-item Marital Satisfaction Inventory (MSI) including one validity scale, one global affective scale, and nine additional scales focusing on specific areas of marital interaction.…

There are four different types of love possible between men and women in the middle years. The type they feel for each other depends not upon their ages but upon whether they are married, whether they have children, and what is happening in their occupational careers. The intense feelings of romantic love are dampened by long association. Conjugal…

The development of marital health as a bona fide health field is posited as the most viable means for obtaining funding for training, research and treatment concerning the marital dyad equal to such funding now available for other health fields. (Author)

This annotated brief summarizes research on the effects of family structure on child wellbeing, identifying issues that remain to be explored. On average, children who grow up in families with both their biological parents in a low-conflict marriage are better off in several ways than children who grow up in single-, step-, or cohabiting-parent…

A content analysis of obituary notices spanning a one-year period. Examined marital and family patterns such as age at marriage, length of marriage, marital status at time of death, and other factors. Single women had the highest average age at death. Patterns were less consistent among men. (RJM)

Studied no-fault divorce law effects on the divorce rate. Results revealed that no-fault divorce laws led to measurable increases in divorce rates. Median family income was the only significant predictor of change in divorce rate; the adjusted post-no-fault divorce rate increased as median family income increased. (RJM)

If women are to benefit to the fullest from new legislation and opportunities, an examination of many life styles is imperative. From the available literature, valuable data regarding the combination of marriage and career can be ascertained in an effort to facilitate the process for young women who choose this option. (Author)

Argues that the Women's Liberation movement was interconnected to contraceptive technology and a shift in the ratio of males to females at marriageable age. These changes influenced the proportion of married women, divorce rate, marital fertility rate, illegitimacy ratio, and male-female differences in education and labor-force participation.…

Examines whether the rising percentage of unmarried adults would affect the level of social support between adult children and their parents. The only major effect found was for coresidence. Neither divorced children in general nor divorced daughters or divorced single parents in particular posed a special burden to parents. (RJM)

Illuminated the relations between marital status and length of life among 36,142 individuals between the ages of 25 and 64. Results indicated that marital status differentially affects mortality, but not in a social vacuum; marital status and income both influence mortality. Sex also interacted with marital status and with mortality. (RJM)

This study assesses the effects of three factors on dropping out of high school and later drug use: antecedents to dropout; predictors of drug use articulated by criminological theories (e.g., social bonds, peers, and strain); and postdropout factors associated with adult social bonds (e.g., marriage and employment). Two findings emerge from the…

In 1968 the Counseling Center at Colorado State University created a ten-week pilot seminar for normal married students. Couples explored their marriage relationship aiming to discover better ways of growing together. Later in 1968, some philosophical guidelines were proposed for working with married students on campus. With these two projects…

This short paper examined the effects of marriage on eligibility for student assistance programs. Being married as a student has a number of possible effects on eligibility for student assistance depending on one's age and the employment status of one's partner. A few are positive; they result in greater eligibility for assistance. Some are…

Research on the relationship between cohabitation and mental health tends to ignore social psychological factors that help explain mental health differences between the married and the unmarried, including coping resources and perceived relationship quality. In this paper I draw on social psychological theory and research to clarify differences in…