The belief that the birth of a first child has an effect on the parents' relationship is accepted in the literature, as well as in society at large. This study reviewed the research that explores the relationship between the transition to parenthood and marital adjustment during the transition. Most of the studies reviewed suffer to some degree…

Marriages, just like the individuals in them, go through stages of development. Understanding these relatively predictable stages can be helpful to couples, by allaying apprehension, promoting preparation for change, and putting fluctuations into perspective. Research on marital stages and experiences in counseling couples suggest that marriages…

A longitudinal design was used to examine marital change in 98 couples over the first 2.5 years of marriage, comparing parents to nonparents. The degree of congruity between spouses' sex role activities and division of labor explained differences between reports of love and marital conflict. (Author/TE)