Using typologies outlined by Gottman and Fitzpatrick as well as institutional and companionate models of marriage, the authors conducted a latent class analysis of marital conflict trajectories using 20 years of data from the Marital Instability Over the Life Course study. Respondents were in one of three groups: high, medium (around the mean), or…

This article uses data from the 1973-2006 General Social Survey to assess the interactive impact of race and gender on marital happiness over time. Findings indicate independent and significant effects for both variables, with Whites and husbands reporting greater marital happiness than Blacks and wives. Comparing four subgroups (White husbands,…

A large number of Western women today occupy the roles of an employee, a partner, and a mother. The three life spheres may spell contradictory expectations, demands, and rewards. The aim of this article is to examine self-rated health (SRH) and psychological distress of Finnish women aged 30 to 49 years. In addition to the number of roles the…

Prior research indicates that the married enjoy higher levels of well-being than the unmarried, including unmarried cohabiters. Yet, comparisons of married and unmarried persons routinely exclude partnered gays and lesbians. Using a large probability sample, this study assessed how the well-being of partnered gays and lesbians (282) compares with…

This study tests status inconsistency theory by examining the associations between wives' and husbands' relative statuses--that is, earnings, work-time, occupational, and educational inconsistencies--and marital quality and global happiness. The author asks three questions: (a) Is status inconsistency associated with marital quality and overall…

The authors investigate the direction of the relationship between marital happiness and wives' full-time employment using the 1987 to 1988 and 1992 to 1994 waves of the National Survey of Families and Households. First, the authors predict change in wives' employment between the two waves using marital happiness and other Time 1 characteristics.…

Guided by a life course perspective, this study investigated whether the psychological consequences of transitioning into a caregiver role for a biological parent, parent-in-law, spouse, other kin, or nonkin among married adults might be moderated by marital role quality. Using longitudinal data from a national sample of 1,842 married adults aged…

Investigated patterns of conflict style and conflict outcome as associated with degree of marital satisfaction. Young married couples (N=244) responded to a questionnaire. Found four types of conflict resolution patterns. Data analysis indicated that marital satisfaction was most highly related to intimacy and aggression. (RC)

Assessed the interaction and cognitive styles associated with negative affect for husbands and wives. Wives' negative affect was directly related to confronting the problem and inversely related to their conciliation attempts. Husbands' negative affect was inversely related to both spouses' attempts to be conciliatory and to the wives' viewing the…

In this study, the authors examine the effect of gender ideology on marital happiness in later life. Studies of marital satisfaction in later life have tended to neglect such attitudes, although they have received increasing attention in the literature on younger marriages. The authors use data from married individuals who range in age from 51 to…

Family members do work to meet people's emotional needs, improve their well-being, and maintain harmony. When emotional work is shared equally, both men and women have access to emotional resources in the family. However, like housework and child care, the distribution of emotional work is gendered. This study examines the psychological health…

Analyzes effects of divorce on adults in terms of practical problems, consequences for social life and intimate relationships, health, and safety. Reviews effects on children in terms of cognitive performance, school success, personality, interpersonal relationships, health, and delinquency. Suggests marital discord is a more important determinant…