Investigated the causes of happiness and unhappiness among spouses. Results indicated while marital happiness is the most important determinant of overall happiness, job satisfaction is the most important determinant of unhappiness. (Author/BL)

Rated 15 sources of satisfaction and 15 sources of conflict for nine relationships of adults (N=52). Results showed three clear satisfaction factors (instrumental reward, emotional support, shared interests) and two conflict factors (emotional conflict, criticism). Shared interests seemed to be a universal satisfaction source. (WAS)

Investigated the relationship between cohabitation and subsequent marital quality in 309 recently married couples. Results showed that having cohabited premaritally was associated with significantly lower perceived quality of communication for wives and significantly lower marital satisfaction for both spouses. (LLL)

Determined if factors descriptive of work-family role integration would be more predictive of rural employed mothers' life satisfaction than that of urban employed mothers (N=237). Results supported the greater importance of variables descriptive of work-family role integration in predicting the life satisfaction of rural employed mothers.…

Examined the congruence between marital partners' perceptions, metaperceptions, and meta-metaperceptions, as well as the impact of this congruence on communicative satisfaction, in 50 couples. The data indicated high levels of agreement, understanding, feeling understood, realization, and communicative satisfaction in the couples and no…

Examined relationships between self-disclosure and marital satisfaction in 50 couples. On self-report measures, husbands' disclosure to wives was positively related to and predictive of husbands' marital satisfaction. Wives' disclosure to husbands was a predictor of husbands' marital satisfaction and positively related to and predictive of wives'…

Presents a model of extramarital sexual permissiveness, focusing on several aspects of the marital dyad and dyadic independence. While autonomy of heterosexual interaction, the comparison level of alternatives, and marital satisfaction each play some role in accounting for permissive attitudes, the strongest predictor is the diffuseness of…

Surveyed 704 couples to test a model in which role enactment and role consensus were intervening variables between age at marriage and marital satisfaction. Findings showed age at marriage was not significant, but quality of spouse role enactment and role consensus had a strong, positive association with marital satisfaction. (JAC)

Examined variables affecting life satisfaction in three categories of married women: those who are presently, formerly, and never employed. Results revealed that, while there are little differences among the three categories in overall life satisfaction, there are significant differences in the variables that influence life satisfaction for each…

Examined the role of initiator status on adjustment to marital disruption (N=144). Findings suggested that there were not overwhelming differences in marital dissatisfaction or preseparation discomfort between initiators and noninitiators but that initiators consistently perceived more benefits to the separation. (JAC)

Attempted to predict relationship satisfaction in students (N=131) while controlling for the length of the relationship through an initial data collection and two subsequent follow-ups. Results indicated that involvement, reward level, and chance of marriage were all significant predictors of stability both at the three-month and the seven-month…

Examines the specificity of marital distress and maternal depressive symptoms as potential mediators of one another in the prediction of adolescent adjustment. Findings show that marital distress mediated effects of maternal depressive symptoms on adolescent externalizing symptoms, and maternal depressive symptomatology mediated effects of marital…

Explores the effectiveness of a resource exchange framework in predicting marital satisfaction among 224 couples. Self-administered questionnaires provided information concerning resources received from spouse, shared time, and marital quality. Multiple regression analyses suggested the resource exchange theory was effective in explaining the…

Analyzed the 1972-1980 General Social Surveys to develop models accounting for changes in patterns of marital structure over time. Results did not indicate that the young and least educated contribute disproportionately to increased family instability. Cohort membership and educational attainment must be considered. (JAC)

Examined subjective and objective characteristics of employment in relation to depression in 135 two-job families. Results showed employment characteristics of each spouse had little effect on the other. Subjective factors were more predictive of life satisfaction, and social comparisons resulting in unfavorable assessment of outcomes were related…