Data from married Utah residents were used to assess a model of marital role satisfaction. Conclusions suggest that a roles approach in evaluating global satisfaction is appropriate. Stress and conflict are general conditions rather than role specific. Behaviors which decrease role stress may not result in increase in role satisfaction.…

Examined kinkeeping and its relationship to distress. Findings from household interviews with 179 married women and 94 of their husbands revealed that breadth (but not depth) of kinkeeping was associated with depression for both sexes. Less normative kinkeeping increased distress while more normative obligations, such as caring for parents, may…

This paper explores the earnings consequences of women's competing familial and work commitments. The analyses support the conclusion that currently-married women receive smaller economic benefits from schooling and occupational status because of interrupted labor force participation and familial constraints. (Author)

Uses data from the 1987-88 National Survey of Families and Households to examine whether conflict between parents can explain why children in stepfather households do worse than children in original, two-parent households and no better than children in single-mother households. Suggests parental conflict does not account for lower levels of…

Examined how women cope with physical and emotional abuse while remaining with their abusive partners. Of 130 women who had experienced conflict or violence in close heterosexual relationship, 44 were still involved in abusive relationship. Findings suggest that women who stay with abusive partners employ cognitive strategies that help them…

Examined postdivorce relationships between ex-spouses, using survey data from 265 respondents from couples who had been divorced for 2 to 2.5 years. One-half of respondents had at least monthly contact with ex-spouses; contact was friendlier and quarreling less frequent for those without children than for those with children. (Author/ABL)

The "nonzero sum" noncooperative Prisoner's Dilemma game was used to study marital conflict. Among the results were that: (1) personality characteristics were more predictive of conflict behavior for wives while person perception characteristics were more predictive for husbands; and (2) both sexes tended to exhibit conflict behavior. (Author)

Examined sibling conflict and relationship qualities among 104 10-15 year olds. Data suggest that sibling conflict fulfills several functions in early adolescence, including reinforcing family and relationship rules and delineating interpersonal boundaries. Few differences attributable to age or gender constellation of sibling dyad emerged.…

Examined data on frequency with which relationship conflict is experienced in specific content areas and relationship satisfaction for both partners of 75 gay, 51 lesbian, and 108 heterosexual couples who lived together without children. Couple scores fell into six clusters that represented areas of conflict regarding power, social issues,…

Examined how 52 nondistressed families managed spontaneous verbal conflicts during family dinners. Found conflict initiation to be evenly distributed across family roles. Extension of conflict was constrained by constant probability of a next conflict move occurring. Most conflicts ended with no resolution. Mothers were most active in closing…

Preliminary findings are presented bearing on several hypotheses derived from exchange theory. Postulating a relationship between the breakdown of intrafamilial exchange and parent-youth conflict, support for the general hypothesis is found. No significant relationships are found, however, between key structural variables and conflict. (Author)

Examined coparenting among nearly 1,000 divorcing families approximately 18 months after parental separation. Compared three patterns of de facto residential custody (children living with mother, with father, or having dual residence). Amount of conflict in coparenting was related to intensity of earlier interparental hostility. (Author/NB)

Investigated intergenerational conflict when parents shared home with adult child. Results from 372 elderly parents revealed surprisingly low levels of conflict with resident adult children. Conflict was lower in dyads with older resident child and in dyads where parent and child occupied similar marital status. Conflict was not related to parent…

Examines why exposure to family violence and adolescent dating violence are associated. For both genders, this relationship was mediated by the variables of positive outcome expectations and belief in the conventional rules of society. For males, the relationship was also mediated by the variables of positive outcome expectations and belief in the…