The purpose of the present study was to apply Berg and Upchurch's developmental-conceptual model toward a better understanding of how couples cope with chronic illness. Specifically, a model was hypothesized in which proximal factors (relational quality), dyadic appraisal (illness interference), and dyadic coping (partner support) influence…

Couples affect each other cognitively, emotionally and behaviorally. The goal of this study is to test the benefits and potential use of the actor-partner interdependence model in examining how parental self-efficacy and positive contributions of fathers and mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Condition influence each other's psychological…

This study measured aspects of the couple relationship to examine direct and indirect relations with parental involvement in education and children's school outcomes. The sample (n = 100) consisted of families that have at least one child between the ages of 8 and 11 in urban central Taiwan. Findings indicated that couple relationship quality is…

Marital satisfaction is important for health and well-being, although determinants of satisfaction among older couples are unclear. Much of the marital literature has focused on the role of the spouse, in isolation from satisfaction with broader social relationships. We conducted separate semi-structured interviews with both members of n = 40…

Presents Close-Relationship Model as comprehensive framework in which to examine interrelated nature of causes and effects of infertility on marital relationship. Includes these factors: physical and psychological characteristics of both partners; joint, couple characteristics; physical and social environment; and relationship itself. Discusses…

Identified six types of very long-term marriages: stable/positive, stable/neutral, stable/negative, curvilinear, continuous decline, and continuous increase. Case records of 17 marriages lasting between 50 and 69 years revealed that nearly 75 percent of the marriages showed either curvilinear or stable/positive patterns. Found no continuous…

The generalizability of the affective process models of J. M. Gottman et al. (1998) was examined using a community-based sample of 85 married or cohabiting couples with at-risk backgrounds. Predictive associations between affective processes assessed at about age 21 years and relationship status and satisfaction assessed approximately 2.5 years…

Psychological intervention with the bereaved can provide critical assistance to individuals, families, and communities contending with the loss of significant others. In the organizational paradigm of the Two-Track Model of Bereavement, the outcome of both successful and problematic mourning are manifest along two distinct but interrelated tracks…

People tend to have such lofty conceptions of love and marital happiness that little day-to-day simple acts of kindness are seldom considered. This study investigated specific, repetitive, small daily acts that strengthen marriage, and little acts that disturb a stable relationship. Participants (N=57) were individuals who had been happily married…

Examined fixed-sequence and circular-causal models of relationship development using a longitudinal study of 104 couples. A repeated measures analysis of covariance indicated that, after controlling for changes in relationship commitment and satisfaction, couples became significantly more similar in their beliefs, attitudes, and values over a…

The aim of this study was to investigate forces that affect the timing of women's exit from violent relationships with men. Abused women were recruited from posters in the community and battered women's shelters, interviewed, and followed up for 10 years. Data for this study are based on 100 women and were analyzed using event history analysis.…

Presents the Dyadic Interaction Scoring Code (DISC) as a marital observation system designed to be compatible with the Datamyte 900 Data Collector. Its derivation from existing coding systems and its contributions are discussed. Data on marital interaction provide a research example of its usage. (JAC)

Examined the influence of spouses' affiliation and independence motivation in 25 distressed and 25 nondistressed couples. Results showed the affiliation independence model's hypotheses linking spouses affiliation and independence motivation to specific areas of marital discord received general support for both distressed and nondistressed couples.…

The current study further validates the Quality of Relationships Inventory (QRI; G. R. Pierce, I. G. Sarason, & B. R. Sarason, 1991) by evaluating its factor structure in a sample of 572 partners from 286 couples. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare 3 different models of the QRI and to investigate the invariance of the factor…

Describes structured marital separation, an intervention method designed to assist distressed marital couples during their critical period of decision making either to divorce or maintain the marriage. Presents a brief review of separation models and addresses separation counseling including: assessment, contracting, initial adjustment to…