Tracked ex-spouses over time to observe flow of resources from absent father to former family; how it shifts as marital, economic, and geographic circumstances of two ex-spouses change; and extent to which it could be increased. Analysis suggests that remarriage by custodial mother prompts sizable reductions in child support, but remarriage by…

Analyzed determinants of wives' perceptions of fairness of division of household labor. Data from 1988 National Survey of Families and Households indicated that husbands' contributions to "female" tasks and appreciation of women's household labor were most important determinants of wives' perceptions of fairness, with strength of…

Data regarding consensus and mental health were collected from 252 women, their husbands, and an adolescent child in 3-generation households. Suggests consensus is best represented by six separate constructs and mental health by three separate constructs. Mental health of individual family members was differentially predicted by indicators of…

Examined data from Public Use Sample of 1980 Census to identify salient sociodemographic correlates of women's likelihood of marrying outside normative age patterns. Found that black women were significantly more likely than white women to be in age-heterogamous marriages. Remarried subjects exhibited highest probability of entering such unions.…

Examined prevalence and determinants of stable unhappy marriage using data from national survey. Results indicated age, lack of prior marital experience, commitment to marriage as an institution, low social activity, lack of control over one's life, and belief that divorce would detract from happiness were all predictive of stability in unhappy…

Analyzed relational control behaviors and interaction patterns of 51 couples representing marital life span. Identified three distinct phases of development: short-term couples relied heavily on "equivalence" acts; intermediate couples were more likely to "structure the conversation" but avoided competing for control; and long-term couples relied…

Examined relationship between gender role and family attitudes of husbands and wives and five indicators of marital satisfaction. Data from 1987-88 National Survey of Families and Households revealed that spouses who held nontraditional attitudes toward family life were less satisfied with their marriages, as were men and women whose attitudes…

Spouses (n=29) engaged in discussions in which husband requested change in wife and wife requested change in husband. Neither conflict structure (who requested change) nor gender was associated with positivity or negativity of spouses' behavior. Husband-demand/wife-withdraw interactions predicted increase in wives' satisfaction one year later;…

Compared conflictual marital interactions of 17 physically aggressive, 15 verbally aggressive, 18 withdrawing, and 15 low-conflict couples to describe behavior patterns characteristic of couples who report different marital conflict styles. Physically aggressive couples were characterized by reciprocity of hostile affect and by rigid, contingent…

Examined discrepancies in economic status, decision-making power, communication patterns, and communication skill in three groups of spouses (n=95): domestically violent, maritally distressed/nonviolent, and maritally happy/nonviolent. Domestically violent couples were more likely than nonviolent groups to engage in husband-demand/wife-withdraw…

Reviews studies which indicated physiological arousal, particularly of husband, as well as husband's stonewalling and the wife's verbal expressions of contempt, predicted longitudinal deterioration of marital satisfaction. Presents stages of disengagement and emotional withdrawal. (ABL)

Used National Survey of Families and Households (1987-88) to explore both methodological and substantive issues concerning marital dissolution in United States. Analysis indicated marital disruptions were seriously underreported by males. Examined impact of parental factors, respondent's characteristics at time of marriage, differences in spouses'…

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)

Investigated perceptions held by childfree married males and females who were in their childbearing years of the costs and benefits of having children, using national survey data. Found childfree males were more pronatalistic than females: husbands rated general importance of having children greater than wives, and they were more apt to want to…

Describes Family Employment Program (FEP), program initiated in 1987 by Oregon State University to meet needs of dual-career couples. Describes origins and development of FEP and discusses FEP goals and organization and how program works. Three couple client profiles are included. (NB)