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 images of male heroes. Presents categories of males as dominating-intimidating; intimidated, passive, passive-aggressive; unfaithful; computer-man; dysfunctional-addicted; or violent. Claims counselors should not try to strengthen same old families but should try to strengthen the family by changing it. (ABL)

Describes ways of operationalizing clinically significant change, defined as extent to which therapy moves someone outside range of dysfunctional population or within range of functional population. Uses examples to show how clients can be categorized on basis of this definition. Proposes reliable change index (RC) to determine whether magnitude…

Notes that, in last decade, theorists and practitioners have become increasingly optimistic about integrating various components of divergent schools of thought in the area of couples and family therapy. Familiarizes readers with cognitive therapy and proposes it as integrable component with other modalities of treatment when working with couples…

Reviews literature on health and illness in families, addressing ramifications for counselors and therapists. Notes that several recent contributions to family counseling literature highlight family health in effort to begin to balance the scales of literature in this area. (Author/NB)

Used computerized marriage assessment tool to analyze data from 8,385 couples across 9 dimensions of their marriages. Identified seven marriage types: devitalized couples, financially focused couples, conflicted couples, traditional couples, balanced couples, harmonious couples, and vitalized couples. Multidimensional profiles can be described in…

Assessed how work as family professional is uniquely enhancing and stressful and whether enhancers and stressors are correlated with marital and family quality. Findings from 59 family professionals and their spouses strengthen idea that there are marital and family life enhancers and stressors uniquely associated with work as family professional.…

Synthesizes and elaborates current thinking on gender perspective. Presents basic concepts, questions, and connections at each level of analysis. Uses care in marriage to illustrate perspective. Notes that, rather than ask whether women or men are more caring, gender perspective asks what conditions are necessary for women and men to care.…

Used data from Panel Study of Income Dynamics to examine timing and process of leaving home to different destinations of marriage and independent living. Found that trend has been toward leaving later, especially for men. Other findings suggest that short-term changes in characteristics of family background have important influence on timing and…

Results from study of 287 married women indicated that egalitarian and full-time employed wives perceived less support from their husbands when domestic labor arrangements were more unequal. Wives who perceived less support in turn experienced lower marital and personal happiness compared to wives with more equal household labor arrangements.…

Examines how much attention males and females pay to positive and negative information about their marriages as a function of their belief that the marriage is either in trouble or basically satisfactory. Participants (N=121) viewed and responded to videotapes of couples discussing their problems. Female participants attended more than male…

The couples forgiveness exercise provides a tool for therapists when a breach of trustworthiness has occurred between mates. The procedure is outlined and applied to a case study. (Author)

Most respondents (n=640) who chose not to attend premarital education were influenced by beliefs and attitudes, such as no need for premarital counseling, privacy of marriage, no relationship problems, lack of interest, or unwillingness to discuss personal issues. Nonparticipation was a synthesis of multiple deterrents. Referral, particularly by…