The occurrence of physical aggression in marriage is quite high. On the basis of frequency of occurrence among the general population, a distinction has been made between ordinary violence (frequent slapping, pushing) and severe violence (less frequent use of hitting with objects or use of lethal weapons). This study was conducted to examine how…

Research has shown that social support is psychologically beneficial to cancer patients, with support from families being especially important. A survey of the social support needs of 407 cancer patients and an in-depth interview study of 55 of those patients were conducted to examine issues concerning family support and cancer patients. Results…

A descriptive, cycle model of wife battering is comprised of three phases, i.e., tension-building, the explosion of an acute battering, and respite or reconciliation, with distinctions between minor batterings and the acute batterings that are uncontrollable and result in major destruction. To test the hypothesis that every battering episode…

This paper presents a model that offers strategies for enhancing quality relationships across the family life cycle. The materials support the identification of characteristics of strong families and describe the course of marital development. The model includes a description of the need for an educational and/or intervention framework to enhance…

Traditionally the unit of analysis in marital research has been the individual spouse. More recently the marital relationship has often been defined as a process of interaction and dynamic exchanges such that spouses have autonomous needs as well as corporate needs for interdependence. Thus modern systems theory heightens the importance of both…

Activities commonly associated with outdoor adventure education can be used effectively in therapy for couples. The adventure education concepts of risk, trust, fear, anxiety, dependence/independence, problem solving, and intimacy are all dealt with in therapy and enrichment experiences for couples. While the outdoor environment has a tremendous…

As more women enter the work force, a new family phenomenon is emerging - the shared parenting household. To examine the dynamics of this new family type, 40 couples in shared parenting families were interviewed. In these families, both parents shared the responsibilities of primary caregiver while also working at full-time white collar or…

This paper considers the common association between marital problems and depression and describes the cognitive and behavioral factors which are common to these two problems. A set of cognitive behavioral interventions is presented, a treatment procedure which addresses cognitive and behavioral factors at the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels…

In exploring the relationship between job and family, the impact of a man's perceptions of competency in both the husband and provider role were examined. Using a two-stage, stratified, representative sample design, interviewers collected data from middle-aged, married men. When perceived provider role competence was the dependent variable, the…

A study analyzed the decision making process of a dual-career married couple debating whether they should relocate for his or her career. Their interaction was examined and interpreted through multiple components of conversational context, such as institutional constraints influencing the couple, their shared knowledge and perceptions, the…

Although research suggests that marital communication is causally related to marital satisfaction, the processes by which marital communication style affects marital relationships have not been identified. These communication styles (conventional, speculative, controlling, contactful) are based on the degrees of self-disclosure and openness to the…

The Marital Satisfaction Inventory (MSI) is a potential instrument for differentiating couples with specific sexual distress from those with more general marital complaints. Couples (N=45) expressing primary complaints of dissatisfaction with their sexual relationship and couples (N=45) expressing primary complaints of generalized marital distress…

For generations, wives of college presidents have served as full-time assistants to their husbands, often becoming deeply involved in official tasks. Now the availability of this source of help may be declining. The women's liberation movement is affecting the attitudes of women in this and many other professions that have traditionally drawn on…

This study found that, prior to beginning school, the typical adult female student at Montclair State College reports moderately positive support from her spouse. However, during the first semester, she encounters mild role conflict and lack of self-confidence in her ability to meet family and academic responsibilities. During her second and third…

The author, herself a president's wife, made a study that shows today's wives beginning to resist the imposition of 50-plus hours a week of official activities with no consideration of their own personal goals. (Author)