Age differences between spouses over time are investigated using census data from 1900, 1960, and 1980. Results indicated a shift has occurred from marriages being characterized by age heterogamy in 1900 to age homogamy in 1960 and 1980. Husband-younger and/or husband-older marriages tended to be characterized by lower socioeconomic attributes.…

Suggests not an exclusive focus on emotion in couples therapy, but rather, the inclusion of emotion into an integrative approach which involves affect, cognition, and behavior in a systemic framework. Affect has too long been neglected both as an agent of therapeutic change and as a direct target of change. (Author/ABL)

Studied relationships among pain, depression, marital satisfaction, and spouse supportiveness in 30 male, chronic pain patients and their wives. Over one-half of the patients and spouses reported significant depression and marital dissatisfaction. The correlations between depression and spouse support suggest a multidimensional,…

Discusses the deep attachment the widowed elderly often maintain for the deceased spouse, based on naturalistic observations and interviews with six widow(er)s. Five themes of the marital tie continue throughout widowhood, including caring, family feeling, commitment, and reciprocal identity support. (JAC)

Investigated antecedents of marital infidelity for individuals (N=59) involved with coworkers or others. Data suggested that persons involved with coworkers had more satisfying marriages and scored higher on the Compatibility Index than those involved with others. The number of liaisons was not correlated with age or age at marriage. (JAC)

Compared Minnesota Couples Communication Program and Structured Behavior Exchange training with a waiting list control group through a multivariate repeated measures procedure (N=32 couples). Results indicated a general short-term improvement for both groups, but a need for follow-up experiences to maintain treatment gains. (JAC)

Used data from two National Surveys of Family Growth (N=14,000) to estimate the fertility of married couples by religious group. Results are presented in terms of religious and racial differences, controlling for age, education and residence, and indicate that religious affiliation continues to be an indispensable datum. (JAC)

Compared records of 32 couples who achieved pregnancy during the adoption process with records of couples who did not. Findings suggested that medical diagnosis, age, and emotional components of the adoption study process were intertwined determining factors in couples' achieving pregnancy. (NRB)

Achieving both career development and a successful relationship requires a give and take in career choice between partners throughout the stages of a relationship. Whose career takes precedence at different stages of the relationship? How are spousal career decisions today made differently than in the past? How can partners' career decisions be…

Studies the effect of background factors on beliefs about the consequences of the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). What types of people fear or welcome the ERA, what their reasons are, and where they obtain information about its possible consequences are examined. (AM)

This article outlines the main features of the present pension insurance scheme in the Federal Republic of Germany, the proposals of the Commission of Experts to Study the Social Security Status of Women and Survivors, the prospects for their implementation, and the essential aspects of the reform. (CT)

Tested the hypothesis that distressed spouses are more reactive to immediate events than nondistressed couples. Couples recorded positive, negative and neutral events and satisfaction levels. Distressed couples reported lower rates of positive behavior and that marital satisfaction depended more on frequency of recent positive or negative events.…

Tests the validity of classifying contemporary marriages into one of three types, i.e., wife as equal partner, junior partner, or complement. A sample of younger White wives is categorized by their responses to an item assessing economic provider duties. Results suggest the classification schema possesses a certain degree of validity. (Author)

Introduces the special issue on men's roles in the family and highlights some of the interesting articles which follow. A brief review of the literature on male roles is included. (BEF)

Discusses the need for the availability of measures of variables which assess marital quality, reviews the history of measurement in this area, identifies some conceptual and methodological issues of relevance, and then focuses most specifically on the Dyadic Adjustment Scale developed by Spanier. (Author)