This study tested the learned helplessness theory, stress theory, and a modified stress theory to determine the best model for predicting the probability that a woman would seek help when she experienced severe violence from a male partner. The probability was hypothesized to increase as the stress of the violence experienced increased. Data were…

Recent predictions suggest that because of the increase in the number of women acquiring gainful employment, work in the home should be divided in more egalitarian ways. Recent research, however, has shown that traditional male tasks were more likely to be shared than were traditional female tasks. This study investigated further the…

Chronic pain is a syndrome which forces many changes upon the patient and upon the family system. To examine the relationship between patients' and their spouses' psychosocial functioning, questionnaire data were collected from 28 male and 18 female patients referred for evaluation to an outpatient pain management program. The Minnesota…

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…

This study explored homosexual and heterosexual friend and love relationships as measured by Wright's (1984) Acquaintance Description Form-Final (ADF-F). It was hypothesized that homosexual relationships would vary from heterosexual relationships on certain aspects of the relationships. Homosexual subjects (N=78) responded toward a target person…

Most models of marital choice are attempts to explain choices within the field of available eligibles. The essence of compatibility testing is that people select their mates by evaluating the match between psychological characteristics after sorting the available field on the basis of social characteristics. A compatibility model seems to require…

The Recovery of Hope divorce prevention program addresses the problem of couples entering marriage enrichment events whose distress levels indicated a need for therapy rather than enrichment. An ex post facto evaluation of 34 wives and 27 husbands indicated program completion appeared to assist couples in either improving their relationship or in…

Assigned 30 volunteer couples to sexual enrichment, communication training, or wait-list control group. Assessed conditions before, immediately after, and 3 months after training completion. Participants in sexual enrichment program reported greater affectional expression and rated marital satisfaction as greatly improved. Couples in communication…

The special challenges that face the husband of the president of Kennesaw College are described. (MLW)

Investigates the relationship between educational attainment and married couples' efficiency at managing their assets. Using 1976 data, this study of over 750 Illinois couples disclosed little empirical evidence that education imparts efficiency to the realm of personal finance. Includes 6 tables, 5 notes, and 17 references. (MLH)

Essays by Colin S. Shaw, Peggy A. Vaughan, Pat Goodpaster, and Sheila Korhammer consider the role of the spouse of a community college president from the perspectives of a male spouse, a working professional and spouse, a community volunteer and spouse, and a trustee. (AYC)

Examined data from survey of nonmetropolitan households (N=770 couples) to describe conjugal labor involvement of rural couples and to assess relationship between labor involvement and marital quality. Found that, when work situations of both spouses were considered, many couples either had no jobs or more than two jobs. (Author/NB)

Analyzed the relationship between the participation of married women in the labor market and divorce rates in the continental states of the United States in 1980. Results showed the higher the proportion of married women working full time and the lower the proportion of married women working part time, the higher the divorce rate of the state.…

Used 1977 Quality of Employment Survey data to examine work-time preferences of 224 dual-earner couples with children. Gender was significantly related to work-hour preferences for both self and spouse, with wish of wives to work fewer hours endorsed by husbands. Actual work time and gender interacted such that mothers working full-time preferred…

Used data from probability sample of 10,472 ever-married Canadians to examine effects of premarital cohabitation on later marital stability. Results suggest that premarital cohabitation has a positive effect on staying married. Positive effect remained when length of marriage and age at marriage were controlled. (Author/NB)