Compares the rate of physical abuse of children and spouses from a 1975 study with rates from a 1985 replication. The 1985 rates were substantially lower than in 1975. Possible reasons for the lower rates are examined and evaluated. (Author/ABB)

Examined effectiveness of teaching communication skills to 22 married couples. Experimental group was taught by means of a structured videotape; control group was taught without videotape. Findings revealed significant improvement for both groups in the use of the skills taught. Follow-up data showed videotape to have more lasting effect over…

Presents a clinical technique for working with troubled couples based on a particular theory of multiple communication in therapy. The technique, a "systemic couples reversal," prescribes a way of managing the multiple communications of stability, change, and meaningful Rorschach. Provides a theoretical map, clinical procedure, and…

Examined self-reports of affect in 30 married couples who engaged in dyadic interactions and then viewed their interactions on videotape. Self-reports of affect discriminated high- from low-conflict situations, correlated significantly with marital satisfaction, were coherent between spouses, and were significantly related to observers' coding of…

Examined effects of naturally occurring partner support on smoking cessation maintenance with 125 newly abstinent, married women smokers. Partner facilitation emerged as the primary predictor of smoking cessation maintenance, accounting for 32 percent of the variance in outcome and identifying more than 80 percent successful and unsuccessful…

Examined the relationship of depressed mood to role problems and self-concept in married women using a causal model based on path analysis. Wives' perceptions of husbands' evaluations directly affected their depressed mood and mediated the effect of role disagreement on depressed mood. (MCF)

A review of articles that report study results based on couple samples indicated response rates are rarely high enough for statistical inference. Four procedures that can be used to compensate for insufficient response rates (collecting information from nonparticipants, census comparisons, adjustment in analysis, and replication) are examined.…

Explores marriages in which marriage and family life are organized around the wife's job or career rather than the husband's (N=46). Found three predictive social conditions: wives having traditionally male jobs, flexibility of husbands' jobs, and absence of children. Describes techniques of deviance neutralization used to minimize costs. (JAC)

Surveyed 208 Protestant couples to examine the predictive effects of religiosity, socioeconomic rewards, and family development characteristics on marital adjustment. Religiosity was found to be the most predictive variable, even when controlling for social desirability. The results are discussed in terms of implications for theories of family…

Presents two articles which examine the relationship between intimacy and self-disclosure in 10 clinical and 10 nonclinical couples using the Self-Disclosure Coding System (SDCS). Results suggested positive self-statements, time spent talking, and affective manner discriminated between the two groups and were related to intimacy. (JAC)

Presents the Dyadic Interaction Scoring Code (DISC) as a marital observation system designed to be compatible with the Datamyte 900 Data Collector. Its derivation from existing coding systems and its contributions are discussed. Data on marital interaction provide a research example of its usage. (JAC)

Examined the influence of spouses' affiliation and independence motivation in 25 distressed and 25 nondistressed couples. Results showed the affiliation independence model's hypotheses linking spouses affiliation and independence motivation to specific areas of marital discord received general support for both distressed and nondistressed couples.…

Presents revisions and item analyses of the Positive Feelings Questionnaire (PFQ) from a contrasted group of l04 clinic and community couples. Results found the PFQ to be internally consistent, relatively stable over time, correlated with measures of marital interaction, and sensitive to changes during marital therapy. (LLL)

Focuses on remarried families' (N=80) perceptions of family strengths, marital satisfaction, and adjustment to the remarried situation. Results indicated that although most would like to make some changes, scores on the measurements used were high. A supportive environment was the most important predictor of family strength and success. (JAC)

Tested the utility of an exchange model for predicting divorce or withdrawal of divorce petitions, using court records and interviews of men and women who were divorced or subsequently withdrew their divorce petitions. Discriminant function analyses indicated that an exchange model can predict divorce versus petition withdrawal. (JAC)