A review of the literature was conducted relevant to the history of wife battering, the incidence of such abuse in the United States, and difficulties in the definition of domestic violence. Major attempts to explain wife battering found in the literature included a focus on: (1) personality factors of the individuals involved (the ontogenic…

The term "gold digger" is often applied to women and to the younger spouse in marriages with unconventional age diffferences. While this follows the view that women derive their class position from their husbands, the status gain or loss in age heterogamous studies has not been empirically tested. To examine status gain or loss in these marriages,…

There has been little research linking similarity between spouses on any aspect of maturity and marital adjustment. As part of a large-scale, longitudinal project on family relations, five dimensions of intimacy (relationship orientation, caring/concern, sexuality, commitment, communication) and three broad levels of intimacy maturity were…

Current research focusing on long-term marriages have assessed marriages at one time period only. To sort out age and stage differences from cohort effects, a longitudinal case study analysis was undertaken with the 17 surviving couples of the Berkeley Older Generation Study, a group that has been interviewed in young adulthood (1929-30), in…

The effects of individual values upon the development of conflicts and the resolution of marital problems through counseling are explored, using the Interpersonal Growth Scale (IGS). This instrument is described as it evaluates the processes of growing apart and growing together, and notes operating values, determining their functions and…

The role of education in providing information related to interpersonal relationships, particularly marital success, is discussed. The effectiveness of such a course depends on positive classroom communication and the choice of appropriate learning activities. Teaching techniques which would contribute to developing skills related to achieving a…

Compared amount of time dual-career husbands and wives spent in housework (total N=1,565) relative to their same-sex counterparts in other dual-earner and single-earner households (N=1,565). Found that dual-career couples were not more egalitarian than other couples in allocation of time to household labor. Discusses consequences for extent of…

Examined relationships between religious and age heterogamy and choice of voluntary contraceptive sterilization and decision for male or female procedure. Found that couples of disparate ages and mixed-faith marriages exhibited greater tendency to elect sterilization than did other couples. No relationship emerged between measures of heterogamy…

Correlates of outmarriage among Colombian and Dominican migrants in New York City were examined. The findings show that they are long-term settlers, although not necessarily permanent ones. A large minority marry persons of different national origins. The strongest predictors of outmarriage are urban background, parental education, and respondent…

Men's power is emphasized in the family power literature on marital decision making. Little attention has been paid to women's power, accrued through their deeper embeddedness in intrafamilial roles. Micro-level analysis of family power demonstrates that women's positions in the family power structure rest not on the horizontal marital tie but…

Examined the verbal interaction styles of two marital combinations to study sibling position differences in marital interaction. Analyzed the content, style, and tone of the verbal interactions between the spouses. First- and second-born couples approached issue resolution with more direct openness than second- and third-born couples who preferred…

Compared couples with alcoholic husbands and maritally conflicted and nonconflicted couples without alcohol problems. The alcoholic and maritally conflicted couples showed greater relationship distress than nonconflicted couples of measures of marital stability, change desired, and positive communication behaviors. Alcoholic husbands reported less…

Examined coping patterns, management stimulation strategies, and support factors associated with well-being in 58 families with member having Alzheimer's disease. Found variations in coping, management, and support correlates of well-being for three caregiver groups (husbands, wives, children). Groups differed in type of behaviors they found…

Classified the social scientific literature on family decay and decline, finding change emphasized more than continuity, and the authors more concerned than sanguine, with a particular stress on concern for children. Reported happiness has declined among married women and men, and increased among never-married men. Cites potential difficulties for…

Administered family Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale to 60 married Israeli males who were disabled by injury or illness and to their spouses. Data provide strong support for hypothesis that strength of SOC would be associated with adaptation, and showed considerable degree of consensus among spouses. (Author/NB)