Marital conventionalization as a measure of marital satisfaction: A confirmatory factor analysis.

It has been suggested that self-report measures of marital satisfaction are contaminated by a social desirability bias, which V. H. Edmonds (1967) termed marital conventionalization. Subsequent research showed that marital satisfaction measures were strongly correlated with marital conventionalization but not with social desirability scales. Because these measures tend to be so strongly correlated, this study examined whether marital satisfaction and conventionalization are best seen as 2 separate constructs or as a single construct. These measures were found to have 1 underlying factor based on confirmatory factor analyses with a sample of 2,109 individuals. Further analysis suggested that the relationship between marital satisfaction and conventionalization scales differs depending on the level of marital satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prognostic scales in schizophrenia.

The case histories of 65 female schizophrenic patients were rated by means of the Phillips, Elgin, and Kantor scales. The reliability of the Phillips and Elgin scales was quite comparable and higher than that of the Kantor. The relationships among the various scales ranged from .52 to .82 for individual raters. However, differences among the scales were observed when "normative" scores were used and the scales appraised in terms of length of hospital stay and marital status. Although scores on all scales appeared to show some relationship to marital status, this relationship was not uniform among the scales. Marital status was also found to relate to length of hospitalization as well as any of the scales. (18 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interrelationships of several process-reactive measures.

94 schizophrenic patients served as Ss. 8 previously used and potential process-reactive measures were intercorrelated and factored by the principal-factor solution. 2 factors were rotated. The 1st factor, consisting of marital status and the Philips, Elgin, and Ullmann-Giovannoni scales, consisted of traditional process-reactive measures. The variables making up the 2nd factor do not appear to be appropriate process-reactive indices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of family relationship characteristics: A measure to explain risk for antisocial behavior and depression among urban youth.

Two large samples of urban families were used to develop and cross-validate an assessment model and a measure to tap basic family processes and risk among diverse ethnic groups. Six scales (Cohesion, Beliefs About Family, Deviant Beliefs, Organization, Support, and Communication) produced a 3-dimension higher order factor model (Cohesion, Structure, and Beliefs). Tests support reliance on composite family scoring. Most scales and each higher order factor relate to depression, and aggression. Relations vary little by age, ethnicity, marital status of parent, or family income. Implications for family assessment methodology and risk models are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Parenting Sense of Competence scale: Evidence of a stable factor structure and validity.

In this study, 110 mothers and 110 fathers of 5- to 12-yr old boys and girls completed the Parenting Sense of Competence (PSOC) scale and measures of child behaviour, parenting style, and marital satisfaction. The authors replicated the factor structure of the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, and provided evidence that the Satisfaction and Efficacy scales from this measure assess distinct aspects of parenting self-esteem. Interestingly, parents of girls reported higher Efficacy scores than parents of boys. To address the validity of the PSOC scale, we calculated partial correlations between Efficacy and Satisfaction PSOC scores and other measures of family functioning, controlling for the shared variance between the 2 scales. Significant small-to-moderate size correlations were found between parents' reports of both internalizing and externalizing child problems and Satisfaction scores, but correlations with Efficacy scores were generally small and nonsignificant, particularly for mothers. Mothers and fathers who reported a more easy-going, low-conflict parenting style were more satisfied in parenting; for mothers, a similar relationship was found for parenting efficacy. In addition, Satisfaction scores shared a small but significant amount of variance with mother-father agreements in parenting style, as well as marital satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correlates of work injury frequency and duration among firefighters.

This study examined demographic, personality, and economic incentive correlates of workplace injuries suffered by 171 firefighters over a 12-yr period. Results showed that female firefighters experienced more injuries than male firefighters. Several Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scales (Conversion Hysteria, Psychopathic Deviate, and Social Introversion) were positively related to injury frequency. Regression analyses revealed that age, tenure, gender, marital status, type of injury, and wage variables were significant when predicting the duration of injuries as well as an interaction between marital status and gender. Two MMPI scales (Psychopathic Deviate and Schizophrenia) were also significantly related to injury duration. Indemnity cost estimates were calculated. The results underscore the importance of distinguishing the duration of injury from the occurrence of injury. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing dysfunctional cognition in marriage: A reconsideration of the Relationship Belief Inventory.

Although the Relationship Belief Inventory (RBI) is used widely in marital research, its psychometric properties have not been examined separately for men and women, it has not been validated in relation to observational measures, and the reliability of some of its scales has been questioned. To address these issues, 43 couples completed the RBI and a measure of marital satisfaction and were observed while discussing a marital difficulty. The reliability and validity of the RBI scales did not differ with gender. Wives' higher RBI scores correlated with lower rates of avoidant behavior and higher rates of negative behavior, and husbands' higher RBI scores correlated with a greater tendency to reciprocate negative behavior. Finally, coefficient alpha exceeded .70 for 3 of the 6 RBI scales. The psychometric and theoretical status of the RBI is evaluated on the basis of these findings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship between behavioral marital therapy outcome and process variables.

This study was conducted to identify therapist and client behaviors with a positive response to social learning-based behavioral marital therapy. A sample of 32 couples receiving treatment was examined. Immediately after each therapy session, the therapist, husband, and wife independently completed process ratings forms that measured therapist and client behaviors during the session. Composite scales, derived from these ratings, were entered into multiple regression equations to examine their relationship with posttherapy marital satisfaction. After controlling for pretherapy marital satisfaction and the other predictor variables, therapists', husbands', and wives' ratings of positive client behavior (i.e., collaboration, active participation, and homework compliance) were positively associated with therapy outcome. Implications for marital therapy and suggestions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital relationship and individual psychological characteristics that predict physical punishment of children.

The relationships among use of physical punishment of children, marital conflict, and individual adult hostility were examined longitudinally. Couples expecting their first child completed self-report scales of individual hostility and were observed in marital problem-solving situations for level of marital conflict during the prenatal period. The marital problem-solving situations were again assessed at 2 years and 5 years following the child's birth. At the later time points, discipline practices were assessed through interview. A climate of negativity, manifested through either high rates of individual hostility or marital conflict, predicted the use of more frequent and severe physical punishment of children at 2 and 5 years, even when parent educational level was controlled. Implications for policy and parent education are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Failure of Wiener and Harmon Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) subtle scales as personality descriptors and as validity indicators.

Prototypical Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) correlates in the form of spouse ratings were used as criteria to evaluate the validity of the MMPI subtle scales constructed by D. N. Wiener and Harmon (Wiener, 1948) for describing personality and for indicating profile validity. Results from a normative sample (n?=?1,682) and a marital counseling sample (n?=?369) indicated that the addition of the subtle scales to the obvious scales attenuates validity to the same degree as the addition of a random variable. Likewise, results did not support the use of an index based on MMPI subtle scales designed to detect overreporting or underreporting, of psychopathology. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance to clinical assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-disclosure and marital satisfaction.

Examined the effect of self-disclosure on marital satisfaction in couples and also introduced attitude similarity as a possible predictor of marital satisfaction. 51 couples (mean age 30.6 yrs) completed 5 test instruments, including a self-disclosure scale, 2 marriage satisfaction scales, an attitude survey, and a demographic questionnaire. Results (1) revealed high reciprocity between spouses on most measures, (2) found a consistent positive relationship between self-disclosure and marital satisfaction, (3) substantiated self-disclosure as a significant predictor of marital satisfaction, and (4) demonstrated that attitude similarity had a strong positive relationship to marital satisfaction. Findings provide a firm basis for self-disclosure and attitude similarity as important predictors of marital satisfaction. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex role identity, marital satisfaction, and response to behavioral marital therapy.

Explored the relationships among masculinity, femininity, marital satisfaction, and response to behavioral marital therapy (BMT) using 44 married nonclinic couples (mean ages of males and females 33.7 and 31 yrs, respectively), 54 maritally distressed clinic couples receiving BMT, and 18 maritally distressed clinic couples placed on a waiting list; the mean ages of males and females in both distressed clinic groups were 32.1 and 29.9 yrs, respectively. Ss completed the Marital Adjustment Scale and masculinity and femininity scales derived from the California Psychological Inventory. Results indicate that for each sex, both femininity and masculinity were significantly correlated with self-reported marital satisfaction; the magnitude of the correlations between femininity and marital satisfaction was higher than the correlations between masculinity and marital satisfaction. Among clinic couples, androgyny was the least frequent sex-role identity for either husbands or wives; conversely, among nonclinic couples, there were more androgynous husbands and wives than there was any other sex-role type. In the clinic group, both husbands and wives showed statistically significant but small increases in masculinity after receiving 10 wks of BMT. Masculinity and femininity level prior to treatment also significantly predicted response to BMT. The potential importance of both masculinity and femininity in successful marriages is highlighted, and treatment implications are discussed. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of relationship-specific incentive and threat sensitivities: Predicting satisfaction and affect in adult intimate relationships.

Self-report scales assessing relationship-specific incentive and threat sensitivity were created. Initial tests of factor structure and associations with relationship quality were conducted in a sample of persons in intimate relationships (Study 1). Associations with conceptually related measures were examined to determine convergent and discriminant validity in a sample of dating couples (Study 2). Cross-validation of the factor structure was established in engaged couples (Study 3) and in newlywed couples (Study 4). In Study 4, couples also engaged in a laboratory-based threat task (discussion about a significant marital problem) and incentive task (discussion about loving aspects of the partner/marriage). Relationship incentive sensitivity predicted higher positive affect after the incentive task for both husbands and wives. Relationship threat sensitivity predicted greater anxiety in response to the threat laboratory task for wives only. Implications of approach and avoidance motivations in close relationship processes and outcomes are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivation as a predictor of early dropout from drug abuse treatment.

Examined measures of motivation for drug use change and treatment with respect to psychometric properties and prediction of early dropouts from methadone maintenance. Three scales developed by D. D. Simpson (1992) were used to obtain personal assessments: Drug Use Problems, Desire for Help, and Treatment Readiness. Data were collected at intake from 311 methadone maintenance clients admitted to 3 outpatient treatment agencies, of which 24% dropped out of treatment within 60 days. The scales were found to be reliable. Social stability (marital status, employment, and fewer prior arrests), previous treatment experience, expectations for reducing future drug use, higher methadone dose level, and higher motivation were identified as significant predictors of treatment retention beyond 60 days. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Empirical validation of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory: An actuarial approach.

Despite the proliferation of self-report measures of marital satisfaction, few satisfy even minimal criteria of reliability and validity. The current study presents data demonstrating the actuarial validity of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory, a multidimensional self-report measure of marital interaction. 50 couples (mean age 35 yrs) entering marital therapy were interviewed conjointly, and spouses were rated separately on a 61-item checklist of relevant clinical criteria. Subsequent analyses identified 95 significant Scale?×?Criterion correlations, with an average of 9 correlates for each scale. In addition to providing substantial support for the basic interpretive intent of individual scales, findings demonstrate their convergent and discriminant validity as well. Implications for both the clinical and research utility of this instrument are discussed. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between heart rate reactivity, emotionally aggressive behavior, and general violence in batterers.

This study examined the relationships among physiological responses during marital conflict, aggressive behavior, and violence in battering couples. As an index of physiological response, the authors used the male batterer's heart rate reactivity, assessed as the change from an eyes-closed baseline to the first 5 min of their marital conflict interaction. During marital interaction, violent husbands who lowered their heart rates below baseline levels were more verbally aggressive toward their wives. Wives responded to these men with anger, sadness, and defensiveness. The husbands were classified as Type 1 batterers. When compared to the remaining violent husbands (classified as Type 2 batterers), Type 1 men were also more violent toward others (friends, strangers, coworkers, and bosses), had more elevated scales reflecting antisocial behavior and sadistic aggression, and were lower on dependency than Type 2 men. The 2-year followup revealed a separation-divorce rate of 0 for marriages involving Type 1 men and a divorce rate of 27.5% for marriages involving Type 2 men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital quality moderates genetic and environmental influences on the internalizing spectrum.

Poor marital quality is a reliable correlate of internalizing problems, but the etiology of this association has yet to be examined. Marital distress may exert its influence by acting as a stressor that enables the expression of latent genetic risk for internalizing psychopathology. The authors examined this question using 379 twin pairs, assessed for marital quality, symptoms of major depression (MD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic attacks (PA), and neuroticism (N). A phenotypic factor analysis confirmed that one factor best accounted for the variance shared between MD, GAD, PA, and N. After accounting for genetic influences on the general Internalizing factor, there were residual genetic influences on N but no specific genetic influences on any other individual internalizing syndrome. The authors found overlap between the genetic influences on marital quality and the internalizing spectrum. Finally, biometrical moderation models revealed that genetic effects on the Internalizing factor increased as the marital quality deteriorated (marital quality high: h2 = 0.05; marital quality low: h2 = 0.29), suggesting that those with a genetic predisposition to internalizing syndromes may be more likely to express this predisposition in the context of a dissatisfying marriage. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognition and relationship maladjustment: Development of a measure of dysfunctional relationship beliefs.

The cognitive components of relationship distress have received increasing recognition from marital therapists. In particular, attention has focused on the beliefs people hold about intimate relationships and how these beliefs may adversely affect relationship quality. The present study describes the development and validation of an inventory measuring 5 such dysfunctional relationship beliefs. This Relationship Belief Inventory (RBI) was administered to 95 25–69 yr old clinical and 52 18–69 yr old nonclinical couples along with measures of marital functioning (the Marital Adjustment Test) and The Irrational Beliefs Test. Results demonstrate internal consistency, convergent validity, and construct validity for the RBI scales. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)