Linkages between spouses' psychological distress and marital conflict in the home.

To elucidate the processes that underlie the established association between psychopathology and marital functioning, researchers have given attention to how symptomatic individuals manage their interpersonal contexts, particularly during the handling of disagreements. In the current study, the authors evaluate the role of marital conflict strategies in relation to wives' and husbands' psychological distress levels. A sample of 100 community-based couples completed assessments of psychological distress and diaries describing marital conflict that occurred at home during a 15-day reporting period. Findings from multilevel modeling of dyadic data revealed associations between both spouses' psychological distress and multiple behavioral and emotional conflict expressions in the home. Psychological symptoms uniquely predicted the occurrence of certain conflict expressions, even when accounting for global negative marital sentiments. The findings encourage subsequent consideration of marital conflict expressions and resolution strategies when studying processes involved in the marriage-psychological adjustment link. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Irrational beliefs and perceptions of marital conflict.

To test the hypothesis that observers would attribute more negative qualities to relationships of disagreeing spouses than to relationships of agreeing spouses, particularly when the observers held irrational beliefs, 54 undergraduates completed the Irrational Beliefs Test and reported their impressions of actors portraying couples on videotape. Disagreeing couples were rated as experiencing more negative feelings, sharing less affection, having less intact relationships, and being less compatible than agreeing couples. Observers high in irrational beliefs reported more negative impressions of disagreeing couples than those low in irrational beliefs, when rating feelings and affection. Females were more likely to perceive compatibility than males. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Siblings' differential experiences of marital conflict and differences in psychological adjustment.

The present study examined whether siblings experience marital conflict differently and whether such differences, if present, were associated with differences in their adjustment. Self-report data about marital conflict, children's depressed mood, behavioral conduct, and externalizing problems were obtained from 122 sibling pairs (mean ages = 10 and 12 years) and their parents. Results indicated that siblings were significantly different in exposure to and appraisals of marital conflict. Differences in siblings' exposure to marital conflict were significantly correlated with differences in their depressed mood, behavioral conduct, and externalizing problems. Differences in siblings' feelings of self-blame for marital conflict were significantly correlated with differences in their depressed mood and behavioral conduct. Children who experienced more marital conflict than their siblings had more adjustment problems than their siblings. These results highlight the importance of studying siblings' unique experiences of marital conflict to better understand its impact on children's adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mutual influences in parent and adolescent psychological distress.

Using a cross-lagged effect model with 3 waves of panel data, this study examined mutual influences in parent and adolescent psychological distress reported independently by respondents in each of 4 parent–child dyads: mothers–sons, mothers–daughters, fathers–sons, and fathers–daughters. Results showed that parent and adolescent distress were reciprocally related across time, even after earlier emotional status was statistically controlled. These mutual influences in distress, however, were gender specific, with the strongest cross-lagged associations occurring between mothers and sons and fathers and daughters. Moreover, boys were more susceptible to parental distress during early adolescence, girls during early to mid-adolescence. Incremental fit comparisons for alternative models suggest that a son's distress may have more negative consequences for mothers than the reverse. Finally, mutual influences in psychological distress for fathers and daughters were more pronounced for girls who were experiencing the onset of menarche and for girls who recently experienced a school transition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Functional impairment, marital quality, and patient psychological distress as predictors of psychological distress among cancer patients' spouses.

This study investigated contextual determinants of psychological distress among 197 spouses of cancer patients. women, 30–82 years old). It was hypothesized that higher levels of patient functional impairment would lead to greater patient distress. Patient distress, in turn, would lead to lower spouse marital satisfaction and ultimately to higher spouse distress. Spouses completed measures of distress and marital quality at three time points. Cancer patients rated their functional impairment and psychological distress at the same time points. Results indicated that at all time points, greater patient impairment was associated with higher levels of patient distress which, in turn, was related to lower marital satisfaction. However, marital quality was related to spouse distress at only 1 time point, but spouse distress was directly associated with patient distress at each time point. Implications for cancer patients and spouses are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role conflict and symptoms of psychological distress in college-educated women.

Studied sex role attitudes, need for achievement, and employment patterns of 136 women's college graduates out of college 10 yrs and 132 out of college 25 yrs in relation to symptoms of mental illness using a 3-wave mail questionnaire technique. Questionnaire returns totaled 71% of the selected sample and established validity of the Twenty-Two Item Screening Score in mail questionnaire studies. Neither employment status nor achievement motivation, assessed by stories written in response to verbal cues, were significantly related to symptom scores. However, Ss with contemporary sex role orientations, as indicated by the Revised Fand Inventory, exhibited significantly higher symptom scores. Also, the class out of college 10 yrs had significantly more members (a) with high need for achievement, (b) with contemporary sex role orientation, and (c) who had advanced degrees and were earning higher incomes. They also had significantly higher symptom scores. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Male gender role conflict: Psychometric issues and relations to psychological distress.

Two distinct deficits in research on male gender role conflict are addressed: (a) lack of psychometric information and (b) lack of research involving clinical samples. First, using 1,043 men across 3 samples, the psychometric properties of the Gender Role Conflict Scale (GRCS) were examined through confirmatory factor analyses, internal consistency estimation, and construct validation. Next, using 130 male university counseling center clients across 2 samples, the relation between gender role conflict and psychological distress was examined. The GRCS demonstrated good internal consistency and was best modeled as 4 intercorrelated factors, as originally proposed by J. M. O'Neil, B. Helms, R. Gable, L. David, and L. Wrightsman (1986). Construct validity was supported through correlations with attitudes about masculinity, fear of intimacy, and social desirability in expected directions. However, reservations about the Conflicts Between Work and Family Relations subscale are noted. Male gender role conflict was significantly related to psychological distress, with the Restrictive Emotionality subscale being the best predictor of distress level. Implications for mental health practice and future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preventing marital distress through communication and conflict management training: A 4- and 5-year follow-up.

Reports the 4- and 5-yr follow-up results of evaluating the effects of a marital distress prevention program. The Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) is a 5-session program designed to teach couples effective communication and conflict management skills. At the 5-yr follow-up, intervention (as compared with control) couples had higher levels of positive and lower levels of negative communication skills and lower levels of marital violence. Data are also presented on couples who declined the program. Issues are discussed concerning selection effects, change mechanisms, and future directions for prevention research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mathematics of marital conflict: Qualitative dynamic mathematical modeling of marital interaction.

This article presents a new nonstatistical mathematical approach to modeling marital interaction by means of nonlinear difference equations. The application made of this modeling process in this article is to generate theory in order to understand J. M. Gottman and R. W. Levenson's (1992) report of the ability of one variable derived from a balance view of marital interaction to predict marital dissolution in a prospective study. Parameters are introduced that reflect uninfluenced husband and wife set points, emotional inertia, and influence function. These parameters are subjected to various examinations of validity with other data that reflect patterns of marital interaction and the cascade toward marital dissolution. Results suggest the hypothesis that unstable marriages are characterized at Time 1 by a mismatch in husband and wife influence functions. The modeling method makes it possible to fit a couple's equations under one set of conditions, then to simulate the couple's interaction under different conditions, and then to conduct experiments to test the validity of these simulations. The method provides a new approach toward the building of theory in family psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When Mom or Dad has cancer: Markers of psychological distress in cancer patients, spouses, and children.

This study assessed anxiety/depression and stress response symptoms in adult cancer patients (n?=?117), spouses (n?=?76), and their children (n?=?110, ages 6 to 30 years old) near the patients' diagnoses to identify family members at risk for psychological maladjustment. Patients' and family members' distress was related to appraisals of the seriousness and stressfulness of the cancer but not related to objective characteristics of the disease. Patients and spouses did not differ in anxiety/depression or in stress-response symptoms. Both stress-response and anxiety/depression symptoms differed in children as a function of age, sex of child, and sex of patient. Adolescent girls whose mothers had cancer were the most significantly distressed. Implications for understanding the impact of cancer on the family are highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When mom or dad has cancer: II. Coping, cognitive appraisals, and psychological distress in children of cancer patients.

Cognitive appraisals and coping were examined in children, adolescents, and young adults (N?=?134) faced with the diagnosis of cancer in a parent. All 3 age groups perceived low personal control and high external control over their parent's illness and used relatively little problem focused coping. Adolescents and young adults reported more emotion-focused coping and dual-focused coping (both problem- and emotion-focused in intent) than did preadolescent children. Stage and prognosis of parents cancer were related to appraisals of greater seriousness and stressfulness, and to more avoidance; however, only appraisals of stress were related to symptoms of anxiety-depression. Emotion-focused coping was related to greater avoidance and to higher symptoms of anxiety-depression; coping and control beliefs did not interact in their association with anxiety-depression symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social conflict, social support, and psychological distress: Evidence of cross-domain buffering effects.

A longitudinal study examined the relative and joint effects of perceived social support and social conflict on psychological distress in 228 college students. Women had higher perceived social support from roommates and friends and less conflict with roommates than did men; there were no gender differences in level of conflict with friends or psychological distress. Roommate conflict predicted increases in psychological distress over time; this effect was attenuated by high levels of perceived social support from friends. Friend conflict also predicted increases in psychological distress over time; this effect was attenuated by high levels of perceived social support from roommates. These results show the importance of negative and positive aspects of social experiences to emotional functioning and the importance of compensatory social support for individuals facing social conflicts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Change in job and marital experiences and change in psychological distress: A longitudinal study of dual-earner couples.

Are changes in job quality more closely linked to changes in distress for men than for women? Conversely, are changes in marital quality more closely linked to changes in distress for women than for men? These questions were addressed in a longitudinal analysis of a random sample of 210 full-time employed dual-earner couples. Change over time in job role quality was significantly associated with change over time in distress, and the magnitude of the relationship differed little, if at all, by gender. In contrast, change over time in marital role quality was also associated with change in distress, but the magnitude of the association depended on gender. Among full-time employed married women, change in marital experience was more closely linked to change in distress than among their husbands. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prevention of marital distress: A longitudinal investigation.

This study examines the impact of an intervention designed to prevent divorce and marital distress. Both short- and long-term effects of a cognitive-behavioral marital distress prevention program were assessed. Forty-two couples planning marriage were matched and randomly assigned to intervention (n?=?21) and control (n?=?21) conditions. Couples participated in pre- and postintervention assessment sessions and in similar assessment sessions 1? years and 3 years later. The intervention emphasized communication and problem-solving skills, clarifying and sharing expectations, and sensual/sexual enhancement. Although postintervention results indicated that couples learned the skills taught in the program, no group differences emerged on self-report measures of relationship quality. At 1? years, intervention couples showed higher levels of relationship satisfaction than control couples. At 3 years, intervention couples showed higher levels of both relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction and lower levels of problem intensity. These data support cost-effective prevention programs for attacking the major social problem of divorce. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children's responses to adult–adult and mother–child arguments: The role of parental marital conflict and distress.

Children's responses to verbal and physical conflict between adult–adult, mother–girl, and mother–boy participants were examined as a function of parental marital conflict. Seven- to 9-year-olds viewed videotaped arguments and were then interviewed. In comparison with children from low-conflict homes, children from high-conflict homes perceived the actors engaged in both the interadult and mother–child disputes as more angry and reported feeling more fearful during these arguments. The results extend support for the sensitization hypothesis and indicate that parental marital conflict exacerbates children's perceptions of conflict and fear responding to not only interadult disputes but also to mother–girl and mother–boy conflict. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The mathematics of marital conflict: Dynamic mathematical nonlinear modeling of newlywed marital interaction.

This article extends a mathematical approach to modeling marital interaction using nonlinear difference equations. Parameters of the model predicted divorce in a sample of newlyweds. The parameters reflected uninfluenced husband and wife steady states, emotional inertia, influenced husband and wife steady states, and influence functions. The model permits separation of uninfluenced parameters—that is, what is initially brought to the interaction by each person's personality or the relationship's history—from where the interaction heads once influence begins. In the present model, a theoretical shape of the influence functions is proposed that permits estimation of negative and positive threshold parameters. Couples who eventually divorced initially had more negative uninfluenced husband and wife steady states, more negative influenced husband steady state, and lower negative threshold in the influence function. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of marital distress: A 5-year follow-up.

26 couples (mean age 20.3 yrs) planning marriage participated in the initial stage of the study, and 9 of the 21 couples remaining intact during the study completed data (including the Marital Relationship Inventory) at all 3 follow-up points. A correlation coefficient of .59 was obtained, indicating that the more positively premarital couples had rated their communication, the more satisfied they were with their relationship 5? yrs later. Findings are consistent with the social learning model of marriage hypothesis that communication deficits precede the development of marital distress. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Male gender role conflict: Psychometric issues and relations to psychological distress:" Correction.

Reports an error in the original article by G. E. Good et al (Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1995 [Jan], Vol 42 [1], 3-10). On page 6, the numbers on line 2 for the Tucker-Lewis fit index should be .827 (Sample 2) and .830 (Sample 3). (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1995-15746-001.) Two distinct deficits in research on male gender role conflict are addressed: (a) lack of psychometric information and (b) lack of research involving clinical samples. First, using 1,043 men across 3 samples, the psychometric properties of the Gender Role Conflict Scale (GRCS) were examined through confirmatory analyses, internal consistency estimation, and construct validation. Next, using 130 male university counseling center clients across 2 samples, the relation between gender role conflict and psychological distress was examined. The GRCS demonstrated good internal consistency and was best modeled as 4 intercorrelated factors, as originally proposed by J. M. O'Neil, B. Helms, R. Gable, L. David, and L. Wrightsman (1986). Construct validity was supported through correlations with attitudes about masculinity, fear of intimacy, and social desirability in expected directions. However, male gender role conflict was significantly related to psychological… (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting marital distress and dissolution: Refining the two-factor hypothesis.

Measures of communication, hostility, and neuroticism taken from 85 couples from Germany before marriage were used to predict marital outcomes 5 years later. Hostility and neuroticism discriminated between couples who separated or divorced after 5 years and those who remained married, whereas communication discriminated between married-satisfied and married- dissatisfied couples. Only hostility and neuroticism predicted marital satisfaction at 18 months, suggesting that these factors contribute to rapid, early declines in marital functioning. The authors conclude that poor communication alone cannot account for the full range of marital outcomes and that skill-based models of marriage can be strengthened by considering relatively rare exchanges between partners (e.g., aggression) and their enduring vulnerabilities (e.g., neuroticism). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)