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)     

The role of differentiation of self in marital adjustment.

In the present investigation, Murray Bowen's (1978) theoretical propositions about the relationship between differentiation of self and quality of marital relationships were tested. Couples' levels of differentiation explained substantial variance in marital adjustment: 74% of variance in husband marital adjustment scores and 61 % of variance in wife marital adjustment scores were accounted for by couple differentiation of self-scores. Greater husband emotional cutoff uniquely accounted for husband and wife marital discord. Contrary to family systems theory, actual couples were no more similar on differentiation than were randomly matched couples. Finally, greater complementarity among couples along the specific dimensions of emotional cutoff and emotional reactivity predicted greater marital distress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Longitudinal relations between marital aggression and alcohol problems.

Relations between couples' (N = 158) marital aggression and alcohol problems were examined across a two-year period. Alcohol problems and aggression were assessed via self-report and partner-reports. Results support bidirectional relations between marital aggression and problem drinking. T1 wife problem drinking was associated with decreased T2 verbal aggression; T1 husband problem drinking was associated with increased T2 physical aggression. T1 physical aggression predicted increased T2 wife problem drinking; it predicted increased T2 husband problem drinking only when wife problem drinking was low. T1 verbal marital aggression predicted increased T2 husband problem drinking only when husbands engaged in greater problem drinking at T1. Results suggest that problem drinking may prevent couples from adequately handling marital disagreements, and that marital problems may lead to drinking as a form of coping with stress; couples in which the husband engages in greater problem drinking than the wife may be at increased risk. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The baby and the marriage: Identifying factors that buffer against decline in marital satisfaction after the first baby arrives.

This longitudinal study identified factors of couples' marital friendship in the beginning months of marriage that predicted stability versus decline in marital satisfaction over the transition to parenthood. Newlywed couples (N?=?130) were followed longitudinally for 6 years. 43 couples became parents, and 39 childless couples served as a control group. Couples were interviewed about the history and philosophy of their relationship as newlyweds. What predicted the stable or increasing marital satisfaction of mothers were the husband's expression of fondness toward her, the husband's high awareness for her and their relationship, and her awareness for her husband and their relationship. In contrast, what predicted the decline in marital satisfaction of mothers were the husband's negativity toward his wife, the husband's disappointment in the marriage, or the husband or wife having described their lives as chaotic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender and social structure in the demand/withdraw pattern of marital conflict.

This study examined the effects of gender and social structure on the demand/withdraw pattern of marital conflict. In this pattern, the demander, usually the woman, pressures the other through emotional requests, criticism, and complaints, and the withdrawer, usually the man, retreats through defensiveness and passive inaction. In this study, 31 couples were assessed in 2 conflict situations: 1 in which husband wanted a change in wife and 1 in which wife wanted a change in husband. Data from husbands, wives, and observers consistently revealed a significant main effect of gender (wife-demand/husband-withdraw interaction was more likely than husband-demand/wife-withdraw interaction) and a significant interaction of gender and conflict structure (wife-demand/husband-withdraw interaction was more likely than the reverse only when discussing a change the wife wanted). Separate analyses of demand and withdraw behaviors indicated that both husband and wife were more likely to be demanding when discussing a change they wanted and more likely to be withdrawing when discussing a change their partner wanted. However, men were overall more withdrawn than women, but women were not overall more demanding than men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sequential interactions in the marital communication of depressed men and women.

Despite studies showing patterns of sequential interaction between depressed wives and their husbands, no published research has contrasted sequential interactions of depressed husbands and their wives. This study compared problem-solving interactions of 49 couples with a depressed husband, 41 with a depressed wife, and 50 normal controls. Interactions were coded using the Marital Interaction Coding System. Although no clear patterns of sequential interaction distinguished couples with a depressed wife from normal control couples, results suggested a unique pattern of interaction between depressed husbands and their spouses, whereby positive communications from the husband resulted in decreased positivity and increased negativity from their wives. Given the importance of positivity for promoting effective problem solving, this pattern appears to have important implications for couples' long-term marital satisfaction and husbands' mood regulation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conflict structure moderates associations between cardiovascular reactivity and negative marital interaction.

This study examined the role of marital conflict structure--who desires and requests change versus who responds to the change request--in spouses' cardiovascular responses to marital interactions. Forty-one couples discussed 2 marital topics: one in which the wife desired change in the husband, and one in which the husband desired change in the wife. Cardiovascular responses were assessed at 2-min intervals. Results indicated that marital conflict structure moderates cardiovascular reactivity during negative marital interactions: Husbands and wives whose interactions were characterized by high levels of negative behavior showed the most pronounced diastolic blood pressure reactivity, but only when they were in the role of desiring change in their spouses. Implications for gender differences in marital conflict physiology are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Husband alcohol expectancies, drinking, and marital-conflict styles as predictors of severe marital violence among newlywed couples.

The prospective effects of husband drinking, husband alcohol expectancies, and couple's marital-conflict style on husband alcohol-related aggression and severe violence in the 1st year of marriage were examined. Drinking predicted alcohol-related aggression, but husband's expectancy that alcohol causes aggression did not. Alcohol expectancies did predict severe violence in the marriage; however, the husband's belief that alcohol causes aggression was negatively related to the amount of severe violence. Alcohol expectancies interacted with marital conflict such that high amounts of severe violence were associated with men in high conflict marriages who did not have the expectancy that alcohol causes aggression. Additionally, in high conflict marriages, husband drinking was related to the amount of severe violence. Results are discussed in terms of alcohol-expectancy measures tapping general constructs of tolerance and attitudes toward antinormative behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality and compatibility: A prospective analysis of marital stability and marital satisfaction.

The antecedents of marital stability (divorce or remaining married) and marital satisfaction (within the group that remains married) were investigated with a panel of 300 White couples who were followed from their engagements in the 1930's until 1980. 22 of the couples broke their engagements; of the 278 couples who married, 50 got divorced between 1935 and 1980. Personality characteristics (measured by acquaintance ratings made in the 1930's) were important predictors of both marital stability and marital satisfaction. The 3 aspects of personality most strongly related to marital outcome were the neuroticism of the husband, the neuroticism of the wife, and the impulse control of the husband. The remaining variance was accounted for by attitudinal, social-environment, and sexual history variables. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital interactions of depressed men and women.

This article examined marital interactions in 50 couples with a depressed husband, 41 couples with a depressed wife, and 50 nondepressed control couples. As expected, couples with a depressed partner evidenced more disturbed marital interaction than control couples. Furthermore, couples with a depressed wife demonstrated less positive communication than couples with a depressed husband, notwithstanding the fact the depressed husbands exhibited greater depression severity than depressed wives. Findings are integrated with recent research on gender differences in affective expression. (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)     

A theory of marital dissolution and stability.

Research is presented on the prospective longitudinal prediction of marital dissolution. First, a cascade toward marital dissolution is described. Second, the cascade is predicted with variables from a balance theory of marriage. Third, there are process and perception (the distance and isolation cascades) cascades related to the cascade toward dissolution. The importance of "flooding" is discussed, as well as a mechanism through which negative perceptions (which are 2-dimensional) become global and stable and through which the entire history of the marriage is recast negatively. The role of physiology is outlined. A theory is presented in which a "core triad of balance" is formulated in terms of 3 weakly related thermostats (connected by catastrophe theory) and related to the distance and isolation cascade. Implications for a minimal marital therapy are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive, affective, and marital functioning of recovering male polysubstance abusers.

Research examining aspects of alcoholism and drug abuse has developed our knowledge of the components of addiction, especially alcoholism, within the fields of neuropsychology, affective disorders research, and marital and family research. The present study examined the relationships between these domains for 31 married couples in which the husband was a recovering polysubstance abuser. The cognitive functioning of the husband, rather than his affective functioning, was significantly related to videotaped observations of the couple's interaction. Post hoc analyses suggest a general pattern of more frequent negative communication behaviors and fewer positive behaviors associated with husbands' lower scores on the neuropsychological measures. In addition, increased levels of reported violence during conflicts experienced by the couple over the previous year were significantly related to husbands' impoverished neuropsychological test performance. Major limitations and the theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Change in marital adjustment following marital therapy: A comparison of two outcome measures.

Comparability of treatment outcome as measured by the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Global Distress Scale (GDS) was examined for 49 couples who completed a behavioral marital therapy program. The GDS provided a more conservative estimate of treatment efficacy, as assessed by (1) computed effect sizes based on couple, husband, and wife scores and (2) clinical significance statistics based on couple and husband scores. This difference was hypothesized to be due in part to items on the GDS that assess historical dissatisfaction with marriage that are not affected by treatment. The GDS, however, continued to provide a more conservative estimate of treatment outcome even after controlling for the historical items. Implications of gender differences and suggestions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The influence of spouse cognitive impairment on respondents' depressive symptoms: the moderating role of marital closeness

An earlier report documented that, in a community-dwelling sample of 317 older married couples, cognitive impairment in a wife was associated with depressive symptoms in her husband (Moritz, Kasl, and Berkman, 1989). No similar effects were found for wives. Here we examine the extent to which marital closeness moderates the impact of a spouse's cognitive impairment, the stability of influences over 3 years, and gender differences in the associations. Analyses of covariance, controlling for respondent risk factors and potential confounders in the spouse, showed that marital closeness moderated the impact of a wife's cognitive impairment, with husbands in close marriages affected more strongly than husbands in less close marriages. These effects held over 3 years. In addition, husbands became less depressed following the death of a severely impaired wife, whereas widowers whose wife had been unimpaired at baseline were more depressed. None of these effects were found for wives.     

Discrepant substance use and marital functioning in newlywed couples.

The configuration of partners' drinking patterns may be most critical to marital functioning. Implications of discrepant husband and wife smoking, drinking, and drug use for relationship quality at the transition to marriage were examined. Participants were 642 couples entering into their 1st marriage. Separate, self-administered questionnaires were completed at home by each partner. Both husbands and wives in couples in which only 1 partner drank heavily or used drugs reported significantly lower marital quality than other spouses. Husband Use?×?Wife Use interactions were not significant for cigarette use, alcohol use, or regular drinking. Discrepancies in more deviant substance use behaviors may be most relevant to marital functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Type A behavior of administrators and wives' reports of marital satisfaction and well-being.

Self-reported Type A behavior (measured by a 44-item scale developed by S. M. Sales, 1969) of 85 top level administrators of correctional institutions was correlated to their spouses' reported marital satisfaction, emotional well-being, and health-related behaviors. In general, higher levels of Type A behavior of job incumbents was associated with less marital satisfaction and poorer well-being of spouses. This effect was most pronounced on dependent variables related to the husband–wife relationship and to home and family functioning. Several explanations for these findings are considered. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital problem-solving behavior in depression and marital distress.

The present study examined the effects of depression and marital distress on behavior during a marital problem-solving interaction. A complete factorial design combined the presence or absence of a depressed wife with the presence or absence of marital distress, to produce four groups of participant couples. An increase in depressive behavior was the sole unique contribution of a depressed wife, occurring regardless of the level of marital distress. Increased aggressive behavior and decreased facilitative behavior were found to characterize the interactions of maritally distressed couples and were not influenced by depression. Resolution-oriented behavior remained unchanged as a result of either depression or marital distress. The results indicate that marital distress, in addition to depression, should be considered as a source of dysfunctional behavior in marital interactions involving depressed individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cascading toward divorce: The roles of marital and child factors.

This longitudinal study examined the role of marital and child factors in predicting divorce potential and actual divorce occurrence. Participants included 140 young adolescents (73 girls, 67 boys; mean age=13 years 2 months) and their parents. Child-related (number of children in the family, the presence of a male child in the family, and the adolescent's level of anxiety-withdrawal and conduct disorder problems) and intramarital ( marital satisfaction and, for some analyses, divorce potential) factors served as predictors. For both wife and husband data, lower levels of marital satisfaction predicted higher current levels of divorce potential, and, in turn, divorce potential predicted greater likelihood for divorce up to 7 years later. No child-related variables predicted divorce potential or divorce occurrence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)