A new look at marital quality: Can spouses feel positive and negative about their marriage?

Marital quality is examined as a 2-dimensional construct comprising positive and negative evaluations. Assessments of marital quality, behavior, attributions, and general affect were completed by 123 couples. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the existence of positive and negative marital quality dimensions. These dimensions also explained unique variance in reported behavior and attributions beyond that explained by a conventional marital quality measure and by positive and negative affect. Ambivalent (high-positive and high-negative) and indifferent (low positive and low-negative) wives differed in reports of behaviors and attributions but did not differ in scores on the conventional marital quality test. The implications of a 2-dimensional analysis of marital quality for theory and research are outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationships among sexual satisfaction, marital quality, and marital instability at midlife.

Sexual satisfaction, marital quality, and marital instability have been studied over the life course of couples in many previous studies, but less in relation to each other. On the basis of the longitudinal data from 283 married couples, the authors used autoregressive models in this study to examine the causal sequences among these 3 constructs for husbands and wives separately. Results of cross-lagged models, for both husbands and wives, provided support for the causal sequences that proceed from sexual satisfaction to marital quality, from sexual satisfaction to marital instability, and from marital quality to marital instability. Initially higher levels of sexual satisfaction resulted in an increase in marital quality, which in turn led to a decrease in marital instability over time. Effects of sexual satisfaction on marital instability appear to have been mediated through marital quality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The increased construct validity and clinical utility of assessing relationship quality using separate positive and negative dimensions.

The Positive and Negative Quality in Marriage Scale (F. D. Fincham & K. J. Linfield, 1997) is a self-report measure that separately assesses positive and negative dimensions of relationship quality. Fincham and Linfield found that ratings of positive and negative marital quality accounted for unique variance in maladaptive attributions and self-reports of dyadic behavior beyond that accounted for by the Marital Adjustment Test (H. J. Locke & K. M. Wallace, 1959), a widely used measure of marital quality that combines these dimensions. The current study expanded on these findings using a different measure of relationship quality and observed dyadic behavior with a sample of engaged couples (N = 43). The results indicate that a two-dimensional approach to measuring self-evaluations of relationship quality is more informative than a one-dimensional approach during the engagement period. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital power, marital adjustment, and therapy outcome.

This study examined the association of marital power type to (1) marital adjustment and (2) response to behavioral marital therapy. A behavioral measure was used to classify 53 distressed couples into egalitarian, husband-dominant, wife-dominant, or anarchic power patterns. Marital adjustment was assessed by measures of marital satisfaction, desired relationship change, and 2 communication indexes. At pretreatment, egalitarian couples showed the best overall marital adjustment, and anarchic couples showed the worst; at posttreatment, egalitarian and wife-led couples reported the highest marital satisfaction, and anarchic couples reported the lowest. Wife dominant couples improved the most, reporting increased marital satisfaction and demonstrating improved communication. The discussion considers the special treatment needs of anarchic couples for whom improved communication occurred in a context of continued marital dissatisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structure and transcriptional regulation of the human mammaglobin gene, a breast cancer associated member of the uteroglobin gene family localized to chromosome 11q13

This research describes the development of the Marital Self-Disclosure Questionnaire (MSDQ), a brief, self-report measure of the quantity and quality of marital self-disclosure. Consisting of 40 true-false items, the MSDQ provides a global index of marital self-disclosure as well as assesses four facets of self-disclosure between spouses: Relationship, Sex, Money, and Imbalance. Results indicate that the MSDQ scales are reliable, and preliminary data suggest that the MSDQ may have validity for distinguishing among groups hypothesized to differ in terms of marital distress and self-disclosure. Further evaluation of the MSDQ for its clinical and research utility appears to be warranted.     

Marital quality, parenting, and adolescent internalizing problems: A three-wave longitudinal study.

The present 3-wave, 3-year longitudinal study examined direct and indirect associations between marital quality, parenting, and adolescent internalizing problems, taking into account bidirectional associations between these concepts. Data were used from 428 Dutch families, consisting of 2 biological parents and 2 adolescents with mean ages of 13.4 and 15.2 years (at Time 1). Results from structural equation modeling analyses showed that low marital quality at Time 1 was directly related to adolescent internalizing problems at Time 2 in oldest siblings. However, support was not found for any indirect associations through parenting or for longitudinal associations from adolescent internalizing problems to parents' marital quality. Results are discussed in terms of implications for understanding the mechanism by which marital quality is related to adolescent internalizing problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

More differences about gender differences in marriage: A reply to Beach, Davey, and Fincham (1999).

S. R. H. Beach, A. Davey, and F. D. Fincham (see record 1999-15264-018) suggest that my (L. A. Kurdek, 1998; see record 1998-11410-003) failure to replicate their finding that the prospective links between depressive symptoms and marital quality differ between husbands and wives was due, in part, to the selection of a time lag that was too long and a sample that was homogenous on risk factors. Accordingly, the author reexamined the prospective links between depressive symptoms and marital quality using only a 1-year time lag and an expanded sample (N?=?406) that included spouses in first marriages and remarriages with appreciable variability on depressive symptoms. There was still no evidence that husbands and wives differed in the pattern of these prospective links. The author also addresses concerns that the growth-curve analyses did not provide a good fit to the observed data, speculates about reasons for the differences in findings, and makes recommendations for future longitudinal work in this area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation of verbal, affective, and physical intimacy to marital satisfaction.

Explored the relation of verbal, affective, and physical intimacy—to marital satisfaction in 43 couples (aged 18–59 yrs). The majority of Ss had sought counseling for marital problems. Ss completed questionnaires on intimacy and marital satisfaction and were then audiotaped during a discussion of their relationship. The 3 types of intimacy were highly predictive of both perceived marital satisfaction and a measure of thought and behaviors indicative of potential for divorce. Measures of verbal and affective intimacy made stronger contributions to the prediction of marital satisfaction than did physical intimacy. The interactions among the 3 types of intimacy did not contribute significantly to the prediction of satisfaction, nor was there any evidence of a curvilinear relation between measures of intimacy and measures of satisfaction. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Measuring offence-specific forgiveness in marriage: The Marital Offence-Specific Forgiveness Scale (MOFS).

Three studies involving 328 married couples were conducted to validate the Marital Offence-Specific Forgiveness Scale, a new measure assessing offence-specific forgiveness for marital transgressions. The studies examined the dimensionality; internal consistency; and discriminant, concurrent, and predictive validity of the new measure. The final scale comprised 2 distinct correlated dimensions, 1 positive (Benevolence) and 1 negative (Resentment–Avoidance), both of which had adequate internal consistency. The 2 dimensions discriminated marital forgiveness from affective empathy, rumination, attributions, and marital quality. Convergent validity of the new scale was indicated by significant relationships between its underlying dimensions and a host of predicted sociocognitive, relationship, trait, and well-being correlates of forgiveness. Providing evidence for predictive validity, forgiveness dimensions accounted for variability in relationship variables over a 6-month period. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Linking occupational conditions to physical health through marital, social, and intrapersonal processes

In the present longitudinal study of 330 married men and 300 married women, we use a comprehensive structural equation model to investigate how occupation is linked to physical health. Results show that occupational quality influences health-risk behavior (measured by composite indices) for both men and women through a series of mediating variables: social integration, marital integration, and psychological control. Health-risk behavior is related to adverse change in physical health status over a two-year period. Occupational quality influences social and marital integration and psychological control for both husbands and wives. Social integration and marital integration also enhance husbands' psychological control, but marital integration is the only factor contributing to wives' psychological control. In turn, psychological control is associated with health-risk behaviors for both husbands and wives. In addition, both social and marital integration directly deter husbands' health-risk behaviors, while social integration is the only variable to directly influence wives' health-risk behaviors.     

Global marital satisfaction versus marital adjustment: An empirical comparison of three measures.

Two measures of marital satisfaction, the Quality of Marriage Index (R. Norton; see record 1983-27053-001) and the Relationship Satisfaction Questionnaire (D. D. Burns and S. L. Sayers, 1992) were compared to a measure of marital adjustment, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (G. B. Spanier; see record 1977-00122-001). The measures showed excellent convergent validity (high correlations among each other and with other measures of marital functioning) and discriminant validity (low or nonsignificant correlations with psychopathology subscales). However, spouses' ratings of frequency of disagreements differed significantly from their ratings of satisfaction in the same areas. Formulas for converting scores among the measures are given, and the measures were found to have modest classification powers. The relative advantages and disadvantages of adjustment and satisfaction measures are discussed, and recommendations are made for when to use each type of measure. (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)     

Social Networks, Structural Interdependence, and Marital Quality Over the Transition to Marriage: A Prospective Analysis.

This study examined the relationship between couples' network interdependence and marital quality in a sample of 347 couples that were recruited at the time of their first marriage. Husbands and wives completed separate, self-administered questionnaires at home. Analyses are based on data collected at the time of marriage, at the first anniversary, and at the second anniversary. Results indicated that after marriage, husbands' and wives' friend and family networks became increasingly interdependent. Moreover, the interdependence of the friend and family networks at marriage predicted wives' marital quality at the first anniversary, whereas wives' marital quality at the first anniversary predicted the interdependence of the friend network at the second anniversary. No significant longitudinal relations were observed for husbands. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors influencing ratings of marital quality by individuals within dual-career marriages: A conceptual model.

In the present study, the authors proposed and tested a model of marital quality among individuals (52 men, 55 women) in dual-career marriages. The model was constructed within a social role framework and includes variables that positively influence marital quality, those that negatively influence marital quality, and those that mediate the relationship between the negative factors and marital quality. A path analysis indicated that marital quality was predicted directly by love, sexual satisfaction, communication, and satisfaction with the dual-career lifestyle. Objective demands of job and family roles predicted perceived job-family role strain. Coping, but not perceived equity, mediated the relationship between role strain and marital quality. Combined income and social support impacted marital quality indirectly through satisfaction with the dual-career lifestyle. Implications for counselors are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing the Costs, Benefits, Cost-Benefit Ratio, and Cost-Effectiveness of Marital and Family Treatments: Why We Should and How We Can.

The vast majority of outcome studies examining the effects of marital and family treatments focus exclusively on indicators of and changes in familial functioning and individual members' psychosocial adjustment, but fail to measure, report, or analyze treatment costs, benefits, cost-benefit ratio, or cost-effectiveness. Because of growing concerns about spiraling health care costs, clinical and economic outcomes constitute equally important and complementary aspects of any evaluation of marital and family treatments. The twofold purpose of this article is to define different components of cost analyses of health-related interventions, including marital and family treatments, and to describe methods for calculating and integrating clinical and cost outcome information when evaluating marital and family treatments. There are significant opportunities to promote the use of such treatments by conducting and reporting the results of cost analyses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Person perception, marriage adjustment, and social desirability.

Extended B. Murstein's (see record 1971-26678-001) stimulus-value-role theory to account for the relationship of person perception scores to marital adjustment. The hypotheses predicted that (a) similarity, self-acceptance, accuracy of predicting other's responses, and role compatibility would be correlated with marital adjustment; (b) when the perceptual target was the man, the correlation with marital adjustment would be higher than when it was a woman; (c) women would show a higher self-acceptance-marital-adjustment correlation than men; and (d) intraperceptions would be more highly correlated with marital adjustment than interperceptions. 60 young married middle-class couples took a 20 adjective bipolar checklist under 8 different "sets" (self, ideal self, spouse, ideal spouse, and predictions of these 4 sets for the partner). Results generally support the hypotheses. (22 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quality of marital life in Korean spinal cord injured patients

The purposes of this study were to assess the quality of marital life and to investigate the most serious problem in the marital relationships of Korean spinal cord injured patients. 30 spinal cord injured (SCI) couples (SCI husbands and their non-disabled wives) who were married prior to injury and 30 able-bodied (AB) couples participated in a questionnaire study. The quality of marital life was measured with three parameters: marital stability, marital adjustment, and marital satisfaction. The results were as follows: (1) The marriage of chronic SCI couples was not noticeably unstable when compared with that of AB couples; (2) There was no significant difference in dyadic adjustment and marital satisfaction between SCI couples and AB couples; (3) There was no significant difference in marital stability, marital adjustment, and marital satisfaction between SCI husbands and their wives; (4) SCI couples had more cohesive marital relationships and SCI husbands expressed less affection to their wives than AB husbands and (5) Sex was the most serious problem in marriages of SCI couples. In conclusion: (1) the quality of marital life in chronic SCI couples is not highly different from that of AB couples; (2) There is no significant difference in the quality of marital life between chronic SCI husbands and their non-disabled wives; and (3) It is considered necessary that rehabilitation program for SCI patients should include information on the altered physiology of sexual function of SCI patients and subsequent mutual adaptation to changed sexual function.