Portraits of loneliness: emerging themes among community-dwelling older adults

With aging comes a multitude of possible losses, including loss of health, spouse, friends, or independence. These losses can place older adults at risk for isolation and loneliness. Loneliness is of significant concern in older adults, as it can negatively affect their quality of life. An interpretive phenomenological study was conducted to explore the meaning of loneliness in 12 older adults living in the community. Selected excerpts from the participants reveal several themes, as well as the importance of maintaining meaningful connections and relationships with others to alleviate feelings of loneliness. Nurses can become more attuned to the problem of loneliness in older adults and the importance of helping their older clients maintain meaningful connections with others to reduce loneliness.     

Experience of cumulative trauma disorders on life roles of worker and family member: a case study of a married couple

The prevalence of diagnosed cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) within the workforce comes at a high price for employers burdened with financial losses from missed work and worker's compensation costs. Research has focused primarily on the impact of CTD on the worker role within the workplace, overlooking the impact on roles across multiple environments [24,35,54]. Furthermore, the influence of CTD on life roles of a spouse has not been examined. This single case study illustrated the experience of CTD within a marital relationship through the use of grounded theory. Results indicated that adaptations to CTD symptoms were least altering to the established routines and roles of the couple. With progression of symptoms, the spouse without symptoms was relied on more heavily for adaptations to manage pain. The results of this study indicate that occupational therapists must examine the client's valued roles and incorporate the family into intervention strategies.     

Die Anfechtung gemeinschaftlicher Testamente und erbvertraglicher Verfügungen zugunsten eines nichtehelichen Partners des überlebenden Ehegatten

German law (§ 2079 of the Civil Code) provides for the rescission of a generally binding joint will or contract of inheritance if a surviving spouse has remarried. The law assumes that the spouse has been mistaken in the motivation for making the will. If the surviving spouse has not remarried, but cohabited with a new partner, the rescission may similarly be effected by applying § 2078 par. 2 of the Civil Code. The live-in partner will benefit from the rescission if the surviving spouse has named him or her as the successor of the deceased spouse. He or she may indeed have a right of rescission even if the partner has died without rescinding the joint will.     

Spousal Childcare Involvement and Perceived Support for Paid Work

This study of 76 married or cohabiting two-earner families examined the influence of spouse/partner involvement in childcare and other demand and resource variables on mothers’ and fathers’ perceptions of spouse/partner support for paid work. Gender had a significant influence on the relationship between spouse/partner involvement in childcare and support for paid work. Mothers were more likely to report support for paid work when their spouse/partner shared more of the responsibilities associated with childcare. Fathers were more likely to report support for work when their spouse/partner shared fewer of the responsibilities associated with childcare. The findings also suggest that fathers’ perceptions of spouse/partner support for work are more sensitive to ecological factors than are mothers’ perceptions of support for work.     

EFFECTS OF SPOUSE PRESENCE DURING THE INTERVIEW ON SURVEY RESPONSES CONCERNING MARRIAGE

Data from the 1987–88 National Survey of Families andHouseholds were used to examine the correlates of spouse presenceduring face-to-face interviews and the impact of spouse presenceon responses to sensitive questions concerning marriage. Resultssuggest that variation in interview privacy can be a sourceof response effects in survey data on marriage. When spouseswere present during the interview, subjective assessments ofthe utility of marriage were more positive, higher estimatesof spouse contributions to housework were obtained, and mengave lower estimates of the likelihood of marital dissolution.There was some indication that spouse presence led to a greaterwillingness to report sensitive factual information concerningthe marriage. Respondents were more likely to report cohabitingwith the spouse before marriage if the spouse was present, andself-reported levels of marital conflict were higher. Implicationsof these findings for survey design are discussed.     

Farm Business-Owning Couples: Interrelationships among Business Tensions,Relationship Conflict Quality,and Spousal Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among business tensions, relationship conflict quality, and satisfaction with spouse for 206 farm business-owning couples. The Sustainable Family Business Model and the Family FIRO (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation) model guided the path analysis. For both husbands and wives, locus of control was negatively related to business tensions; decision involvement discrepancy was positively related to relationship conflict quality; and business tensions were negatively related to relationship conflict quality. For husbands, relationship conflict quality was positively related to satisfaction with spouse; for wives, business tensions were negatively related to satisfaction with business-owning spouse. This material is based on work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, US Department of Agriculture under Agreement No. 95-37401-1820. Any opinion, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the US Department of Agriculture.     

Effect of Marriage and Spousal Criminality on Recidivism

The authors analyzed whether the effect of marriage on recidivism varied by spousal criminality. For this purpose, they used propensity score matching and full population data from Statistics Denmark on all unmarried and previously convicted men from birth cohorts 1965–1985 (N = 102,839). The results showed that marriage reduced recidivism compared to nonmarriage only when the spouse had no criminal record. Similarly, marriage to a nonconvicted spouse reduced recidivism significantly more than marriage to a convicted spouse. These findings not only underline how important marriage is for social integration but also stress the heterogeneous nature of the protective effects of marriage.     

The Context of Spouse Migration to Australia

The article discusses five types of spouse migration. Data on the country of origin of migrant spouses and their sponsoring partners suggest that the largest component of spouse migration is chain migration for marriage, with previous immigrants sponsoring partners from their former home country. Other smaller components are sponsorship of spouses by the second generation from the parents' country of origin; sponsorship of foreign spouses by Australians for intermarriage; and family reunion of spouses separated by refugee movements. Spouse migration from English‐speaking or European countries is often motivated by a preference for Australia's climate or lifestyle rather than marriage to an Australian partner, unlike spouse migration from other parts of the world where the process is more closely related to marriage.     

“Ours is the Strangest Situation,Ours is Different from Most Peoples”: Spousal Caregiver Perspectives on the Complex Challenges of Dementia Caregiving in Late-Life Marriage

The relationship between the person with dementia with family caregivers is a key factor in maintaining a sense of self and personhood. Spousal caregiving in particular can create a world of shared meaning, and in the context of the presence of cognitive decline in one spouse, couple hood is essential to a full understanding of how spouses live with and respond to the impact of dementia. While much research has focused on the strengths of long-term married couples caring for a spouse with dementia, there is currently little research on how dementia impacts couples in late-life marriage. This qualitative case study focusses on two female caregivers in late-life marriages negotiating the challenges of caregiving for a spouse with dementia. Spouse 1 returned to live with her ex-husband in order to care for him through his dementia journey and they recently remarried. Spouse 2 married a close friend of the family prior to his dementia diagnosis. While participant shared perspectives include: (1) family dynamics, (2) isolation, (3) financial concerns, and (4) acceptance of their role in their spouse’s dementia journey, their long-term outlooks are divergent due to the complexity of their motives for entering in to late-life marriage.     

Spousal Roles on Motivations for Entrepreneurship: A Qualitative Study in New Zealand

Little is known about the role the spouse plays in an entrepreneur’s motivations for entrepreneurship. A gender comparative qualitative study is presented, based on interviews with 68 entrepreneurs (45 men and 23 women) in New Zealand. A continuum of spousal support is described—those whose spouses are co-founders, supportive spouses, and unsupportive/ambivalent spouses. Findings show that women and men tend to have different expectations of their spouse when contemplating starting a business. A woman looks to her husband for business advice, for support, and encouragement and considers the effects that starting a business may have on her spouse. A man tends to assume support is forthcoming, and some men start businesses without explicit spousal support. Contributions to theories of family business are made.     

ENGAGING THE NON-ATTENDING SPOUSE IN MARITAL THERAPY THROUGH THE USE OF THERAPIST-INITIATED WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

There is currently rather widespread acceptance among clinicians that conjoint marital therapy is the preferred format for treating marital difficulties. However, more often than not, it seems that the marital referral or inquiry for therapy stems from the efforts of one spouse, with the other spouse remaining uninvolved or resistant. Consequently, engaging the non-attending spouse in therapy is an important issue for professionals working with married couples.     

Comparing different types of child abuse and spouse abuse offenders

This study examined differences in offenders' background characteristics, personal and interpersonal problems, and family climate between three types of child abuse offenders (neglecters, physical abusers, and psychological abusers) and two forms of spouse abuse offenders (physical abusers and psychological abusers) in two large samples (child abuse n = 2,910; spouse abuse; n = 7,035) of cases officially identified over a 8-year period (1988-1995) by the U.S. Air Force Family Advocacy Program. Comparisons addressed demographic factors, personal and interpersonal problems, and aspects of family climate. Among child abusers, results supported the conclusion that types of child abuse varied with offender demographics and family climate factors. For spouse abusers, however, types of abuse were not as distinctly different in terms of the comparison variables. In general, therefore, for child abuse--but not for spouse abuse--findings challenge the view of abuse as a unitary phenomenon.     

Tension and Conflict Factors in Second Marriages as Causes of Abuse Between Elderly Spouses

ABSTRACT

Data for the present research was derived from a pilot study on elder abuse by family members. The pilot study, conducted between 1996–98, is the first of its kind in Israel. From a population of 270 elders, who were identified by welfare and health professionals as victims of abuse by family members, 12 persons who had remarried after the death of a spouse were selected as subjects for an in-depth qualitative study. The research aimed at examining the reasons for abuse through the reports of the victims, comparing their experience to second marriages where spouse abuse was not detected. The findings showed that the decision to establish joint residence, financial arrangements (money management, wills and bequests), issues of power and control, and memories of the deceased spouse are the primary factors for abuse in these second marriages. These factors create situations of tension and conflict between married partners that lead to neglect in care giving, emotional and mental abuse, verbal and physical violence, and financial exploitation.     

Spousal Network Overlap as a Basis for Spousal Support

The role social network structure plays in facilitating flows of support between spouses is often overlooked. This study examined whether levels of support between spouses depended on the degree of overlap between spouses' networks. Network overlap may enhance spouses' support capacities by increasing their understanding of each other's support needs and their ability to coordinate support for each other. Data on 1,490 married older adults from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project were examined. Analyses revealed that when one's spouse had more contact with one's other network members, one was more likely to (a) view the spouse as a reliable source of support, (b) open up to the spouse, and (c) discuss health issues with the spouse. These results suggest that spousal support is not only a function of relationship quality or obligations-it also is a structural phenomenon that depends on spouses' connectedness to each other's networks.     

A Social Exchange Typology of Conjugal Relationships and Conflict Development*

In this article the authors attempt to demonstrate how the principles of social exchange, reciprocity and distributive justice can be used to explain the development and continuation of marital dissatisfaction and conflict. A typology of marital relationships is presented based upon the premise that marriages can be located on a continuum ranging from satisfying and voluntary to conflicted and nonvoluntary. Satisfying relationships are conceptualized as equitable reciprocal exchanges. Socially approved behaviors as well as deviant interpersonal responses which occur are seen as impersnal maneuvers which a spouse might utilize to restore an equitable balance of exchanges once the norm of equity has been violated. The type of strategy employed by a spouse will depend upon the relative power he/she possesses, the type of marriage in which the spouse is involved, and the availability of reinforcements which can be gained from sources external to the relationship. Practical suggestions for assessing the appropriateness of various forms of clinical intervention available to the therapist are discussed in the light of this typology and clinical implications are offered.     

Spouse support and the retention intentions of air force members: A basis for program development

Drawing upon a probability sample of 700 couples (1,400 spouses) in the U.S. Air Force, the present study examines the direct and indirect impacts of spouse support on the retention intentions of enlisted men, officer men, and enlisted women. In addition, exploratory analysis is conducted to identify variables associated with variations in spouse support. Restricting the sample to members with less than 10 years of service, spouse support is found to have a significant and positive effect on the retention intentions of the three respondent groups via path analysis. The results are discussed in the context of empirically validating the assumptions for program planning and development that are partially based on the assumed importance of spouse support to the retention intentions of members. Implications are suggested for future research.     

Desired Characteristics of Spouses and Best Friends: Do They Differ by Sex and/or Gender?

In view of the salutary effects that having one's spouse as one's best friend are said to impart (G. R. Lee 1988; Schwartz 1994), we investigated the relationship between desired characteristics of a best friend and of a spouse. Consistent with earlier scholarship in this area, we found that desired characteristics overlap considerably for those two roles. We also found that men's and women's selection of characteristics are highly similar and that having a current same-sex or cross-sex best friend did not modify the characteristics chosen for either best friends or spouses. We discuss these findings in terms of the trend toward nontraditional gender role identities and expectations in close relationships.     

Spillover in the Home: The Effects of Family Conflict on Parents' Behavior

Conflict with a spouse or child may generate spillover, defined as short‐term affective changes in parents that affect their behavior with other family members. In a diverse sample of 86 parents, this 56‐day diary study examined daily bidirectional spillover between conflict in the marital or parent–child dyad and parents' irritable, frictional behavior with their child or spouse, respectively. Tests of daily associations between conflict and parent behavior revealed robust spillover effects according to parent as well as spouse and child reports. Parents' daily negative mood and child externalizing behavior contributed to several but not all of these associations. Daily spillover findings were largely unaffected by parents' neuroticism, suggesting that parents' day‐to‐day fluctuations in negative mood, not average levels of negative affectivity, promoted spillover. Significant direct effects of conflict on parent behavior even when controlling for negative mood, however, implicate additional cognitive or social processes as contributors to conflict spillover in families.     

Some Observations on the Use of TA in Marriage Counseling*

Most marital difficulties are seen as a function of childhood problems leading to childhood solutions. This paper emphasizes the symbiotic aspect to marital problems both in terms of the individual's existential position and his racket/ racketeering behavior. The goal of treatment is to have the individual utilize his resources for himself and to negotiate these resources for his mate. A group of spouse and non-spouse members, coupled with a Transactional Analysis orientation, is seen as the most useful approach to effect change in a person, as well as in his relationship to his spouse.     

Routine-Work-Related-Absence:

Work-related-parental-absence is becoming more common in our society, however the literature has not kept pace with this growing trend. The routine exiting and reentry of a spouse or parent creates disruption in the family system which necessitates family coping. This paper explores the effects of work-related-absence on families and the coping mechanism commonly used by these families. A theoretical framework is developed hypothesizing relationships deduced from the literature. The framework also illustrates the importance of therapeutic intervention for families experiencing difficulty coping with routine absence of a spouse or parent.