Relationship standards and marital satisfaction in Chinese and American couples

Samples of urban community couples in Shanghai, China, and suburban U.S. couples were administered measures of relationship adjustment and personal standards regarding characteristics of couple relationships. There were few gender differences in adherence to relationship standards but many differences between Chinese and U.S. couples. Fewer cultural differences existed in degree of couple consensus on relationship standards, but both adherence to standards and couple consensus on standards were associated with partners' levels of marital adjustment. Implications of the findings for clinical assessment and intervention with distressed couples, in particular for Western therapists working with Chinese couples whose standards may conflict with goals and methods of couple therapy, are discussed.     

Family and marital profiles of couples in which one partner has depression or anxiety

Twenty-nine couples in which one partner was depressed, 21 couples in which one partner had an anxiety disorder, and 26 nondistressed control couples were compared on measures of (1) quality of life, stress, and social support; (2) family functioning; (3) marital functioning; and (4) relationship attributions. The depressed group had significant difficulties in all four domains. In contrast, the control group showed minimal difficulties. The profile of the anxious group occupied an intermediate position between those of the other two groups, with some difficulties in all four domains, although these were less severe and pervasive than those of the depressed group.     

Impact of marital and psychological distress on therapeutic alliance in couples undergoing couple therapy

In this study, we describe the psychometric properties of the Couple Therapy Alliance Scale--revised (CTAS-r) and investigates the impact of marital and psychiatric distress on alliance. Seventy-nine couples in therapy completed a French version of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and of the Psychiatric Symptoms Index at session one, and a French version of the CTAS-r at session three. Results indicate that the French version of the CTAS-r has adequate psychometric properties, although the subscales of the instrument are highly intercorrelated. Furthermore, marital adjustment predicts alliance scores, whereas psychiatric symptoms do not. Finally, male marital adjustment and female psychiatric symptoms are lower in couples where spouses have divergent perceptions of the alliance. Future research directions are discussed.     

Assessing nontraditional couples: validity of the marital satisfaction inventory--revised with gay,lesbian, and cohabiting heterosexual couples

Thirty-one gay male couples and 28 lesbian couples were compared with 36 cohabiting heterosexual couples using the Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised (MSI-R), a multidimensional measure of relationship functioning intended for use with both traditional and nontraditional couples. Analyses of scales' internal consistency and factor structure supported the construct validity of this measure with nontraditional couples. Analyses of mean profiles on the MSI-R indicated that cohabiting opposite-gender and same-gender couples were more alike than different, and were more similar to nondistressed samples of married heterosexual couples from the general community than to couples in therapy. Implications of current findings for clinical assessment and intervention are considered, and directions for future research are proposed.     

The effects of sexual orientation and marital status on how couples hold their money

Previous research has shown that intrahousehold bargaining power in different-sex couples affects household expenditures and how families hold their money. This article examines the portfolio of bank accounts held by same-sex and different-sex couples and its relationship to bargaining power and individual and relationship characteristics. Data from the U.S. Survey of Consumer Finances suggest that married couples are much more likely to hold money jointly than are same-sex or unmarried different-sex couples, even after accounting for the effects of other characteristics. However, many couples of all types hold money in joint accounts and do so more often in longer term relationships and when rearing children. Proxies for bargaining power help predict whether money will be held in individual accounts for unmarried different-sex and same-sex couples, but not for married couples. These patterns could reflect greater matching of married couples on preferences or the effects of legal and social institutions that differ by marital status and sexual orientation.

An exploratory investigation of marital functioning and order of spousal onset in couples concordant for psychopathology

Individuals with a psychiatric disorder are significantly more likely to have a spouse with a clinical diagnosis--marital concordance. We used a community sample of 304 couples concordant for either major depressive disorder (MDD) or substance use disorders (SUDs) to examine the relationship between marital functioning and gendered patterns of mental health diagnosis onset. For SUD concordance, couples in which wives onset before husbands--despite typical later onset for men--reported lower levels of marital satisfaction compared with couples in which the husband onset first. For MDD concordance, couples in which husbands onset with depression before wives--despite typical later onset for men--reported lower levels of marital satisfaction. These results suggest that for couples concordant for mental diagnoses, it is most problematic for marital functioning for one partner to have an atypically early onset. Implications for treatment targets in marital therapy are discussed.     

Sexual satisfaction, perceived availability of alternative partners, and marital quality in newlywed African American couples

The goal for this project was to examine the manner in which husbands' and wives' sexual satisfaction was related to their perceptions of the availability of alternative partners and overall marital quality. Participants were 470 newlywed African American couples residing in the southern region of the United States. Path analysis was used to simultaneously examine actor (individuals' sexual satisfaction on their own outcomes) and partner (individuals' sexual satisfaction on their partners' outcomes) effects. Wives' and husbands' sexual satisfaction was strongly and positively associated with their own reports of marital quality, although it was not associated with their partners' reports of marital quality. For both wives and husbands, higher sexual satisfaction was associated with lowered perceptions that they would be able to find other acceptable partners should their current relationship end. Perceived availability of alternative partners was, in turn, negatively associated with reports of marital quality.     

Co-occurrence between marital aggression and parents' child abuse potential: the impact of cumulative stress

Evidence suggests that marital aggression and parent-to-child aggression sometimes occur within the same family, but little is known about why certain families are vulnerable to multiple forms of family aggression. According to family systems theory, negative affect in one family relationship can spread to other family relationships. According to family stress theory, aversive circumstances increase families' vulnerability to disruption and conflict. Based on these theories, the present study tests the hypothesis that cumulative family stresses potentiate the association between marital aggression and parents' child abuse potential. In a series of additive interactional models, husband-to-wife aggression was linked to husbands' and wives' child abuse potential in a context of both high financial stress and high parenting stress but was not linked in a context of low stress. Wife-to-husband aggression was linked to wives', but not husbands', child abuse potential in a context of high stress. These results highlight the potential role of contextual factors in the pervasiveness of aggressive exchanges across multiple family subsystems.     

Sexual expression: its emotional context in heterosexual, gay, and lesbian couples

Much of what is known about emotions and sexuality explores the relationship enhancing qualities of positive affect. This research extends the current literature by focusing on the association between negative feelings and sexual thoughts and experiences in the context of close relationships, controlling for the effect of positive feelings. Specifically, the unique effects of daily negative feelings toward one's partner in general and specific negative feelings (i.e., anger, anxiety, and sadness) on the sexual experience of heterosexual, gay male, and lesbian relationships were explored. Participants completed an initial questionnaire followed by daily diary measures for 14 consecutive days. Positive feelings were positively associated with sexual variables as expected. Negative feelings were associated with increases in sexual behaviors for heterosexual men and women and gay men, but not lesbian women. Sadness showed a unique positive association with arousal, lust, wanted sexual behavior, and sexual behavior for heterosexual men and women and gay men, but not lesbian women. Neither anger nor anxiety was uniquely associated with the sexual experience for heterosexual or same-sex couples.     

The emotional consequences of physical child abuse

The author proposes that the emotional impact of physical abuse of young children is predictable and occurs in a relatively orderly sequence. This sequence is described and a diagnostic tool for determining the depth of the impact is offered. The author proposes that this model may be used as a foundation to guide therapists in making effective clinical interventions with children in situations that often present themselves with great urgency and emotional pain. Treatment of the abusing parent, an essential part of the overall treatment plan for the child, is beyond the scope of this paper, which focuses exclusively on issues relating to children.     

Pathological gambling: Psychosomatic,emotional and marital difficulties as reported by the spouse

Two parallel self-administered surveys were distributed at three conferences of Gamblers Anonymous. One survey was for members of Gamblers Anonymous and the other was for members of GamAnon. Approximately 500 respondents completed the surveys, with 215 having completed the questionnaire for the spouse. This article is a report of some of the data from the spouse's survey. This survey focused on two time periods of the spouse's life — during the desperation phase of the gambler's illness (Custer, 1982) and the phase following a period of abstinence from gambling. Specific areas covered in this report focus on the psychosomatic problems and emotional difficulties encountered by the spouse, marital and familial estrangement, financial management, and the need for mental health services. It is anticipated that some of these needs can be met through training or therapy sessions in professional gambling treatment centers and at Gamblers Anonymous conferences.The work on this spouse survey represents a collective effort to enhance the understanding of the relationship between the pathological gambler and the spouse during the desperation phase of the illness and during recovery. Dr. Lorenz developed and implemented the survey. Yaffee organized the data processing, statistical programming, and analysis of the survey. For dedicated and outstanding assistance, special thanks must be given to our senior research assistants, who prepared the codebook and program for this spouse survey: Maria Ycasiano, Leslav Giermanski, Roger Meier, Raisa Rot and Steven Rubenstein. Thanks must also be given to Norberto Colon, Paula Diamond, Edwin Castro, Abdul Beydoun, and Fallan Rhim for their valuable assistance in entering, checking, and cleaning the data prior to analysis. Appreciation for the program written by Joseph Lautner, to check for misalignments in the data file, and the assistance provided by Deborah Becker on this project, is also gratefully acknowledged. To Dr. Thomas Wesselkamper, Chairman of the Hunter College Science Department, for permission to run this project, and all of the aforementioned research assistants, the authors express their sincere gratitude.     

Pathological Gambling: Psychosomatic,emotional and marital difficulties as reported by the Gambler

Two parallel self-administered surveys were distributed at three conferences of Gamblers Anonymous. One survey was for members of Gamblers Anonymous and the other was for members of GamAnon. Approximately 500 respondents completed the surveys. This article is a report of some of the data from the gamblers' survey. This survey focused on two time periods of the compulsive gambler's life—during the desperation phase of the illness (Custer, 1982) and the phase following a period of abstinence from gambling. Specific areas covered in this preliminary report focus on the psychosomatic problems encountered by the gambler, emotional difficulties, sexual estrangement, and the need for mental health services. It is anticipated that some of these needs can be met through training or therapy sessions in professional gambling treatment centers and at Gamblers Anonymous conferences.This article is a revised version of a paper presented at the Sixth National Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking, Atlantic City, New Jersey, December 1984.Robert Yaffee computer scientist, was assisted by senior research assistants: Nancy Frankel, Danny Frankel, Deborah Becker, Douglas Rosen, Leslav Giermanski, Jaime Beauchamp, and Thomas Reingold. Other research assistants included Joseph Lautner, Trudy Myers, Arvind Chawla, and John Morales. To all of these individuals, the National Foundation for Study & Treatment of Pathological Gambling acknowledges its gratitude for their contribution to this project.     

Parent physical punishment and child aggression in a Singapore Chinese preschool sample

We examine how parental physical punishment (caning and slapping) and child aggression are related, and possible moderation by authoritative control and rejection. A sample of 286 Singapore Chinese preschoolers ages 4–6 reported on rejection; their parents reported on control, caning, and slapping; and their teachers rated child aggression. Results show that father caning is related to aggression, regardless of child gender, whereas mother caning is related to child aggression only at low rejection. Mother slapping is related to sons’ aggression, whereas father slapping is related to daughters’ aggression only at low rejection. Control does not moderate any of the punishment‐aggression links. The punishment‐aggression link is thus a complex one, dependent on the dyad, the punitive act, and the parent's behavior.     

The risk of partner aggression research: impact of laboratory couples conflict protocols on participants

The impact of male-to-female intimate partner violence (IPV) research on participants is unknown. A measure of impact was given to participants in an IPV study to assess systematically the impact of completing questionnaires, engaging in conflict conversations, and being interviewed individually about anger escalation and de-escalation during the conversations. Participants completed a six-question, Likert-scaled impact measure. Both male and female participants rated the impact of the study as helpful to them personally and to their relationships. Female participants rated different segments of the study as more helpful to themselves and their relationships, while male participants did not find any segment of the study to have a different impact than other segments.     

Relationships of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse to emotional and behavioral problems among incarcerated adolescents

This study examined the relationships of sexual, physical and emotional abuse to emotional (internalizing) and behavioral (externalizing) problems among incarcerated girls and boys. Participants were youth who were remanded to the correctional facilities within a statewide juvenile correctional system in a southern state in the United States of America. Each participant completed a structured interview regarding abuse history, emotional and behavioral difficulties, and demographic characteristics. Multiple regression analyses indicated that girls were more likely than boys to internalize their problems. The only abuse variable that was positively and significantly associated with emotional problems was emotional abuse. Greater behavioral problems were significantly related to youths being younger in age, white ethnicity, history of sexual abuse, and history of physical abuse. There were overall gender differences for internalizing problems, but not for externalizing problems among incarcerated adolescents. Furthermore, physical and sexual abuses were related to externalizing problems but not to internalizing problems. Thus, different types of abuse appear to have different effects on adolescent behavior. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.     

Profiles of adult survivors of severe sexual,physical and emotional institutional abuse in Ireland

Adult survivors of institutional abuse were interviewed with a comprehensive assessment protocol which included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Institutional Child Abuse Processes and Coping Inventory, the Structured Clinical Interviews for Disorders of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV axis I disorders and personality disorders, the Trauma Symptoms Inventory, a Life Problems Checklist, the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory and the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale. Profiles were identified for subgroups that described severe sexual (N = 60), physical (N = 102), or emotional (N = 85) abuse as their worst forms of maltreatment. Survivors of severe sexual abuse had the most abnormal profile, which was characterised by higher rates of all forms of child maltreatment and higher rates of post‐traumatic stress disorder, alcohol and substance abuse, antisocial personality disorder, trauma symptoms and life problems. Survivors of severe emotional abuse were better adjusted than the other two groups. The profile of survivors of severe physical abuse occupied an intermediate position between the other two groups. A thorough assessment of abuse history and current functioning should be conducted when providing services to adult survivors of institutional abuse, since this may have important implications for the intensity of services required. Survivors of severe sexual abuse may require more intensive services. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Substance use and vulnerability to sexual and physical aggression: a longitudinal study of young adults

Using data from 2,170 individuals who participated in Waves 8 (age 23) and 9 (age 29) of a multiyear panel study, this study examined whether alcohol and marijuana use in young adulthood increase one's risk for experiencing subsequent sexual or physical assault victimization, whether victims' own violent behavior or involvement in the sale of drugs explain any effects of substance use on victimization, and whether these associations differ by gender. Controlling for prior victimization, we found that marijuana use, but not alcohol use, predicted women's and men's subsequent sexual victimization and men's subsequent physical assault victimization, and that heavy alcohol use, but not marijuana use, predicted women's subsequent physical assault victimization. Whereas the links from marijuana use to victimization were explained by users' own violent behavior, the link from alcohol use to women's physical assault victimization was not.     

Treating distressed couples with coexisting mental and physical disorders: directions for clinical training and practice

Relationship difficulties frequently coexist with significant emotional, behavioral, and physical health problems in one or both partners. Moreover, couple therapists report individual emotional and behavioral disorders as among the most difficult problems that they encounter in clinical practice. In this article, we summarize empirical evidence regarding the association between relationship distress and the onset, course, and treatment of mental and physical health problems. Based on these findings, we propose five critical implications for clinical training and the practice of couple therapy.