In the current economy, many stresses such as financial strain and feelings of worthlessness become chronic, and thus the stress begins to spill over into the family relationships. However, some of these stresses can be reduced while strengthening family bonds if couples make sure that they talk. This means discussing fears, anger of job loss, […]

Researchers at the University of Michigan interviewed 373 couples four times over a 16-year period, and found that many of those marriages were probably doomed from the beginning because the partners couldn't get their act together. One wanted to resolve the conflict. The other wanted to ignore it. Read more.

The potential consequences of hooking up go beyond STDs and other short-term problems. In fact, there may be a connection between increased rates of infidelity in young married couples and the college culture of hooking up.  Facing these trends, Teresa Downing-Matibag has started communities that discuss relationships and intimacy to educate and inform students of […]

Couples have many ways of dealing with conflict, many of which are not productive. Here are a few suggestions for handling conflict with the one you love: 1) set aside time with your partner specifically for addressing conflict and emotionally charged issues; 2) Take timeouts when you or your partner need some time to cool […]

According to a study from the University of North Carolina, ongoing efforts to strengthen military families do work but more preventative programs are needed to help couples address problems before they become unmanageable. Wives of active-duty soldiers are at risk for psychological problems such as depression, loneliness and burnout; however, spouses are more likely to […]

Of all cohabitation relationships that end, sixty-one percent end in marriage. Researchers suggest that this means cohabitation has not replaced marriage as the preferred outcome for most couples. As time passes more and more cohabiters get married to each other, yet when compared to those in first marriages without cohabitation, cohabiters divorce rates are much […]

The Demos researchers say children living with both biological parents are twice as likely to develop the most useful character traits as those living with lone parents or a step-parent. Application, self-regulation, and empathy are the three most important traits for a child's chances of improving their economic lot. Children of parents who promote these […]

Earlier studies have shown that "we-ness" versus "me-ness" is a strong indicator of how happy younger couples are. This new study out of the University of California (Berkley) shows how the pronoun/identity factor plays out over time as couples either team up or become polarized over disagreements. Researchers found that couples who use words such […]

The team of U.S. and Norwegian researchers studied 205 randomly selected couples from southern Norway for two years. The couples showed problems typical of struggling relationships. Half of the couples in the study used the client feedback system, while the other half did not. Couples using the client-based feedback reported feeling more satisfied in their […]

A new sex education guide, drafted by teachers, religious groups, health charities, parents and children, emphasizes the challenges and responsibilities of parenthood. It also highlights the importance of marriage and strong, stable relationships when raising children. The UK children's secretary, Ed Balls, states "We want to give young people the facts, so that they can […]