This article examines theoretical explanations of how marriages “”succeed”” or “”fail”” and reviews three studies that have gone to the source and asked long-married couples how they explain the longevity of their marriage. Although marriage rates are declining, marriage and children seem still to be part of the long-term outlook of the majority of young […]
This report presents the findings of three studies on distressed couples in Ireland. The first study presents a sample of demographic and problem-definition statistics drawn from a large database of approximately 2,000 cases accumulated over an 8-year period. For the sample of 2,000 cases, broad demographic categories, problem-focused categories, and counseling approach categories were recorded. […]
The number of African American women who have never married has increased significantly. This is an ethnographic study of eight Young High Functioning (YHF) African American women from the Washington, D.C. and New York City metropolitan areas. Six of the women participated in focus groups and two were individually interviewed to understand how they perceive […]
This article is a Reporter at Large feature about state-sponsored marriage seminars in the ghettos of Oklahoma. It tells the story of two women living in the Sooner Haven housing project in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who are enrolled in a federally funded initiative to promote marriage among the poor. Characteristics of the housing’s residents, the […]
Using nationally representative data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth, I estimate the association between intimate premarital relationships (premarital sex and premarital cohabitation) and subsequent marital dissolution. I extend previous research by considering relationship histories pertaining to both premarital sex and premarital cohabitation. I find that premarital sex or premarital cohabitation that is […]
In seeking the elusive answer, researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle have consulted the experts: couples in fabulously high-functioning, happy marriages. The field research has included narrative-type interviewing with newlyweds and long-married couples; engaging in “Candid Camera”-type antics, such as filming a couple in a raging fight; and inviting couples for a videotaped […]
Results from a preliminary report entitled, “”The Costly Consequences of Divorce in Utah: The Impact on Couples, Community, and Government”” conducted at Utah State University by researcher David Schramm, divorce and its direct and indirect economic consequences costs the United States $33.3 billion per year, or $312 per household. Put another way, it is estimated […]
What does the time deficit sharply experienced by most working parents have to do with marital adjustment? The results of a qualitative analysis of relationship interviews collected from working parents of 6-year-olds suggest that time, gender, and spouses’ styles of attachment are among the major factors associated with emotional care in couple relationships. I argue […]
This article discusses Sara McLanahan’s presentation at the seventh annual Rocco C. and Marion S. Siciliano Forum at the University of Utah regarding the Bush administration’s marriage agenda. According to McLanahan, the agenda is based on three assumptions: that unwed parents will participate; that improving relationship skills will increase the marriage rate; and that increasing […]
This pre-post study clearly demonstrated that the Empowering Couples Program can significantly improve the quality of a marriage. There were 43 married couples that participated in the group program. On the 17 ENRICH Couple Scales, males significantly improved on 14 out of 17 scales, females improved on all 17 scales and the couples improved on […]