There is a large body of research documenting the link between individuals’ perceptions of partners’ traits and relationship satisfaction (Simpson, Fillo, & Myers, 2012). Prior work indicates that both accurate understanding and idealized perception of partners’ traits are associated with greater relationship satisfaction (e.g., Luo & Snider, 2009). However, research in this area has predominantly focused on the impact of partner perception on relationship satisfaction. There is very limited evidence on whether relationship satisfaction in turn affects partner perception. The present study followed newlywed heterosexual couples during their first 2-3 years of marriage and examined the relations between individuals’ perceptions of spouses’ attachment style and marital satisfaction over time using two waves of data. Using cross-lagged structural equation models, the study finds that individuals’ greater satisfaction significantly predicted their greater accuracy in tracking their partner’s anxiety, lower accuracy in tracking their partner’s avoidance, increased positive illusions of their partner’s avoidance, and their partner’s decreased positive illusions of individuals’ avoidance one year later. Furthermore, individuals’ greater positive illusions of their partner’s anxiety and avoidance led to their partner’s increased satisfaction and individuals’ decreased satisfaction down the line, respectively. Potential explanations for contradictory results between anxiety and avoidance are discussed at length. The study extends the literature by investigating the directionality of the link between partner perception and relationship outcomes using cross-lagged models in a longitudinal design.

. / La presente investigación tiene como objetivo describir la manera en la se manifiesta el vínculo afectivo en parejas de adultos mayores de Lima y Callao. Este estudio fue de tipo cualitativo de diseño fenomenológico en él que se utilizó la técnica de entrevista semiestructurada. La muestra estuvo comprendida por 8 parejas de adultos mayores entre 60 a 80 años. Se utilizó el análisis de contenido para establecer las categorías: Contextualización, Expresiones Afectivas, Compromiso de la Pareja y Calidad de la Relación (de manera inductiva y deductiva) con las que se analizó lo expresado por cada participante. Se obtuvo que el vínculo afectivo de pareja está relacionado en cómo este, se ha construido y transformado durante el tiempo. Lo cual ha determinado la calidad de su relación actual. Las parejas que tienen un vínculo afectivo construido a base de amor refirieron que se sienten satisfechos con su relación y su amor ha incrementado con el paso de los años y se mantiene mediante caricias físicas, la expresión de sus emociones, comunicación, preocupación por el otro y confianza. Por otro lado, un grupo de parejas menciona que tienen un vínculo construido con base en la compañía; en donde actualmente no comparten un sentimiento de amor mutuo, presentan problemas de comunicación y existe desconfianza; sin embargo, hay una preocupación mutua por el bienestar de su pareja y mencionan que, si bien su relación como pareja no es satisfactoria, la familia conformada y las experiencias compartidas los motiva a permanecer y afrontar la vejez de manera conjunta. / The aim of this research is to describe the way in which emotional bonding is manifested in elderly couples in Lima and Callao. This study was of qualitative type of phenomenological design in which the technique of semi-structured interview was used. The sample consisted of 8 elderly couples between 60 and 80 years old. The content analysis was used to establish the categories: Contextualization, Affective Expressions, Couple's Commitment and Quality of the Relationship (in an inductive and deductive way) with which what was expressed by each participant was analyzed. It was obtained that the couple's affective bond is related to how it has been built and transformed over time. This has determined the quality of their current relationship. The couples who have an affective bond built on love, reported that they feel satisfied with their relationship and their love has increased over the years and is maintained through physical caresses, the expression of their emotions, communication, concern for the other and trust. On the other hand, a group of couples mentions that they have a bond built based on companionship; where currently they do not share a feeling of mutual love, they have communication problems and there is distrust; however, there is a mutual concern for the well-being of their partner and they mention that although their relationship as a couple is not satisfactory, the family formed and the experiences shared motivate them to stay and face old age together. / Tesis

An adapted version of the Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation model was used as a theoretical guide for this study, which proposes that adaptive processes exist and can moderate relationships between enduring vulnerabilities and different outcomes. Relationships of interest include the negative link between depression and marital satisfaction and the positive link between marital satisfaction and physical health. An adaptive process of interest is empathy, due to its well-researched positive impact on mental, relational, and physical health. This study examined whether perceived spousal empathy (i.e., the empathy perceived by one spouse coming from their spouse) had any moderating effects on the previously mentioned links. A clinical sample of 34 relationally distressed heterosexual couples was included in the study. Depression unexpectedly had a positive relationship with marital satisfaction and physical health. Marital satisfaction had no significant relationship with physical health. Perceived spousal empathy had no moderating effects. The clinical implications of the results are discussed.

Baal teshuvas are traditionally observant Orthodox Jewish individuals who were previously not religiously observant and chose to become observant at a later juncture in their lives. This population is at risk of psychosocial dysfunction, particularly in the area of marriage, but little or no research has been conducted with this population. The purpose of this study was to study how 1 factor, the laws of family purity, an ancient set of Jewish laws governing sexual behavior between husbands and wives, may have an effect on marital satisfaction among baal teshuvas. Areas of marital satisfaction were measured by the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Triangular Love Scale, and New Sexual Satisfaction Survey. Relational-cultural theory and relational spirituality were used to describe how spirituality affects individual well-being and the quality of one's relationships with others. A sample of 44 male and 59 female baal teshuvas completed the surveys. MANOVAs and 2-factor ANOVAs were conducted to compare the effects of gender and level of observance of family purity laws on marital satisfaction survey results. Results indicated a significant difference only by gender on the sexual satisfaction measure, although it is not known how much of a difference there was between the genders. This study reinforces indications from past research that studying sexual satisfaction in marriages is an increasingly important area of study and clinical practice. This study may lead to positive social change by identifying methods to improve marital satisfaction in the newly religious population. In addition, the results may provide further evidence supporting the already known positive psychological benefits of the laws of family purity.

This study examined some of the factors that influence father involvement for first time parent s. These variables included: general or cultural attitudes of father involvement, personal expectations for father involvement, and level of satisfaction with the marriage. A secondary purpose was to examine factors that buffer the decline of marital satisfaction associated with the transition to parenthood. It was proposed that marital satisfaction was associated with having similar expectations for father involvement, having father involvement that met or exceeded personal expectations, and accurately perceiving spousal identity. A final purpose was to create a model of father invol vement, originally represented by the level of time, awareness, and support a father provides for his child. Ninety-six couples enrolled in two prenatal classes participated in this study. Both mothers and fathers were given nearly identical surveys for the prenatal (or the third trimester of pregnancy) and postnatal (when the target child was between 3 and 6 months old) phases of the study With a 29% attrition rate, the final sample consisted of68 couples. The results indicated that postnatal father involvement was predicted by the level of marital satisfaction and also by the personal expectations that both spouses have for father involvement. Results failed to support the hypotheses that father involvement would be significantly related to prenatal general attitudes of father involvement. However, there was some support that general (or cultural) attitudes change as a fun ction of personal experience for father s; the standard set for other fathers seems to be based from and conform to their own level of involvement. As expected, postnatal marital satisfaction for both spouses was strongly related to father involvement. Although postnatal marital satisfaction was slightly related to the similarity in spouses' expectations for father involvement, the exploratory analysis shows that spouses with high personal expectations for father involvement (during the prenatal phase) tend to experience high levels of postnatal marital satisfaction, regardless of similarity of expectations between spouses. There was a general trend for postnatal marital satisfaction to be high when father involvement met or exceeded personal expectations, and low when father involvement fell short of personal expectations. The exception is when expectations were high; spouses with high expectations tend to report high levels of postnatal marital satisfaction regardless of whether father involvement met, surpassed, or fell short of those expectations. Contrary to expectations, accurately perceiving spousal identity was not related to marital satisfaction. Implications are given.

The current study presents findings regarding marital preparation for individuals in great marriages. Data from a national qualitative study of individuals in self-identified great marriages were used. Thirty-eight individuals were identified as being married for 20 years or less, and therefore, chosen as the subsample for the current study. Their rich, narrative responses were analyzed and coded, using a qualitative method, to identify what marriage preparation occurred for these couples prior to marriage and contributed to their successful marriages. Findings from this research provide helpful, descriptive data on the experiences and socialization of individuals that influenced their choice in a marriage partner as well as later marital success. Implications for practitioners, researchers, and individuals are provided.

The mode of expression used by individuals, in written or spoken word, offers insight into one’s cognitive and emotional processes. Over the past 25 years expressive writing has become an interest to researchers, therapists, and the public. Writing provides a symbolic way of expressing thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Analytical programs provide a way to study the structure and content of written communication. There is little research that includes marital relationships and expressive writing and no known research that includes marital relationships and writing analyses. In relationships, meanings are created to help make sense of situations and interactions. Symbols also include the process of evaluating relationships. The present study uses the Linguistic Inquire and Word Count (LIWC) to analyze the writing samples from participants and the Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI) to measure relationship satisfaction. To more fully understand the relationship between writing and couple satisfaction, this study focused on married couples. This study used a dyadic analysis approach so that partner effects could be analyzed. This study had two main goals: (1) to examine the relationship between first person pronoun use (singular and plural) and marital satisfaction, and (2) to examine the relationship between affective language use (positive and negative) and marital satisfaction. Each of these goals also included exploring possible sex and length of marriage differences. The results from this study indicate that individuals who use more first person plural pronouns (e.g., we) are more likely to report higher marital satisfaction. This indicates that individual perceptions of couple togetherness are related to higher marital satisfaction. Results also indicate that individuals who use more positive affective language are more likely to report higher marital satisfaction. Also, individuals whose partners use more positive affective language are more likely to report higher marital satisfaction. This suggests that positive affect in relationships is linked to higher satisfaction for both spouses. Although negative affective language was not related to marital satisfaction, if individuals used anger language it was negatively associated with marital satisfaction. This reveals the need for more research on the specific effects of anger on relationship satisfaction. Examining relationships from this new perspective may have valuable implications for couple therapy, interventions, and future research.

This thesis examines the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics, levels of personal religiosity, and reported marital satisfaction. Current research suggests links among these dimensions of interpersonal life, and building upon existing literature, I examine the effects of one's religious homogamy and the salience of religious homogamy in relation to one's reported marital satisfaction. Data used are parts of Wave II of the Baylor Religious Survey, a religiously-focused data set that compiles information of social and religious attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors on a national scale. Multiple hypotheses on possible links between variables are tested, and the relationships between marital satisfaction and many religious and sociodemographic variables are upheld; however, the relation between the salience of religious homogamy and marital satisfaction is most prevalent.

While there has been a relatively large number of studies conducted to investigate associations between financial problems and marital outcomes, little research has been done to examine possible relationships between materialistic attitudes, perceived financial problems, and marital outcomes. This study has been designed to examine a conceptual model linking materialism, perceived financial problems, and relationship satisfaction among married couples. Data obtained from 600 married heterosexual couples who took the RELATE test fit the model well. Findings indicate that wives' materialism is negatively related to husbands' marital satisfaction. Husbands' and wives' materialism is positively related with increased perception of financial problems which is in turn negatively associated with marital satisfaction. As expected, income was positively related to marital satisfaction, however, income had no relation to perception of financial problems. Materialism had a stronger impact on perception of financial problems than income. Distinct gender findings indicate that although husbands' variables had no significant relation with wives' outcomes, wives' variables were significantly related to husbands' outcomes. Specifically, wives' materialism is positively related with husbands' increased perception of financial problems, and wives' perceived financial problems is negatively associated with husbands' marital satisfaction. These findings support the notion that materialism is indirectly related to marital satisfaction, and in some ways directly related to marital satisfaction.

This study explored the extent of triangulation between elderly people and their adult children, and examines the relationship of triangulation with marital and individual outcomes such as problem solving, negative affective communication, time spent together, intimacy, depression, and marital satisfaction. Triangulation between adult children and elderly parents was found to be strongly related with negative outcomes for elderly parents in each of the dependent variables.