This study examined the relationship between married individuals, their mothers-in-laws, fathers-in-law and marital adjustment. Participants were 33 male and 123 female married college students (mean age of 30) who responded to a questionaire assessing perceived in-law social support, perceived dissimilarity in family values with in-laws, triangulation with in-laws, and marital adjustment.

This was a quantitative research project whose goal was to compare the level of autism and its affect on the parental relationship. Further, it sought to look at different family attributes of the subject child to see how they affected the marital satisfaction as well. The findings indicate that the hypothesis was correct, that the level of severity of autism does negatively affect the parental marital satisfaction.

The present study examined the relationships among similarity, interpersonal perception and communicative behaviors in marriage. It was hypothesized that greater understanding, feelings of being understood, and realization of understanding would be associated with greater self-disclosure, use of more direct person control strategies, and use of less attention control strategies. It was further hypothesized that measuring feelings of being understood and realization of understanding, in addition to measuring understanding, would improve prediction of behavior. Finally, it was hypothesized that the contextual measure of understanding would better predict self-disclosure and interpersonal control than would global measures of understanding.

In order to assess a component of communication in interpersonal relationships, an instrument was developed to determine the correspondence in relational perceptions between partners in a marital dyad. The current study focuses on the levels of awareness spouses exhibit regarding phenomenological perceptions of themselves, their partners and the status of their dyadic system.

The purpose of the study was to examine: (a) the influence communication strategies Mexican men and women reported using when negotiating household work with their partners; (b) the influence communication strategies perceived their partners use when negotiating with them; (c) whether spouses considered the reported strategies as being effective to make their partners do what they need/want, and (d) whether spouses perceived the influence communication strategies used by their partners effective. This dissertation consisted of two inter-related studies performed in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. The first study was an interview project, where 24 males and females were questioned about how they influence and are influenced by their partners in regard to participating in household tasks. The population consisted of married dual-income Mexicans with at least one child. The second study used the results of Study I to probe, via questionnaire, how couples influence and are influenced by their partners in regard to participating in household tasks, the relative reported frequency of use of the different strategies, and their perceived effectiveness when using them. 92 couples participated in this study: 46 males and 46 females who live in a double-income marriage. Mexican couples perceived equity about how the household tasks are distributed within their homes. Moreover, the degree of happiness about the contribution each partner makes to the household is high, and participants reported being very satisfied with their relationship. The influence communication strategy men and women reported using most often to make their partners participate in household tasks, and the one they perceive their partners used most often is positive affect. The reported strategies that are rarely or never used or perceived are: humor, sarcasm, ignore, and threat. Positive affect was perceived by husbands and wives to be the most effective influence, while the least effective was threat and ignore. The most significant correlation between strategies reported used by husbands and perceived by wives were positive affect, delegate and ignore. The most significant correlation between strategies reported used by wives and perceived by husbands were: suggest, avoid, and reciprocation. This study found a negative and significant relationship between using the strategy ignore and marital satisfaction, and a negative and significant relationship between perceived partners’ use of the strategy threat and marital satisfaction. / text

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2006. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes final project proposal. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-100, 51-52).

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2006. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes final project proposal. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-100, 51-52).

Text in Afrikaans / In the light of two literature studies, the nature, origin and consequences of early perceptions of marriage, the form of identities and frames of reference, as well as the resultant origin of an internalized marriage have been explored. An empirical survey was undertaken, with the aid of a specially formulated questionnaire, to investigate the influence of early perceptions of marriage, and thus marriage expectations, on a person's own marriage. The research outcomes show that children do internalize aspects of their parents' marriage and transfer these to their own marriage. There seems to be an important similarity between pattern of communication and conflict management in the original family of questioned subjects and their marriage. Although some subjects have denied the influence of their original family on their marriage, there seems to be a transfer of patterns nevertheless. / Educational studies / M.Ed.(Voorligting)

Contemporary and traditional sex roles differ in clarity. As such couples find it difficult to share these sex roles because of beliefs and attitudes they hold about them. In an attempt to generate guidelines with regard to the complementary sharing of these roles, sex differences and the nature of sex roles were discussed. Although men and women are similar in some respects, they however have fundamental unchangeable differences. Sex roles on the other hand, have changed drastically over the years. Data was gathered through the use of interviews. The result of this study indicates that men and women hold conflicting beliefs and attitudes concerning the sharing of sex roles. A set of guidelines have been formulated to assist couples to share their sex roles in a complementary way so as to make their homes authentic primary educational environments.. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Text in Afrikaans / In the light of two literature studies, the nature, origin and consequences of early perceptions of marriage, the form of identities and frames of reference, as well as the resultant origin of an internalized marriage have been explored. An empirical survey was undertaken, with the aid of a specially formulated questionnaire, to investigate the influence of early perceptions of marriage, and thus marriage expectations, on a person's own marriage. The research outcomes show that children do internalize aspects of their parents' marriage and transfer these to their own marriage. There seems to be an important similarity between pattern of communication and conflict management in the original family of questioned subjects and their marriage. Although some subjects have denied the influence of their original family on their marriage, there seems to be a transfer of patterns nevertheless. / Educational studies / M.Ed.(Voorligting)