Perceiving shared power in marriage has been linked to higher marital quality and lower attachment insecurity. Yet limited research has examined whether perception of power has a longitudinal influence on how both spouses' perceptions play a role in both spouses' outcomes. To address previous limitations, I utilized 319 couples (94.7% retention from Wave 1) from the Flourishing Families Project to estimate bi-yearly (Waves 1, 3, and 5) and yearly (Waves 3-5) longitudinal actor-partner interdependence models. Reporting shared power in marriage was linked to the actors' higher marital quality and lower attachment insecurity over time (though less consistently for attachment insecurity). Longitudinal partner effects and indirect effects were also found from reports of shared marital power to both marital quality and attachment insecurity over time. Little evidence was found for bidirectionality. The combined evidence suggests that power dynamics in a marriage are an important predictor of couples' overall relational well-being, and not simply a byproduct of other well-being indicators. Husbands and wives should mutually seek to help each other feel empowered in a relationship to reap the benefits of marital quality and secure attachment.

Doctor of Philosophy / Family Studies and Human Services / Sandra M. Stith / Little information is available on the use of relational aggression in adult romantic relationships. In a sample of 325 married couples (650 spouses) we assessed the use of relational aggression within couples married an average of approximately 18 years to learn more about relational aggression within this population. To understand a potential motivating factor for the use of relational aggression, marital power was also examined. Finally, to learn whether or not relationship satisfaction mediates the relationship between marital power and relational aggression, relationship satisfaction was measured and was found to be a significant mediating variable. Using the actor/partner interdependence model, we found that those who were dissatisfied in their relationships, regardless of perceived marital power, were more likely to use relational aggression. Additionally, those who were satisfied in their marriage were less likely to use relational aggression. Wives participated in more relational aggression than husbands and husbands perceived themselves as having more power and were more satisfied in the marriage. Implications and suggestions for clinicians are offered.

This study explores the influence of religion on gender roles in marriage. Past research indicates that previous theories of marital power have ignored couples' own conceptualizations and have relied on taken for granted assumptions. Thirty-two religious couples (from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths) were interviewed regarding their gender roles. Grounded-theory qualitative analyses were conducted for couples' perceptions of religious influence on gender roles, the development of their gender practice, and their operationalization of marital power. Results are reported according to couples' discussion of role organization, role design, and outcomes. Valuing gender differences moderated religious impact on couples' role development and power balance. Traditional couples indicated that gender differences were important to them and that religion was a major factor in their role organization. Non-traditional couples were more likely to see religion as oppressive to women and report that marital roles were equitable because they were not determined by gender.

Using a sample of 322 married couples (644 spouses) from The Flourishing Families project, this study examined the relationship between marital power and sexual satisfaction as mediated by observed hostile interaction. More specifically, an actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) was used in which husband and wife perceptions of their partner's power were hypothesized to be related to husband and wife self-report of sexual satisfaction, with husband and wife observed hostile interaction as possible mediating variables. Results showed that husband and wife perceptions of power were positively related to their respective husband and wife sexual satisfaction and positively related to their respective hostile interaction. Husband hostile interaction was negatively related to husband sexual satisfaction. Husband and wife perceptions of power were negatively related to their partner's sexual satisfaction, and positively related to their partner's hostile interaction. Husband and wife hostile interaction were negatively related to their partner's sexual satisfaction. Husband observed hostility was a statistically significant mediator of the relationship between husband power and husband sexual satisfaction and of the relationship between wife power and wife sexual satisfaction. Wife observed hostility significantly mediated the relationship between husband power and husband sexual satisfaction.

Les effets de l'immigration sur les individus comme étant le résultat des influences sociales, culturelles et économiques du nouveau contexte sont très bien connus dans la littérature scientifique. Ainsi, pour ceux qui ont immigré en couple, l'expérience d'immigration les amène à renégocier leurs rôles afin de s'ajuster aux conditions du nouvel environnement. Cette renégociation apporte des changements dans la répartition du pouvoir conjugal et permet l'adaptation de chacun des partenaires à la nouvelle société ainsi que le retour à l'équilibre dans le couple. Cependant, cette adaptation ne se fait pas de façon uniforme entre les hommes et les femmes. La présente recherche vise à prédire les changements dans la répartition du pouvoir conjugal au sein de trente couples d'origine colombienne ayant immigré à Montréal, en fonction de la durée de séjour et de leur degré d'identification à la société d'accueil (Canada et Québec). Le pouvoir conjugal est évalué dans cette étude selon la perception des membres du couple face à leurs responsabilités respectives lors de la prise de décisions globale ainsi que dans quatre catégories spécifiques, avant et après avoir immigré à Montréal. À propos de la durée de séjour, les données obtenues révèlent que, pour les femmes, le temps vécu dans la société d'accueil permet de prédire des changements dans la répartition du pouvoir conjugal. Ces résultats confirment aussi que ces changements favorisent l'augmentation du pouvoir des femmes au sein du couple dans deux des quatre catégories, soit « loisirs et activités sociales » et « soins et éducation des enfants ». Cependant, la perception des femmes n'est pas partagée par les hommes ; pour les hommes, le temps passé dans la société d'accueil ne permet pas de prédire des changements dans la répartition du pouvoir conjugal. Concernant le degré d'identification, nos données révèlent que, pour les femmes interviewées, l'identification au Canada peut prédire des changements dans la répartition du pouvoir conjugal au niveau global. En ce qui concerne le degré d'identification au Québec, celui-ci permet de prédire des changements dans la répartition du pouvoir conjugal dans la catégorie « soins et éducation des enfants », tant chez les hommes que chez les femmes. / The effects of immigration on individuals as the result of social, cultural and economic influences of the new context are well known in the scientific literature. So for those who immigrated as a couple, the immigration experience leads them to renegotiate their roles in order to adjust to the conditions of the new environment. This renegotiation makes changes in the distribution of marital power and allows the adaptation of the partners in the new society and the return to balance in the couple. However, this adaptation is not done evenly between men and women. This research aims to predict changes in the distribution of marital power among a group of thirty Colombian couples who immigrated to Montreal, depending on length of stay and degree of identification with the host society (Canada and Quebec). Marital power is evaluated in this study according to the perception of the partners about their responsibilities in making global decisions and in four specific categories before and after immigrating to Montreal. About the length of stay, the data obtained show that, for women, the time lived in the host society predicts changes in the distribution of marital power. These results also confirm that these changes favour the empowerment of women within the couple in two of four categories: « leisure time and social activities » and « care and education of children ». However, the perception of women is not shared by men ; for men, the time spent in the host society does not predict changes in the distribution of marital power. Regarding the degree of identification, our data show that for the women interviewed, identification with Canada can predict changes in the distribution of marital power globally. Regarding the degree of identification with Quebec, it predicts changes in the distribution of marital power in the « care and education of children » category for both men and women.

Semi-structured interviews were administered to 16 married couples in Central Appalachia. Questions addressed power relations and division of labor in marriage.

No description available.

The study commences with a brief overview of the history of marriage and specifically of marriage in community of property with reference to marital power. The unique ex lege consequences of marriage in community of property is comprehensively discussed. The Constitutional Court decision in Harksen v Lane determined the test for unconstitutionality. The test for unconstitutionality is discussed with specific reference to the Bill of Rights. The Constitutional Court's decision in Volks v Robinson is critically evaluated as the Court propounded the so-called "choice argument" in terms of which people purposefully decide to marry instead of cohabiting and therefore the law may accord certain benefits to married people which are not available to unmarried life partners. The Constitutional Court decisions in Van der Merwe v RAF as well as its consequences are discussed. It concluded that section 18(b) of the Matrimonial Property Act constituted unjustifiable discrimination between spouses married in community of property and those married out of community of property and the said section was therefore declared unconstitutional. The law of insolvency in respect of the joint estate of spouses married in community of property is investigated. Freedom of testation and case law relating thereto is considered briefly. The study concludes with the submission that the common law provision that separate assets of a spouse in a marriage in community of property form part of the joint insolvent estate even if a testator expressly determined in his will that a bequest will not form part of the joint estate of a beneficiary, amounts to unfair discrimination and is unconstitutional. t is submitted that the principle unfairly discriminates between spouses married in community of property and those married out of community of property on the ground of marital status. / LLM (Estate Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The study commences with a brief overview of the history of marriage and specifically of marriage in community of property with reference to marital power. The unique ex lege consequences of marriage in community of property is comprehensively discussed. The Constitutional Court decision in Harksen v Lane determined the test for unconstitutionality. The test for unconstitutionality is discussed with specific reference to the Bill of Rights. The Constitutional Court's decision in Volks v Robinson is critically evaluated as the Court propounded the so-called "choice argument" in terms of which people purposefully decide to marry instead of cohabiting and therefore the law may accord certain benefits to married people which are not available to unmarried life partners. The Constitutional Court decisions in Van der Merwe v RAF as well as its consequences are discussed. It concluded that section 18(b) of the Matrimonial Property Act constituted unjustifiable discrimination between spouses married in community of property and those married out of community of property and the said section was therefore declared unconstitutional. The law of insolvency in respect of the joint estate of spouses married in community of property is investigated. Freedom of testation and case law relating thereto is considered briefly. The study concludes with the submission that the common law provision that separate assets of a spouse in a marriage in community of property form part of the joint insolvent estate even if a testator expressly determined in his will that a bequest will not form part of the joint estate of a beneficiary, amounts to unfair discrimination and is unconstitutional. t is submitted that the principle unfairly discriminates between spouses married in community of property and those married out of community of property on the ground of marital status. / LLM (Estate Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015