Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Dept. of Psychology, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis(Ph.D.)--Case Western Reserve University, 2010 / Title from PDF (viewed on 2010-01-28) Department of Social Welfare Includes abstract Includes bibliographical references and appendices Available online via the OhioLINK ETD Center

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2005. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references (ℓ. 60-70)

Thesis (M.A.) Family and child studies--University of Central Oklahoma, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-47).

Thesis (M.A.)--Kent State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Mar. 8, 2010). Advisor: Kristin Mickelson. Keywords: Parenthood; pregnancy; coping; parenting efficacy; gender differences; marriage. Includes bibliographical references (p. 42-45).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2006. / Title from title screen (site viewed May 23, 2007). PDF text: iii, 163 p. ; 1.09Mb UMI publication number: AAT 3237487. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

This study examines the role that marital attributions may play in the relationship between the occurrence of stressful life events and marital quality. Specifically, it is suggested that within a crisis theory framework, the meaning couples attribute to stressful events may either mediate or moderate the impact of stressors on the marital relationship. First, several models of stress adaptation in families and marriages are discussed. Next, current research on marital attributions is reviewed, and problems with this field of research are explored. Finally, the possible role of marital attributions in stress adaptation is examined. A total of 60 married couples completed measures on current life stressors, marital quality, and marital attributions. The mediational model failed to find support due to the lack of a strong relationship between life stressors and marital attributions. Partial support for the moderational model was found. These results can be interpreted as indicating that the marital quality of couples who make relationship-enhancing attributions about their spouses' negative behaviors is less negatively affected by stress than those who make distress-maintaining attributions. Findings concurrent with the literature on resilience suggest that the experience of life stressors may afford an opportunity for a couple's marriage to strengthen if adaptive marital attributions are used. Differences in the moderational role of marital attributions between men and women and stress adaptation literature suggest future avenues of research.

The current study is the first to explore how reported reasons for divorce are associated with the emotional climate of subsequent marriages, and if the emotional climate of these relationships is significantly different from that of happy or unhappy first marriages. It also examines whether variations in the emotional climate of marriage are reducible to underlying personality characteristics. These issues were investigated using data from the Texas Baseline Survey on Marriage. Results indicate that there are two types of marriage that end in divorce: those preceded by a highly distressed marriage, and those preceded by a less distressed marriage. Regardless of emotional tenor of the marriage prior to divorce, the emotional climate of remarriages appears to be largely similar to that of happy first marriages and substantially better than that of unhappy first marriages. Although individuals with different relationship histories possess distinct personality profiles, the differences in emotional climate persist after the effects of personality have been taken into account. Overall, these results suggest that accounting for differences among those who have divorced, as well as distinguishing between happy and unhappy first marriages, is important for understanding the affective nature of marriage. / text

Qualitative interviews were used to gather data from nine married couples about their flirtatious communication behaviors with each other. The husband and wife in each couple were interviewed separately. Flirtation was examined to understand its effect on marital satisfaction and to explore its potential utility as a relational maintenance strategy in marriage. Data revealed that couples felt that flirtation was important in maintaining their marriage as a tactic for enacting assurances, positivity and conflict management and that flirtation had a relationship to the satisfaction they experienced in their marriage. In addition, sex differences were discussed. These findings expand the existing research on flirtation, relational maintenance and marital satisfaction. / Department of Communication Studies

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2005. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references.