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This study investigated cognitive components of marital adjustment and the role of social desirability response sets in a sample of retired older adults. It was hypothesized that higher marital adjustment scores would correlate negatively with dysfunctional beliefs concerning marriage. The objectives of the study were to identify which irrational beliefs are related to higher and lower levels of marital adjustment, and to determine the extent to which higher adjustment scores reflect the tendency to respond in a socially desirable manner. The sample consisted of 45 married couples, each partner of which was retired and aged 65 years or older. Assessment was made by self-report using the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Spanier, 1976), Relationship Belief Inventory (Eidelson & Epstein, 1982), and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (Crowne & Marlowe, 1960). Significant correlations were found between virtually all total scores for the total sample as well as males and females separately. Results support the hypotheses that higher Dyadic Adjustment Scale scores were negatively correlated with lower Relationship Belief Inventory and Social Desirability Scale scores. No significant differences were found between males and females on any of the variables.

Differences in role strain and coping across five family life cycle stages were assessed using responses from 329 dual-career women and men. MANOVA on role strain confirmed a significant effect by gender. Women reported a significantly higher level of personal role strain than men. Coping strategy use differed significantly by gender and life cycle stage. Women utilized the coping strategies Cognitive Restructuring, Delegating Responsibility, Limiting Responsibility, and Using Social Support significantly more often than men. Dual-career men and women without children at home used Balancing Work and Family significantly less frequently than men and women with children. Respondents whose oldest child was under 6 reported less use of Delegating Responsibility than those with an oldest child age 13-18. Limiting Responsibility was used less by participants with children under age 6 than by those with older children. Bivariate correlational patterns for male and female respondents were similar across roles. The results are discussed from a family life cycle perspective. / Ph. D.

This qualitative study documented how household and child care task-sharing in eight dual-career families is allocated and negotiated. There were two specific aspects of shared tasks: responsibility for tasks as well as performance of tasks. Flexibility of spouses· employment as it affects task sharing was an important variable. used ethnographic methods to analyze the data from four interviews and two participant observations with each family. Findings described the balance of task sharing in the families: two families shared the total family workload equally; five families strive to share the total workload but fall just short of that goal; and in one family the wife is the primary household and child care worker; the husband helps her. Standards for household and child care tasks are very similar for each set of spouses; differences lead to task negotiation. I present the spouses’ strategies for negotiating household tasks. The findings also include spouses’ career commitment, influences on spouses’ task sharing and the importance of flexibility of employment for dual-career family life. In seven of the eight dual-career families, whose wives earned 40% of more of family income, sharing of household and child care tasks was very high: in these families, the husbands performed at least half of the household and child care tasks. Task responsibility if shared equally in only one family; wives remain the family executives. Career commitment was strong in all but two spouses: these two were considering quitting work at some time to take care of children. The two families who share the total family workload equally use more cooperative negotiation strategies than the other families use. The spouse who has the most flexible employment performs more household and child care tasks than the other spouse does. Note: All names of informants are fictitious. Some facts about the families have been changed to protect their identities. / Ph. D.

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2005. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes project proposal. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 221-224).

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2005. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes project proposal. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 221-224).

This study examined the relationship between physical health, social support, and depression in a married, middle-aged/older adult sample in which at least one partner has heart disease. The data was obtained from a national longitudinal study the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) and is composed of selected respondents and their spouses. The HRS Wave 1 data that was used for these analyses was collected in 1992 and 1993. This study tested a stress buffer model predicting the relationship between physical health, social support, and depression. For study inclusion, participants must have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and received treatment in the last year. A heart disease construct was developed by calculating the level of disease by the number of conditions and medical treatments received within the last year. A second health category for other chronic health conditions included diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and chronic pain. These constructs were combined into a total disease construct, which provided a broad measure of health problems typical of an older adult population. Social support was determined by respondents' satisfaction with friends, neighbors, family, their marriage, and enjoyable time spent with their spouse. Social support was subdivided into two constructs separating spousal support from social support sources outside the marriage. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression short-form (CES-D) calculated depression scores. Findings support a stress-buffering model among older married adults with chronic diseases. Hierarchical multiple regressions found the following main effects predicted Depression: Total Disease (Beta=. 03, p<. 000), Exercise (Beta=-.11, p<. 000), Smoking (Beta=. 04, p<. 001), General Support (Beta=-.21, p<. 000), Spousal Support (Beta=-.19, p<. 000). The Total Diseases by Spousal Support interaction was a significant predictor of Depression for men and women (Beta= -.04, p<. 000) and Total Disease by Spousal Support was also a significant predictor for men and women (Beta=-.03, plt;. 000). For men with Heart Disease, Total Disease by Spousal Support was a stronger predictor (Beta=-.03) than it was for women with Heart Disease (Beta=-.10). These results may partially explain gender differences in heart disease patients and suggests several psychological interventions that could be beneficial.

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

The purpose of this exploratory study was to compare various attributes of never-married single men and women to married men and women. The Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis, the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B) Scale, and the Personal Skills Map were completed by 138 never-married singles and 139 married volunteers, both male and female. Volunteers were predominantly Caucasian, Protestant, active in their churches, and college educated. Ages ranged from 30 to 39 years. Married volunteers were married only once for five years or more. A step-wise discriminant analysis was run on each of the three instruments to determine which variables were significant across groupings. Summary conclusions were made showing that never-married men and women were more socially energetic but less expressive and responsive than were married men and women. Single men, as compared to married men, were also more passive and saw themselves in a less favorable light. Single women, when compared to married women, were also more dominant. Single women, when compared to single men, were more relaxed and more assertive, but more critical and punitive. An implication for counselors is that never-married single people may need help with relating at a deeper level of vulnerability and personableness. Single men may need help in interpersonal assertiveness as well as in personal openness and transparency. Single women may need help in resolving some of their hostilities. Further research is needed to explore the possible factors contributing to the guardedness of singles, the passivity of men, and the hostility of women. More work needs to be done in the area of causality.

An attempt is made to determine whether marital interaction is related to the health and well-being of husbands and wives and, if such a relationship exists, to explore the nature of the relationship. The dimensions of marital interaction of interest include cohesion, companionship, cooperation, and consensus. Cohesion is manifest in the feelings a couple has about their relationship. Companionship and cooperation are seen in a couple's joint activities. A shared outlook on life represents consensus.