The present study investigated the effects of childhood abuse that occurred before the age of 18 on levels of marital satisfaction in older age. The study examined marital satisfaction in a group of Caucasian older married individuals with a mean age of 65.4 years who retrospectively endorsed a history of childhood physical, verbal and/or sexual abuse. Although previous studies examined the relationship of child maltreatment on young and middle-age adult relationship satisfaction, the study addressed a gap in the literature in that it examined the impact of child maltreatment on marital satisfaction in older age. Marital satisfaction in older age is particularly important to understand due to the health and psychological benefits derived from being in a satisfying marriage in older age (Booth & Johnson, 1994; Dush, Taylor, & Kroeger, 2008; Proulx, Helms, & Buehler, 2007), which is a time when health may become fragile. Furthermore, this study expands the current literature by explicating plausible mediators in the association between child maltreatment and late-life marital satisfaction. In particular, based on life course theory, the study examined specific life course risks (i.e., early marriage, early childbirth, and multiple divorces) and adult individual characteristics (i.e., avoidance coping and depression) as plausible mediators in the association between child abuse and later life marital satisfaction. The study examined men and women separately and investigated the effect of the severity of abuse on relationship functioning. The study used Structural Equation Modeling to analyze the data and tested all relationships between abuse, each mediator, and marital satisfaction. Results demonstrate that child maltreatment is negatively associated with late life marital satisfaction and that mid-life depression mediates that association for both men and women. Additionally, modification indices suggested that avoidance coping may influence late life marital satisfaction through a connection with depression and that coping by wishful thinking may be relatively more harmful for martial satisfaction than other forms of cognitive and behavioral avoidance coping. Findings suggest that treating depression in mid-life may be a feasible route to help individuals who have a history of early childhood abuse to have satisfying and protective relationships later in life.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T16:34:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 GlauciaMarinho.pdf: 1058659 bytes, checksum: 17777b5cdcab4a0113bd13f9c30b646f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-29 / This study aimed to identify the perceived stepfather about his relations with his ( s ) stepson ( s ) and i identify the perception stepfather about their function and role in the family . We used a clinical investigation of psychoanalytic theory that raised the data through semi - structured interviews and stories with family Drawing in 3 adults and stepfathers who were participants . The sessions were performed in an office setting , respecting technical and ethical issues in research and Psychology in particular , such as confidentiality and consent of the participants . The content analysis showed that there were peculiarities in each case studied , however , there were common factors in their actions and feelings about family and stepchildren : a) there was an ambiguity - for both men perceived themselves as providers and counselors of children and stepchildren , as there was also a perception that feelings by biological child were different from those experienced by stepchildren . b ) all stepfathers barriers in relations revealed by an unclear definition of its role and function within the family, often reinforced by wives , mothers , taken as those who hold the power over the child / stepchild , and this confusion generated rivalry stepfather and stepson in a dispute love of wife and mother . c ) the psychological point of view, it was observed that many conflicts referred them to the early stages of development , especially the Oedipal resolution as a reissue ; thus, the exercise of the function of stepfather gives the basis of the quality of their relationships with their parents in childhood - as occurs in the course of consanguineous parentage . So , the function of step father as well as the father is given by a rolling engagement. We suggest other work researches , because it was understood that this type of related developmental Psychology study can assist in health activities and prevention in mental health / Este estudo teve por objetivos, identificar a percepção do padrasto sobre suas relações com seu(s) enteado(s) e identificar a percepção do padrasto acerca da sua função e papel na família. Utilizou-se de uma investigação clínica de referencial psicanalítico que levantou os dados por meio de entrevistas semi-dirigidas e do Desenho de família com estórias, em 3 participantes adultos e que eram padrastos. Os atendimentos foram realizados em ambiente de consultório, respeitando-se questões técnicas e éticas da pesquisa e da Psicologia em especial, tais como sigilo e consentimento dos participantes. A análise do conteúdo mostrou que havia peculiaridades em cada caso estudado, entretanto, havia fatores comuns em seus sentimentos e ações sobre a família e enteados: a) houve uma ambivalência pois tanto se perceberam como homens provedores e orientadores dos filhos e enteados, quanto havia também uma a percepção de que os sentimentos pelo filho biológico eram diferentes daqueles sentidos por seus enteados. b) todos os padrastos revelaram entraves nas relações por uma não definição clara de seu papel e função no contexto familiar, muitas vezes reforçado pelas esposas- mães, tidas como aquelas que detém o poder sobre o filho/enteado e, esta confusão gerava rivalidade entre padrasto e enteado, numa disputa pelo amor da esposa e mãe. c) do ponto de vista psíquico, foi observado que muitos conflitos os remetiam aos períodos precoces do desenvolvimento, especialmente à resolução edipiana, como numa reedição; assim, o exercício da função de padrasto se dá à base da qualidade de suas relações com seus pais na infância tal como se dá no exercício da paternidade consangüínea. De modo que, a função de padrasto, assim como a paterna se dá por um compromisso evolutivo . Sugerem-se outros trabalhos, pois se entendeu que esse tipo de estudo relacionado à Psicologia do desenvolvimento pode auxiliar em ações de saúde e prevenção em saúde mental.