Perceived Partner Generosity As A Predictor Of Marital Quality During The Transition To Parenthood For Black And White Couples

A vast literature on married couples who transition to parenthood generally reveals that marital quality declines for both wives and husbands. However, research on factors that strengthen or weaken marital quality during the transition to parenthood is still in its infancy. Moreover, most of this research has been conducted with samples of predominantly White couples. This study sought to expand knowledge on the transition to parenthood in two ways. First, using perspectives from marital virtues theory and perceived partner responsiveness, this study sought to determine if perceived partner generosity would moderate the relationship between the transition to parenthood and marital quality. Second, this study sought to test this relationship with a sample consisting of a strong representation of Black couples. A descriptive, secondary analysis was used to investigate respondents from the first (Y1) and third (Y3) years of the Early Years of Marriage (EYM) Project. The original sample consisted of all eligible Black couples (n=199) and a random sample of White couples (n=174) from Wayne County, Michigan in 1986. For this study, eligible participants were couples who either transitioned to parenthood or remained childless between Y1 and Y3. Marital quality was conceptualized as consisting of positive evaluations (marital well-being) and negative evaluations (marital tension). Ordinary least squares regression analyses revealed that wives who transitioned to parenthood reported lower marital well-being and higher marital tension in Y3 than comparison wives. Husbands who transitioned to parenthood reported higher marital tension than comparison husbands. Perceived partner generosity was a strong predictor of marital well-being and marital tension for wives and husbands. However, there was no evidence that perceived partner generosity moderated the relationship between the transition to parenthood and marital well-being or marital tension. Other analyses from this study illustrate the importance of understanding the transition to parenthood in the context of race. Future research on marital quality should conceptualize marital quality as having multiple dimensions, use racially diverse samples, and incorporate ideas from marital virtues theory.

ABSTRACT: A common decline in marital functioning has been observed in couples as they adjust to first-time parenthood. This prospective, longitudinal study examined the trajectories of change in marital quality and observed warm and hostile behaviors across the transition to parenthood. Changes in patterns of marital quality were assessed to determine if they were a function of observed marital behaviors prior to childbirth or changes in observed marital behaviors across this transition. For both parent husbands and wives (N = 260 couples, 520 individuals) and nonparent husbands and wives (N = 107 couples, 214 individuals) participating in the Family Transitions Project (FTP; Conger & Conger, 2002), latent growth curve analyses were conducted on marital quality data and observed behavior data collected at two year intervals before childbirth, shortly after birth, and two years later to examine the rates of change. A general pattern of deterioration was observed for new parents in marital quality and observed warm and hostile behaviors. Observed warm and hostile behaviors prior to parenthood were significant in predicting both spouses' marital trajectories across this transition. Results from interlocked growth curves indicated that changes in observed warm and hostile behaviors did not significantly predict changes in marital quality. Finally, rates of change across four years did not significantly differ between parents and nonparents for marital quality or behavior. Clinical implications for marriage and family therapists are discussed.

Equality between husbands and wives is recognized - in theory - as being beneficial to the well-being of a family. However, empirical research over the past two decades indicates that the advantage is `his' rather than `hers': the vast majority of married women still bears a disproportionate responsibility for work related to relationships, home and children. This book examines why, while women's roles have expanded at an astonishing rate, the critical need for a more egalitarian style of relating has not been met. The author maintains that motivation to seek change stems from people perceiving inequality as unfair, and that this perception can be impeded by gender differences in sense of entitlement.

Using marital interdependence and adaptation to parenthood as exemplars of Roy Adaptation Model concepts of Interdependence and Role Function, this study investigated relationships between prenatal expectations and postpartum realities of marital interdependence, adaptation to parenthood, and variables relevant to the study of the transition to parenthood (social status, length of marriage, type of delivery, and complications). The sample consisted of 102 married, primarily white, middle class primiparous couples. The Interdependence Scale, with affective, problem-solving, and household maintenance subscales, was used to measure prenatal expectations and postpartum realities of marital interdependence. The instrument was designed to generate scores reflecting actual interdependence and each partner's perception of interdependence within the dyad. The Postpartum Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (Lederman, Weingarten, and Lederman, 1981) was used to measure seven dimensions of adaptation to parenthood. The results indicated that primiparous couples have expectations for interdependence within the postpartum marital relationship that are predictive, to varying degrees, of the realities of postpartum interdependence. Couples reported the greatest actual and perceived interdependence in the affective dimension of their relationship, followed by the problem-solving and household maintenance dimensions. Husband and wife scores on the PSQ indicated effective adaptation to parenthood. PSQ total scale scores for husband and wife were highly correlated while subscale scores were correlated in the low to moderate range. Several subscales of the Interdependence Scale were predictive of PSQ subscales, just as several PSQ subscales were predictive of Interdependence subscales. Expectations of Interdependence were more often predictors of adaptation to parenthood than the Realities of Interdependence. The variables of complications, length of marriage, social status and type of delivery were predictors of adaptation to parenthood. Length of marriage and type of delivery were predictors of postpartum marital interdependence. Up to 19% of the variance in the wife's adaptation to parenthood scores and 21% in the husband's could be attributed to the interdependence and the other predictor variables. Up to 60% of the variance in Realities of Interdependence could be attributed to expectations of interdependence, adaptation to parenthood, and the other predictor variables.

The field of family studies has recently seen the development of a more specialized focus on the character of particular relationships. The nature of these relationships may take many forms but typically involves individuals who view themselves as a unit with a long-term commitment to continue their relationship. Traditionally, at least in western societies, families are defined in terms of two parents living together with responsibility for rearing their children. However, these so-called nuclear families are becoming a rarer phenomenon. Single-parent families, childless couples, lesbian or gay male couples are also all represented in the broad mix of relations referred to as families. Each of the chapters in this book deals with a primary relationship issue. These include: issues of early marriage how young relationships become enduring relationships parent and child relations conflict between partners the interface between work and family life marital quality and maintenance divorce and its impact on the family aging and older families This volume provides a useful reference for professionals whose research and/or clinical practice focuses on family relationship issues. This book is also intended for advanced students in the areas of sociology, close relationships and family sciences. Families as Relationships is one of a series of paperbacks dedicated to the study and application of processes by which individuals relate to each other in social and family settings. Each book provides an expanded and up-to-date version of a section in the original Handbook of Personal Relationships (second edition) edited by Steve Duck.

A “must-read” (The Washington Post) funny and practical guide to help you find, build, and keep the relationship of your dreams. Have you ever looked around and wondered, “Why has everyone found love except me?” You’re not the only one. Great relationships don’t just appear in our lives—they’re the culmination of a series of decisions, including whom to date, how to end it with the wrong person, and when to commit to the right one. But our brains often get in the way. We make poor decisions, which thwart us on our quest to find lasting love. Drawing from years of research, behavioral scientist turned dating coach Logan Ury reveals the hidden forces that cause those mistakes. But awareness on its own doesn’t lead to results. You have to actually change your behavior. Ury shows you how. This “simple-to-use guide” (Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone) focuses on a different decision in each chapter, incorporating insights from behavioral science, original research, and real-life stories. You’ll learn: -What’s holding you back in dating (and how to break the pattern) -What really matters in a long-term partner (and what really doesn’t) -How to overcome the perils of online dating (and make the apps work for you) -How to meet more people in real life (while doing activities you love) -How to make dates fun again (so they stop feeling like job interviews) -Why “the spark” is a myth (but you’ll find love anyway) This “data-driven” (Time), step-by-step guide to relationships, complete with hands-on exercises, is designed to transform your life. How to Not Die Alone will help you find, build, and keep the relationship of your dreams.