The Developmental Course of Marital Dysfunction

by Edited by Thomas N. Bradbury , Foreword by Robert L. Weiss

• ISBN13: 9780521451901
• ISBN10: 0521451906
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-08-13
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

How do marriages become unhappy? How do marriages change? What are the theories and methods that can best illuminate our understanding of marital development? This volume comprehensively explores how marriages develop and deteriorate, and in doing so, brings together leading scholars to present research on the longitudinal course of marriage. The chapters share a common focus on the early phases of marriage but address a diverse array of topics, including marital conflict, personality, social support, the transition to parenthood, violence, ethnicity, stress, alcohol use, commitment and sexuality. Implications of this research for alleviating marital distress are also noted. The book concludes with six provocative analyses by prominent scholars in the areas of sociology, clinical psychology, social psychology and developmental psychology.

Table of Contents

List of Contributors	xii	(3)
Foreword	xv
Robert L. Weiss
Introduction: The Developmental Course of Marital Dysfunction	1	(10)
Thomas N. Bradbury
Part I Conceptual and Empirical Contributions	11	(366)
1 Communication in Early Marriage: Responses to Conflict, Nonverbal Accuracy, and Conversational Patterns	11	(33)
Patricia Noller
Judith A Feeney
Marital Aggression, Quality, and Stability in the First Year of Marriage: Findings from the Buffalo Newlywed Study	44	(30)
Kenneth E. Leonard
Linda J. Roberts
3 Accommodation Processes During the Early Years of Marriage	74	(40)
Caryl E. Rusbult
Victor L. Bissonnette
Ximena B. Arriaga
Chante L. Cox
4 The Psychological Infrastructure of Courtship and Marriage: The Role of Personality and Compatibility in Romantic Relationships	114	(38)
Ted L. Huston
Renate M. Houts
5 Happiness in Stable Marriages: The Early Years	152	(28)
Joseph Veroff
Elizabeth Douvan
Terri L. Orbuch
Linda K. acitelli
Development Changes in Marital Satisfaction A 6-Year Prospective Longitudinal Study of Newlywed Couples	180	(25)
Lawrence A. Kurdek
The Development MarriageL: A 9-Year Perspective	205	(32)
Kristin Lindahl
Mari Clements
Howard Markman
Premarital Predictors of Relationship Outcomes: A 15-Year Follow-up of the Boston Couples Study	237	(42)
Charles T. Hill
Letitia Anne Peplau
Optimizing Longitudinal Research for Understanding and Preventing Martial Dysfunction	279	(33)
Thomas N. Bradbury
Catherine L Cohan
Benjamin R. Karney
10 Socialization into Martial Roles: Testing a Contextual, Development Model of Marital Functioning	312	(31)
Irv Tallman
Peter J. Burke
Viktor Gecas
11 Physical Aggression in Marriage: A Development Analysis	343	(34)
K. Daniel O'Leary
Michele Cascardi
Part II Invited Commentaries	377	(84)
12 On Intervention and Relationship Events: A Marital Therapist Looks at Longitudinal Research on Marriage	377	(16)
Andrew Christensen
13 A Developmentalist's Perspective on Martial Change	393	(17)
Ross D. Parke
14 Couples, Gender, and Time: Comments on Method	410	(13)
David A. Kenny
15 On the Etiology of Marital Decay and Its Consequences: Comments from a Clinical Psychologist	423	(4)
John M. Gottman
16 Problems and Prospects in Longitudinal Research on Marriage: A Sociologist's Perspective	427	(14)
Norval D. Glenn
17 A Social Psychological View of Martial Dysfunction and Stability	441	(20)
Ellen Berscheid
Author Index	461	(9)
Subject Index	470