Exploring the Factor Structure and Concurrent Validity of Two Stepfamily Measures for Japanese Couples

CRYSTAL DEHLE Idaho State University ROBERT L. WEISS University of Oregon Key Words: depression, marital quality, sex. Our study replicates earlier findings linking marital quality and depressed mood and investigates whether this association is moderated by sex. Fortyseven recently married couples completed two assessments over a 3-month period. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that sex moderated the association between initial marital quality and later depressed mood. More specifically, lower scores on initial marital quality predicted greater subsequent increases in depressed mood for females than for males. In addition, for both husbands and wives, initially higher scores for depressed mood predicted greater declines in marital quality scores 3 months later. Marital therapists have long recognized that mild to moderate levels of depression are fairly commonplace among couples who seek marital therapy. Interest in explaining this clinical finding and in exploring the potential effectiveness of marital therapy for alleviating both marital distress and depressive symptomatology led to the development of the marital discord model of depression (Beach, Sandeen, & O'Leary, 1990). This model posits that facets of the marital relationship play a powerful role in the development and maintenance of depression and may promote recovery and maintenance of gains. Specifically, the model proposes that aspects of the relationship (like couple cohesion, coping assistance, self-esteem support, and spousal dependability) that can provide support are less available in distressed marriages. In addition, marital distress introduces higher levels of stress and strain through mechanisms like spousal criticism, threats of separation and divorce, disruption of marital routines, verbal and physical aggression, and major idiosyncratic marital stressors related to depressive symptomatology. Taken together, the increase in stressors and the decrease in available support are believed to mediate the link between marital distress and depression. Despite early clinical accounts of this link between marital distress and depression and the strong empirical data showing a nearly 2 to 1 rate of depression in women versus men, there is relatively little empirical data on the role of sex in associations between marital distress and depression. This study seeks to add to limited empirical data in this area of research. THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MARITAL QUALITY AND DEPRESSION Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of marital quality and depressed mood indicate a robust association between marital quality and depression. In clinical samples, approximately 50% of married clients presenting for depression also report marital distress (i.e., low marital quality; Rounasville, Weissman, Prusoff, & Herceg-Baron, 1979), and 50% of distressed couples in marital therapy include at least one partner who reports mild to moderate levels of depressive symptomatology (Beach, Jouriles, & O'Leary, 1985). Depressed inpatients report greater marital distress than community controls do. Moreover, high rates of spousal agreement between depressed and nondepressed spouses in the inpatient group on global marital distress indicate that perceived marital distress is not solely a symptom of depressive status (Merikangas, Prusoff, Kupfer, & Frank, 1985). Community samples also reveal an association between marital distress and depression. In a risk analysis of 267 married persons, Beach, Arias, and O'Leary (1986) found that the group with low marital quality had twice the risk of elevated depressive symptomatology than did the group with high marital quality. In addition, a more recent examination of odds ratios in a community sample of 328 couples who were assessed 18 months after marriage also provides evidence that distressed couples show an increased risk of elevated depressive symptomatology (O'Leary, Christian, & Mendell, 1994). …

Rigorous studies repeatedly have demonstrated the negative effects of parental divorce on outcomes for families. However, very few studies have examined the quality of the marital relationship within intact families or how the quality of the marital relationship interacts with the quality of the parent–adolescent relationship. The present study examines how aspects of parent marital quality, such as marital support and conflict between the couple, existed within married families and examines how patterns of mother–adolescent and father–adolescent relationships quality varied longitudinally from 1997 to 1999. The study uses data from the NLSY97 cohort, a nationally representative sample of adolescents who are being followed into adulthood. Four profiles of parent marital quality were developed using latent class analyses. Four growth profiles for the mother–adolescent relationship and for the father–adolescent relationship were created using latent growth class analysis in Mplus. To examine how the parent marital quality profiles and the parent–adolescent relationship quality interact, we examined how they overlapped. Six distinct groups were evident from this examination: (1) high marital quality and good relationships with both parents, (2) high marital quality and a good relationship with only one parent, (3) high support and high conflict marital quality and a good relationship with at least one parent, (4) low marital quality and a good relationship with at least one parent, (5) high marital quality and bad relationships with both parents, and (6) low marital quality and bad relationships with both parents.

ABSTRACTMarried individuals have been shown to have a health advantage over individuals in other marital status groups, especially among those in high quality marriages. However, it is largely unknown whether this health advantage also pertains to military personnel, whose relationships are often characterized by frequent and long separations and who receive unique economic and health benefits. The present study uses cross-sectional survey data from 2,475 U.S. soldiers and compares married soldiers with high marital quality to soldiers with low marital quality, never married soldiers, and previously married soldiers, using 6 indicators of mental and physical health (depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, self-rated health, past-month medical visits, and somatic symptoms). Results indicate that married soldiers with low marital quality and previously married soldiers have poorer health than do married soldiers with high marital quality. No differences were observed between the never-married and the high-marital-quality groups. These results suggest that the health advantage of married military personnel is contextualized by marital quality but that never married military personnel may be protected from the health disadvantage that is generally found in civilian populations.

Race-ethnic differences in marital quality and divorce

The present 3-wave, 3-year longitudinal study examined direct and indirect associations between marital quality, parenting, and adolescent internalizing problems, taking into account bidirectional associations between these concepts. Data were used from 428 Dutch families, consisting of 2 biological parents and 2 adolescents with mean ages of 13.4 and 15.2 years (at Time 1). Results from structural equation modeling analyses showed that low marital quality at Time 1 was directly related to adolescent internalizing problems at Time 2 in oldest siblings. However, support was not found for any indirect associations through parenting or for longitudinal associations from adolescent internalizing problems to parents' marital quality. Results are discussed in terms of implications for understanding the mechanism by which marital quality is related to adolescent internalizing problems.

Parental sensitivity to infant cues: similarities and differences between mothers and fathers.

Introduction: Considering the importance of marital adjustment in the stability and sustainability of the family, and at the same time, the mental health of spouses and children, researchers have not focused on identifying the factors affecting couples' satisfaction and adjustment. While improving the level of marital satisfaction and adjustment leads to the strengthening of the family and the continuation of cohabitation. Cognitive behavioral strategies are effective in reducing conflicts and improving marital satisfaction and adjustment; therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of group couple therapy based on the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach on marital satisfaction and adjustment of couples. Methods: The present study was an experimental pre-test and post-test study with a control group. The research population consisted of married individuals with marital problems and conflicts who referred to Farhan Counseling Center in Qom in2023, who were selected through purposive sampling and then randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups based on the entry and exit criteria. The measurement tools were the Spiner Marital Adjustment Questionnaire and the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire. 60people were randomly divided into two groups of 30 people, and the experimental group received10 therapy sessions in a group setting once a week. The duration of the sessions was 90 minutes. Rusults: Analysis of variance test was used to examine the effectiveness of group couple therapy based on CBT approach on marital satisfaction and adjustment. The results showed that group couple therapy based on CBT approach had an effect on marital satisfaction and adjustment. The effect of treatment implementation on each of the dependent variables was also examined. The results showed that in the post-test phase, group couple therapy based on CBT approach had an effect on marital satisfaction and adjustment compared to the control group(P<0/05).Thus, group couple therapy based on CBT approach increased marital satisfaction and adjustment. Conclusion: According to the results obtained, it is suggested that group couple therapy based on the CBT approach be used to increase marital satisfaction and adjustment of married individuals.

Among a community sample of families (N = 128), this study examined how family members' shared and unique perspectives of family dysfunction relate to dyad members' shared views of dyad adjustment within adolescent-mother, adolescent-father, and mother-father dyads. Independent of a family's family perspective (shared perspective of family dysfunction), the adolescent's unique perspective was associated with lower security and higher conflict with both mother and father; the father's unique perspective was associated with lower security and higher conflict with the adolescent, as well as lower marital quality with mother; and the mother unique perspective was associated with lower marital quality with the father. Moreover, for adolescent-parent dyads, compared with the parent unique perspective, the adolescent unique perspective was more strongly associated with dyad adjustment. These findings indicate that both shared and unique views of the family system-the adolescent's unique view in particular-independently relate to the health of family subsystems. They also suggest that research, as well as therapeutic interventions, that focus on just the shared view of the family may miss important elements of family dysfunction.

Background: The quality of marital relationships has been demonstrated to be an important indicator of adult, couple, and child well-being. There is considerable evidence that low marital quality is a significant risk factor for developing psychiatric disorders. The gold standard Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS) is widely used to assess couple relationships and quality of marriage.

General and illness-specific adjustment to cancer: Relationship to marital status and marital quality

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic process on the marital adjustment and psychological well-being of married couples. The pandemic process causes various threats by affecting the life, relationships, and mental health of the individual, family, and society. Fear of catching the coronavirus and uncertainties about the future cause psychological problems, and these problems can sometimes disrupt marital adjustment when they change places and turn towards the spouse. Methods: The research was conducted in a relational screening model to determine the variables that predict the marital adjustment of married individuals. The population of the research consists of 501 married individuals over the age of 18 who use social media and smartphones in Turkey. The data were obtained by the researchers by sharing the e-survey forms created from the personal information form, the marital adjustment test, and the psychological well-being scale on social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. Results: The participants’ mean score on the marital adjustment scale was 44.22±7.98 while the mean score on the psychological well-being scale was 38.72±14.08. It was determined that the marital adjustment and psychological well-being of the participants were above the mean. As a result of the statistical analysis, a positive and significant (r= 0.201; p=0.001) relationship was found between psychological well-being variables and marital adjustment. Conclusion: As a result of the study, it was determined that the pandemic process negatively affected individuals' marital adjustment and psychological well-being. Keywords: Covid-19; Married couples; Marital adjustment; Psychological well-being

Since the Great Recession, the proportion of young adults living with their parents has risen steadily in the United States. Research on coresidence with adult children and parental marital quality is mixed, but marital quality may suffer if children coreside under certain circumstances. When coresidence signifies a deviation from normative expectations, it may be a source of stress in parents' marriages. Further, living with adult children who are suffering problems may be especially detrimental to parental marital quality. Middle-aged parents (N = 287; mean age = 50.65) completed measures of marital quality, child problems, and coresidence at 2 time points, at the onset of the Great Recession in 2008 and again in 2013. Regression analyses estimating marital quality from coresidence status revealed that coresidence with a child was associated with lower parental marital quality in 2008, but not in 2013 (when it may be considered more normative to have adult children living in the home). Additional analyses showed living with a child who was suffering problems was associated with lower marital quality in 2013. These findings suggest that coresidence may be detrimental to marital quality, but perhaps only when coresidence is nonnormative or when coresidence co-occurs with child problems.

There has been conflicting research regarding direct association between deployments and marital quality, particularly from the military spouse's perspective. In the current study, we sought to extend past research by examining the direct association between both military and nonmilitary experiences and military spouse marital quality using 2011-2013 baseline data from the Millennium Cohort Family Study, a large sample of military couples representing all U.S. service branches and components. Military experiences were assessed using electronic deployment records to capture the number and length of deployments since 2001, and service members reported combat experience and symptoms indicative of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Military spouses reported on service members' recent time away from home, nonmilitary family stressors, and marital quality. Results of the logistic regression model adjusted for demographic, relationship, and military covariates indicated that most military experiences did not have a direct statistical association with low marital quality except service member PTSD, odds ratio (OR) = 1.54, 95% CI [1.17, 2.04]. Rather, nonmilitary experiences of the military spouse, including lack of social support, OR = 2.68, 95% CI [2.07, 3.47]; caregiver burden, OR = 1.56, 95% CI [1.22, 1.99]; work-family conflict, OR = 1.42, 95% CI [1.18, 1.69]; and financial strain, OR = 1.27, 95% CI [1.03, 1.55], increased odds of low marital quality. Implications of these findings include providing additional supports to address nonmilitary family stressors that are particularly salient to military spouses with an aim to promote marital quality.

Reciprocal influences between marital quality, parenting stress, and parental depression in Chinese families of children with oppositional defiant disorder symptoms

ObjectiveThe main aim was to perform a systematic literature review of studies investigating the factor structure of the Eating Disorder Examination‐Questionnaire (EDE‐Q), a widely used measure of eating pathology. Secondary aims were to summarize the quality of reporting of latent variable (factor) analyses in these studies and review support for different factor solutions.MethodLiterature was identified through Scopus, Medline, PsycInfo, and ProQuest databases published up to February 23, 2022 and outreach via an international listserv. All studies published in English reporting factor analysis of the EDE‐Q were included with few restrictions. Sixty studies including 63,389 participants met inclusion criteria.ResultsThe originally proposed four‐factor solution received little empirical support, although few alternative models have been robustly evaluated. Items assessing shape and weight concerns frequently coalesce in factor solutions, suggesting that these constructs are closely related. Investigations of brief versions of the EDE‐Q have produced more consistent findings, suggesting that these measures, particularly a seven‐item version, might be useful alternatives to the full version. Quality of studies was reasonable, with important methodological elements of factor analysis often reported.DiscussionThe findings are of relevance to practitioners and researchers, suggesting that the “original” factor structure of the EDE‐Q should be reconsidered and that use of a seven‐item version is to be encouraged.Public SignificanceSelf‐report questionnaires are widely used in the assessment of disordered eating. The current study found that there is little consensus about the structure of a common measure of eating psychopathology. There is more consistent support for a brief, seven‐item, version assessing dietary restraint, body dissatisfaction, and overvaluation of weight and shape.