Social and Behavioral Sciences | Open Access Articles

Is Love A Flimsy Foundation? Soulmate Versus Institutional Models Of Marriage, W. Bradford Wilcox, Jeffrey P. Dew

Faculty Publications

Steven Nock argued that love—understood narrowly in terms of emotional and sexual intimacy—was a flimsy foundation for relationships and that the institution of marriage provided a firmer footing for stable, high-quality relationships than love alone. Relying on data from the Marriage Matters Survey of 1414 married men and women in Louisiana (1998–2004), we extended Nock’s insights to consider whether contemporary marriages organized along institutional lines enjoyed more stability, satisfaction, and less conflict than marriages organized around a soulmate model. Largely consistent with Nock’s perspective, we found that individuals who embraced norms of marital permanency and gender specialization and were embedded …

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Parenting In Emerging Adulthood: An Examination Of Parenting Clusters And Correlates, Larry J. Nelson, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Katherine J. Christensen, Cortney A. Evans, Jason S. Carroll

Faculty Publications

The changing nature of the transition to adulthood in western societies, such as the United States, may be extending the length of time parents are engaged in “parenting” activities. However, little is known about different approaches parents take in their interactions with their emerging-adult children. Hence, this study attempted to identify different clusters of parents based on the extent to which they exhibited both extremes of control (psychological control, punishment, verbal hostility, indulgence) and responsiveness (knowledge, warmth, induction, autonomy granting), and to examine how combinations of parenting were related to emerging adult children’s relational and individual outcomes (e.g. parent–child relationship …

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Beyond Employment And Income: The Association Between Young Adults’ Finances And Marital Timing, Jeffrey P. Dew, Joseph Price

Faculty Publications

This study tested an extension of the theory of marital timing (Oppenheimer, Am J Sociol 94:563–591, 1988) by assessing whether visible and less visible financial assets and debt mediated the relationship between employment and the likelihood of marriage. We conducted these prospective, longitudinal analyses using a sample of 1,522 never-married young adults from the National Survey of Families and Households. For participants who were not cohabiting at Wave 1, financial issues such as car values predicted marriage but did not mediate the relationship between work hours, occupational prestige, and the likelihood of marriage. For cohabiting participants, employment factors were the …

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"My Kids And Wife Have Been My Life": Married African American Fathers Staying The Course, Loren Marks, Katrina Hopkins-Williams, Cassandra Chaney, Olena Nesteruk, Diane Sasser

Faculty Publications

On the opening page of a recent edited volume titled Black Fathers in Contemporary American Society, Blankenhorn and Clayton (2003:1) ask, "Is any demographic fact more disturbing, more demanding of our collective attention, than the fact that the great majority of African American children do not live with their fathers?" However, they hasten to add some good news as well. The same page reads, conversely: "Is any demographic fact more hopeful, or more demanding of our collective encouragement, than the fact the proportion of African American children living with both of their biological, married parents, although still quite low, …

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Understanding Positive Father-Child Interaction: Children's, Fathers', And Mothers' Contributions, Erin K. Holmes, Aletha C. Huston

Faculty Publications

Guided by a systemic ecological framework for father involvement, we investigate children's, mothers', and fathers' contributions to observed father-child interaction. Analyses of 586 married resident fathers, their wives, and a target first-grade child (participants in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care) demonstrate that an additive model of father involvement accounts for the quality of father-child interaction better than a model which focuses on only one component of the system. Father parenting beliefs, child language skills, child social skills, maternal employment, and dyadic mother-child interaction quality each additively and significantly contribute to positive father-child interaction. Father average income and education …

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The Work-Family Interface In The United States And Singapore: Conflict Across Cultures, Adam M. Galovan, Tamara Fackrell, Lydia Buswell, Blake L. Jones, E. Jeffrey Hill, Sarah June Carroll

Faculty Publications

This article examines the work–family interface in a cross-cultural comparison between two nationally representative samples from the United States (n 􏰀 1,860) and Singapore (n 􏰀1,035) with emphasis on work–family conflict. Family-to-work conflict was negatively related to marital satisfaction in both Singapore and the United States, although the effect was stronger in the United States. Similarly, family-to-work conflict was positively related to job satisfaction in the United States but was negatively related in Singapore. As expected, schedule flexibility was negatively related to depression in the United States, but in Singapore the relationship was positive. These findings suggest that theoretical relationships …

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“I Believe It Is Wrong But I Still Do It”: A Comparison Of Religious Young Men Who Do Versus Do Not Use Pornography, Larry J. Nelson, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Jason S. Carroll

Faculty Publications

While researchers have found a negative association between religiosity and pornography use, little, if any, research has examined the specific aspects of religiosity that might be related the use of pornography. Therefore, the purpose of this study of religious young men was to compare those who view pornography with those who do not on indices of (a) family relationships, (b) religiosity (i.e., beliefs, past/present personal religious practices, and past family religious practices), and (c) personal characteristics (identity development, depression, self-esteem, and drug use). Participants were 192 emerging-adult men ages 18-27 (M age = 21.00, SD = 3.00) attending a …

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Couple Relationship Education At Home: Does Skill Training Enhance Relationship Assessment And Feedback?, W. Kim Halford, Keithia Wilson, Bronwyn Watson, Tony Verner, Jeffry Larson, Dean M. Busby, Thomas Holman

Faculty Publications

To evaluate the effective components of couple relationship education, 59 newlywed couples were randomly assigned to one of two couple relationship programs (CRE): (1) RELATE, which involved receiving feedback mono their relationship based on the on-line RELATE assessment; or (2) RELATE + Couple CARE, which was RELATE plus completing the 6 unit Couple CARE relationship skill training program. Relative to RELATE, RELATE + Couple CARE produced more improvement in couple communication, and high relationship satisfaction across the next 12 months in women. Men sustained high and similar relationship satisfaction in either condition. Skill training CRE has additional benefits for couples …

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Contemporary Contradictions And Challenges Facing Married Fathers And Mothers, Erin K. Holmes, Jennifer Baumgartner, Loren Marks, Rob Palkovitz, Olena Nesteruk

Faculty Publications

Part one of this review chapter provides a brief historical overview of the fathering role. Following this overview, some cultural contradictions and challenges facing fathers, particularly married fathers, are outlined and discussed. Key issues of focus in this section include married fathers balancing economic provision, household work, and involvement in child rearing. Part two of the chapter will overview cultural challenges and contradictions facing mothers, particularly married mothers. The contradictory challenges often inherent in marriage-based mothering include the pressures too simultaneously provide "intensive mothering" and to be extensively involved in a career. In sum, the chapter will illustrate how married …

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Workplace Flexibility, Work Hours, And Work-Life Conflict: Finding An Extra Day Or Two, E. Jeffrey Hill, Jenet Jacob Erickson, Erin K. Holmes, Maria Ferris

Faculty Publications

This study explores the influence of workplace flexibility on work-life conflict for a global sample of workers from four groups of countries. Data are from the 2007 International Business Machines Global Work and Life Issues Survey administered in 75 countries (N 􏰀24,436). We specifically examine flexibility in where (work-at-home) and when (perceived schedule flexibility) workers engage in work-related tasks. Multivariate results indicate that work-at-home and perceived schedule flexibility are generally related to less work-life conflict. Break point analyses of sub-groups reveal that employees with workplace flexibility are able to work longer hours (often equivalent to one or two 8-hr days …

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The Relationship Among Couple Relationship Quality, Physical Functioning, And Depression In Multiple Sclerosis Patients And Partners, Justin K. Mcpheters, Jonathan G. Sandberg

Faculty Publications

Using Engel's biopsychosocial model and family systems theory, this study explored the associations between multiple sclerosis (MS) patient and partner reports of physical functioning, depression, and could relationship quality. Fifty-four couples recruited from the MS society completed self-reported questionnaires about couple relationship quality, demographic data, and physical functioning. In regression analyses, couple relationship quality positively related to MS patient physical functioning and depression negatively related to MS patient physical functioning. Both MS patient and partner reports of couple relationship quality negatively related to depression scores in partners. While MS patient reports of couple relationship quality negatively related to MS patient …

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Older Couples’ Management Of Multiple-Chronic Illnesses: Individual And Shared Perceptions And Coping In Type 2 Diabetes And Osteoarthritis, Jeremy B. Yorgason, Susanne Olsen Roper, Brandan Wheeler, Kristen Crane, Rebekah Byron, Leslie Carpenter, Jonathan G. Sandberg, Rachel Sheffield, Dawn Higley

Faculty Publications

Using data from interviews with 28 older couples in which 1 spouse was diagnosed with diabetes and osteoarthritis, we examined illness perceptions and coping activities as they relate to illness management and relationship resilience. Qualitative analysis of interview transcripts revealed categories of data related to perceptions, coping, and cross category comparisons. Findings suggest that couples experience both negative and positive perceptions of their illnesses, indicating a balance between the reality of their illness challenges and an optimistic outlook of the future. Coping activities included a variety of tasks and were performed by individuals, by both spouses in a shared effort, …

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Invocations And Intoxication: Does Prayer Decrease Alcohol Consumption?, Nathaniel M. Lambert, Frank D. Fincham, Loren D. Marks, Tyler F. Stillman

Faculty Publications

Four methodologically diverse studies (N = 1,758) show that prayer frequency and alcohol consumption are negatively related. In Study 1 (n = 824), we used a cross-sectional design and found that higher prayer frequency was related to lower alcohol consumption and problematic drinking behavior. Study 2 (n = 702) used a longitudinal design and found that more frequent prayer at Time 1 predicted less alcohol consumption and problematic drinking behavior at Time 2, and this relationship held when controlling for baseline levels oof drinking and prayer. In Study 3 (n = 117), we used an experimental …

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Compatibility Or Restraint? The Effects Of Sexual Timing On Marriage Relationships, Dean M. Busby, Jason S. Carroll, Brian J. Willoughby

Faculty Publications

Very little is known about the influence of sexual timing on relationship outcomes. Is it better to test sexual compatibility as early as possible or show sexual restraint so that other areas of the relationship can develop? In this study, we explore this question with a sample of 2035 married individuals by examining how soon they became sexually involved as a couple and how this timing is related to their current sexual quality, relationship communication, and relationship satisfaction and perceived stability. Both structural equation and group comparison analyses demonstrated that sexual restraint was associated with better relationship outcomes, even when …

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Is Love A Flimsy Foundation? Soulmate Versus Institutional Models Of Marriage, W. Bradford Wilcox, Jeffrey P. Dew

Faculty Publications

Parenting In Emerging Adulthood: An Examination Of Parenting Clusters And Correlates, Larry J. Nelson, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Katherine J. Christensen, Cortney A. Evans, Jason S. Carroll

Faculty Publications

Beyond Employment And Income: The Association Between Young Adults’ Finances And Marital Timing, Jeffrey P. Dew, Joseph Price

Faculty Publications

"My Kids And Wife Have Been My Life": Married African American Fathers Staying The Course, Loren Marks, Katrina Hopkins-Williams, Cassandra Chaney, Olena Nesteruk, Diane Sasser

Faculty Publications

Understanding Positive Father-Child Interaction: Children's, Fathers', And Mothers' Contributions, Erin K. Holmes, Aletha C. Huston

Faculty Publications

The Work-Family Interface In The United States And Singapore: Conflict Across Cultures, Adam M. Galovan, Tamara Fackrell, Lydia Buswell, Blake L. Jones, E. Jeffrey Hill, Sarah June Carroll

Faculty Publications

“I Believe It Is Wrong But I Still Do It”: A Comparison Of Religious Young Men Who Do Versus Do Not Use Pornography, Larry J. Nelson, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Jason S. Carroll

Faculty Publications

Couple Relationship Education At Home: Does Skill Training Enhance Relationship Assessment And Feedback?, W. Kim Halford, Keithia Wilson, Bronwyn Watson, Tony Verner, Jeffry Larson, Dean M. Busby, Thomas Holman

Faculty Publications

Contemporary Contradictions And Challenges Facing Married Fathers And Mothers, Erin K. Holmes, Jennifer Baumgartner, Loren Marks, Rob Palkovitz, Olena Nesteruk

Faculty Publications

Workplace Flexibility, Work Hours, And Work-Life Conflict: Finding An Extra Day Or Two, E. Jeffrey Hill, Jenet Jacob Erickson, Erin K. Holmes, Maria Ferris

Faculty Publications

The Relationship Among Couple Relationship Quality, Physical Functioning, And Depression In Multiple Sclerosis Patients And Partners, Justin K. Mcpheters, Jonathan G. Sandberg

Faculty Publications

Older Couples’ Management Of Multiple-Chronic Illnesses: Individual And Shared Perceptions And Coping In Type 2 Diabetes And Osteoarthritis, Jeremy B. Yorgason, Susanne Olsen Roper, Brandan Wheeler, Kristen Crane, Rebekah Byron, Leslie Carpenter, Jonathan G. Sandberg, Rachel Sheffield, Dawn Higley

Faculty Publications

Invocations And Intoxication: Does Prayer Decrease Alcohol Consumption?, Nathaniel M. Lambert, Frank D. Fincham, Loren D. Marks, Tyler F. Stillman

Faculty Publications

Compatibility Or Restraint? The Effects Of Sexual Timing On Marriage Relationships, Dean M. Busby, Jason S. Carroll, Brian J. Willoughby

Faculty Publications