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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2016

Faculty Publications

Family, Life Course, and Society

Articles 1 - 17 of 17

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

How Flawed Memories Sabotage Your Marriage, Jason B. Whiting Dec 2016

How Flawed Memories Sabotage Your Marriage, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

Shelby and Stan (names have been changed) were arguing in front of me over an incident at her parent’s house. “We went there for a family barbecue after we first started dating,” Shelby reported. “Stan was just getting to know my family, and he ended up losing his temper and embarrassing me in front of everyone. It was a catastrophe!”

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Focusing On Men And Fathers: A Challenge For Social Work Research And Practice, Kevin Shafer, Jennifer L. Bellamy Dec 2016

Focusing On Men And Fathers: A Challenge For Social Work Research And Practice, Kevin Shafer, Jennifer L. Bellamy

Faculty Publications

In introducing this special issue of Social Work Research, we feel it is important to discuss why social work practice and research with men and fathers is of critical importance and deserving of specific attention. Social work researchers and practitioners need to focus on men and fathers, both as a special population and as subpopulations of other groups. A focus on men and fathers is critical because (a) it is a social justice issue for men, women, and children; (b) men are underserved by helping professionals, including social workers, particularly in certain contexts and programs; (c) social workers are uniquely …

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Divorce Stress, Stepfamily Stress, And Depression Among Emerging Adult Stepchildren, Kevin Shafer, Todd M. Jensen, Erin K. Holmes Nov 2016

Divorce Stress, Stepfamily Stress, And Depression Among Emerging Adult Stepchildren, Kevin Shafer, Todd M. Jensen, Erin K. Holmes

Faculty Publications

Several decades of research have shown that parental divorce can be a stressful experience for children and may lead to depression and other negative outcomes. Similarly, research has highlighted the stressors often induced by stepfamily formation and their effects on children. Although singular family transitions can exert influence, few studies explore how the combined stress from two family transitions may interact to influence long-term outcomes. Our study addresses this gap by using national data from 1142 respondents who experienced parental divorce and a subsequent transition to stepfamily life. Congruent with prior research, we find that retrospective reports of divorce and …

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Four Factors That Help Women Leave Abusive Relationships, Jason B. Whiting Nov 2016

Four Factors That Help Women Leave Abusive Relationships, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

Being mistreated by the person you love, especially when physical abuse is involved, is one of the most frightening and traumatic experiences a woman can face, and it is hard to know what to do when it happens. A woman who is a victim of violence faces a particularly complicated dilemma. Should she stay or go? Although this may seem to be an easy choice, as discussed in my last post, there are many issues that can make it difficult for a victim of domestic violence to leave. For instance, victimized women often love and feel committed to their partner, …

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Eight Reasons Women Stay In Abusive Relationships, Jason B. Whiting Jul 2016

Eight Reasons Women Stay In Abusive Relationships, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

When NFL linebacker Ray Rice knocked his fiancée Janay Palmer unconscious in an elevator in 2014, it didn't initially get much attention. He was accused of domestic violence and suspended for two games. After a few weeks he was formally charged, but he and Palmer were married the next day. However, when a security video of the event surfaced, it quickly went viral. Watching Palmer get knocked out and roughly dragged out of the elevator by Rice had a powerful effect on viewers. The waves of outrage that followed caused the NFL to scramble to increase their punishment of Ray …

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When To Seek Help: Six Signs A Relationship Is Going Downhill, Jason B. Whiting Jul 2016

When To Seek Help: Six Signs A Relationship Is Going Downhill, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

Billionaire inventor Elon Musk is known for his intense drive to change the world. He has developed technology to get humans off fossil fuels and up to the stars and is the CEO of electric car company Tesla, as well as rocket launcher SpaceX. By all accounts he is brilliant, driven, and uncompromising. His successes have earned him respect and money, but he has struggled in his romantic pursuits.

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The Deception Of Depression: How A Melancholy Mood Can Sink A Marriage, Jason B. Whiting Jun 2016

The Deception Of Depression: How A Melancholy Mood Can Sink A Marriage, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

Logan was a doctoral student studying ancient Italian poetry. His life was filled with shelves of old books and a teaching job where he was supposed to inspire lethargic freshmen. His doctoral adviser was difficult and inconsistent, and Logan was a people- pleaser who worried that his adviser and students were always upset with him. He came to see me at the request of his wife, Yuko, who was starting to panic at his change in personality. “He used to be cheerful, fun-loving, and interested in his work,” she said. “Now he is a zombie. He goes through the motions …

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Your Face: The Window To Your Love Life, Jason B. Whiting May 2016

Your Face: The Window To Your Love Life, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

I was sitting in church one day as a newly-married man and noticed a nice-looking woman on the piano bench up front. She was staring my direction and caught my eye. She had an intense look that startled me. She gave a coy smile. I was surprised and alert – but I didn’t recognize her and was getting uncomfortable. I glanced at my wife beside me, who didn’t notice what was going down. I looked back at the woman and she laughed, and then winked. I felt extremely awkward and started to sweat. I glanced around again to see if …

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The Fight About Nothing: Three Ways Couples Can Get Out Of Useless Battles, Jason B. Whiting May 2016

The Fight About Nothing: Three Ways Couples Can Get Out Of Useless Battles, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

Tyler left the office early feeling nauseated. He hit the bed, and a couple hours later his wife Bethany walked in, surprised to find him there. “What are you doing?” she blurted. Tyler grimaced. “I’m sick. Is that ok?”

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Excuse Me! How Rationalizing Weakens Relationships, Jason B. Whiting Apr 2016

Excuse Me! How Rationalizing Weakens Relationships, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

In a marriage seminar I conducted, a wife mentioned her husband’s frustrating habit of rationalizing when he apologized. She called this his “sorry, but” tendency, because he would admit he was wrong, but then give reasons why he did it. He would say, “Sorry, but I was stressed because of the kid’s screaming.” Or, “Sorry, but you really shouldn’t be that upset.”

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Is It Ever Ok To Lie To Your Lover?, Jason B. Whiting Apr 2016

Is It Ever Ok To Lie To Your Lover?, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

The healthiest relationships have a high degree of trust. However, it is surprisingly easy to be deceptive in an intimate relationship. Research has shown that about 10% of interactions between intimates contain deceptive elements, like exaggerations, excuses, or other lies. Not surprisingly, these have a distancing effect. But are all deceptions damaging? Isn’t it kind to protect each other from painful truths? It may depend on the motive.

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Why Do Lovers Lie To Each Other?, Jason B. Whiting Apr 2016

Why Do Lovers Lie To Each Other?, Jason B. Whiting

Faculty Publications

Mel was a foreman for a big box store, where he oversaw shipping and unloading. He was a husky blonde who was addicted to Juicy Fruit gum. He told me in therapy that he had a “little gaming issue.” He didn’t want his wife to know, because he felt like she wouldn’t understand or would give him grief. Our conversation began with me asking him what, exactly, he was referring to. He explained:

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Marital Quality Buffers The Association Between Socioeconomic Status And Ambulatory Blood Pressure, Wendy C. Birmingham, Jenny M. Cundiff, Bert N. Uchino, Timothy W. Smith Apr 2016

Marital Quality Buffers The Association Between Socioeconomic Status And Ambulatory Blood Pressure, Wendy C. Birmingham, Jenny M. Cundiff, Bert N. Uchino, Timothy W. Smith

Faculty Publications

Background Socioeconomic status is robustly associated with rates of death and disease. Psychophysiological stress processes are thought to account for a portion of this association. Purpose Although positive and supportive relationships can buffer psychophysiological stress responses, no studies have examined whether the quality of a primary adult relation�ship—marriage—may buffer the negative association be�tween socioeconomic status and stress-related disease processes. Methods The current study examines the interaction between income and marital quality (supportive vs. ambivalent) on individuals’ daily ambulatory blood pressure, a valid and re�liable indicator of cardiovascular risk. Results Results revealed that supportive marital relationships buffered the otherwise higher ambulatory …

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“Whatever God Has Yoked Together, Let No Man Put Apart:” The Effect Of Religion On Black Marriages, Cassandra Chaney Phd, Lucy Shirisia, Linda Skogrand Mar 2016

“Whatever God Has Yoked Together, Let No Man Put Apart:” The Effect Of Religion On Black Marriages, Cassandra Chaney Phd, Lucy Shirisia, Linda Skogrand

Faculty Publications

This qualitative study examined how religion strengthened the marriages of three (n = 6) African American couples. An ancillary purpose of this study is to examine the extent that spirituality influences the marriages of these couples. Through the use of a family-strengths framework, this study examined how a religious orientation (Hill, 1968) stabilized Black marriages. Qualitative analysis revealed the following four themes: (1) Religion is The Foundation of the Marriage; (2) Couples Consistently Practiced their Religion; (3) Couples Turned to Religion during Difficult Times; and (4) Religion Transcended Race. The findings indicate these couples practiced their religion …

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Health And Psychosocial Outcomes Of A Telephonic Couples Behavior Change Intervention In Patients With Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Paula M. Trief, Lawrence Fisher, Jonathan G. Sandberg, Donald A. Cibula, Jacqueline Dimmock, Danielle M. Hessler, Patricia Forken, Ruth S. Weinstock Mar 2016

Health And Psychosocial Outcomes Of A Telephonic Couples Behavior Change Intervention In Patients With Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Paula M. Trief, Lawrence Fisher, Jonathan G. Sandberg, Donald A. Cibula, Jacqueline Dimmock, Danielle M. Hessler, Patricia Forken, Ruth S. Weinstock

Faculty Publications

To compare glycemic control and secondary outcomes of a 4-month telephonic couples behavioral intervention to individual intervention, and to education, for adults with type 2 diabetes.

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When Not To "Tie The Knot”: A Study Of Exogamous Marriage In Ezra-Nehemiah Against The Backdrop Of Biblical Legal Tradition, Gerald A. Klingbeil Jan 2016

When Not To "Tie The Knot”: A Study Of Exogamous Marriage In Ezra-Nehemiah Against The Backdrop Of Biblical Legal Tradition, Gerald A. Klingbeil

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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Sex, Drugs And Alcohol: What Adventist College Students Say About The Role Of Parents And Religion, Alina M. Baltazar, Duane C. Mcbride, Curtis J. Vanderwaal, Kathryn Conopio Jan 2016

Sex, Drugs And Alcohol: What Adventist College Students Say About The Role Of Parents And Religion, Alina M. Baltazar, Duane C. Mcbride, Curtis J. Vanderwaal, Kathryn Conopio

Faculty Publications

Relationships with peers, parents, and God make a difference in the behavior choices of youth. If a young person spends time with peers who don’t use substances and are planning to wait until they get married to have sex, they are less likely to engage in these behaviors. In addition, if the youth has a close relationship with parents who clearly state their standards regarding substance use and premarital sex, they are less likely to practice these behaviors. Finally, when the young person has a close relationship with God, they are more likely to care about the religious standards such …

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