Abstract This qualitative study draws on the ecological theory and the context-informed perspective to explore the experience of being in a situation where there is a contradiction between the societal expectations of childbearing and the wish to obey Islamic ruling that prohibits third-party gamete donation. We conducted face-to-face interviews with twenty-five Sunni Muslim women who underwent third-party

Abstract Empirical investigations on whether there is a difference in relationship satisfaction for partners in interracial compared to intraracial relationships offer contradictory conclusions. The current study reviewed investigations of differences in satisfaction using a meta-analysis to determine whether and under what circumstances there is a difference in relationship satisfaction. Individual

Abstract This paper is about engendered migration, surrogacy, and memory. In Labozzetta’s novel Sometimes It Snows in America, the “snow” is synonymous with hell, and provides a commentary on the protagonist’s migration experiences throughout her life. Born into Somali royalty, Fatma, given away to a childless sister, turns into a victim of her cultural upbringing on the two continents where she spends

Abstract The present meta-analysis comprehensively investigated the relationships between specific psychological control in parenting and depression and anxiety related to internalized problems in children through 95 studies. Based on the finding that parents’ psychological control as perceived by children is more related to children’s psychological adjustment than parents’ actual psychological control

Abstract Research outside of India suggests that romantic partners can help one another cope with these stressors by engaging in dyadic coping; however, to date, there lacks an empirically validated self-report measure to assess perceptions of one’s own and their partner’s behaviors in the Indian cultural context. While the Dyadic Coping Inventory has been translated into 24 languages, it has not yet

Abstract We examined the relations between tripartite commitment—personal (want to stay in relationship), moral (ought to stay in relationship; internal constraints) and structural (have to stay in relationship; external constraints)—and various constructs of relationship quality (i.e., conflict, ambivalence, maintenance, and satisfaction) in a sample of 717 individuals in predominately heterosexual

Abstract Relationship education programs are designed to enhance a variety of relationship characteristics related to building knowledge and skills for healthy relationships. Same-sex couples represent a high-risk group that would benefit from relationship education based on unique challenges such as heterosexist discrimination that impact relationships and the mental health of individuals who identity

Abstract Cross-group relationships are defined as romantic relationships involving two individuals from distinct racial or ethnic groups. For this paper, the terms “interethnic” and “interracial” are used as specifiers for the two umbrella terms, “intergroup” and “cross-group.” Previous studies that examined whether cross-group romantic relationships are more or less satisfying than intragroup (i.e

Abstract The current meta-analysis examined and compared the relative associations of maternal and paternal parenting behavior with children’s prosocial behavior from 29 studies. In total 502 effect sizes (N = 14,627) were subjected to Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modeling. Controlling for the other parent, both maternal and paternal parenting behavior showed small positive pooled associations

Abstract This paper deals with the practice of naming children after kin, one of the most powerful expressions of social or personal relatedness between kinspersons. Based on a thematic analysis of over 200 posts from a Polish parenting forum devoted to naming decisions, the author outlines the forum users’ main attitudes toward this naming practice and the arguments employed to justify their appraisals

Abstract In this comment, I respond to outgoing Editor Schumm's editorial. I share areas of agreement, describe areas of disagreement, and draw some conclusions regarding differences between deliberate scientific misconduct and bias.

Abstract Emerging adults’ exposure to social networking sites is at a considerable level, and such use may complicate beliefs regarding marriage. However, little is known about whether social media use is an influential factor in shaping emerging adults’ marital beliefs and attitudes toward cohabitation. Thus, we extended previous research by examining the links between the addictive use of social

Abstract Leisure activities may mitigate depressive symptoms, but it is unclear in what way leisure activities may be linked with depressive symptoms in partnered men and women. Using 1,156 heterosexual German couples from the Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics (Pairfam) study and a Family Systems theoretical framework, this study tested separate growth mixture models of partnered

Abstract This systematic review aimed to provide a narrative synthesis of associations between the early childhood (i.e., preschool and early school age) attachment classification systems and internalizing and externalizing symptoms measured from preschool age through adolescence. The review was pre-registered with PROSPERO (#CRD42017073417) and followed PRISMA guidelines. Of the 9,312 records screened

Abstract While science is presumably objective, scholars are humans, with subjective biases. Those biases can lead to distortions in how they develop and use scientific theory and how they apply their research methodologies. The numerous ways in which confirmation bias may influence attempts to accept or reject the null hypothesis are discussed, with implications for research, teaching, and public

Abstract This study aimed to explore the circumstances and considerations that lead to the allocation of family roles among male carer/female breadwinner families in comparison to traditional parents. A sample of 236 parents with children from birth to 5 years old completed extensive questionnaires about their daily routines and perceptions of their division of responsibilities. Economic considerations

(2021). Meet the new Editor-in-Chief. Marriage & Family Review: Vol. 57, No. 3, pp. 189-190.

Abstract Previous research examined links from economic and cultural adaptation pressures to marital satisfaction and marital behavior. Results generally suggested a negative association between these sources of pressure and marital outcomes. However, the extant research is lacking given its inattention to the extent to which husbands and wives experience varying patterns of interrelated pressures

Abstract This study examines the influence of religion on relational spirituality among 33 Black married couples (N = 66). Previous research has largely relied on samples of White middle-class Americans to assess aspects of relational spirituality within marriages. In contrast, this study uses in-depth qualitative interviews from socioeconomically diverse Black married couples to determine how religion

Abstract This study follows up on a prior review of empirical research on African marital relationships (scientific dissemination, thematic focus, and methodology), and presents a summary of the results of empirical studies conducted in Africa (2000–2018) on psychological processes and patterns in conjugality. Forty-one empirical studies, performed predominantly in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana

Abstract Marital satisfaction is considered a core dimension to understand marriage quality, influencing individual and family well-being. The Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (KMSS) is one of the most used instruments to assess this dimension. This study presents the psychometric properties of the KMSS Portuguese version through two studies. In Study 1, 145 couples (parents of school-aged children)

Abstract Introduction In most traditional societies in Ghana, infertility is unacceptable and every couple is expected to conceive children by any means. This study explores the sociocultural implications of infertility in Ghana and the challenges couples encounter in accessing assisted reproductive technology. Methods The study used a qualitative descriptive design in two health facilities in an urban

Abstract Using data from the 2018 FINRA Investor Education Foundation’s National Financial Capability Study (NFCS), this study examined how financial stress and financial behavior are associated with financial satisfaction among married individuals. As expected, financial stress had a significant and negative impact on financial satisfaction, suggesting that financial stress significantly decreased

Abstract Disagreements surrounding finances often impact relationships and may even lead to divorce. Financial conversations, then, emerge as the strongest “tug-of-war” opponent to the successful partnership couples hope to achieve, so researchers must identify strategies to positively talk about money. This study seeks to identify communication strategies married partners employ to successfully discuss

Abstract The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine if raising grandchildren is related to diminished mental health well-being in custodial grandparents compared to contemporaries who are not raising grandchildren. Relevant studies were identified via comprehensive literature searches of electronic databases. We included six studies in the meta-analysis. A random effects

Abstract Numerous studies have demonstrated that in western societies women are perceived as more attractive with weight drop (proxied by the BMI measure, where BMI = WEIGHT (kg)HEIGHT2(meter2), while men are perceived as more attractive with height rise. The objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that as BMI rises for a woman, she has to compromise and marry shorter men. The study is based

Abstract Women artists are in the forefront of a major paradigm shift taking place in contemporary art as more and more artists are critically addressing the role of art and moving toward socially engaged, community based, collective, utilitarian art practices. This article explores what draws so many women artists to this kind of artistic practice, what role women in particular have to play in it

Abstract Research is limited regarding the training marriage and family therapists (MFTs) receive in the area of financial problems couples and families experience. We surveyed 293 professional MFTs to gain information about their financial training, level of comfort addressing financial topics with clients, and level of confidence to successfully address financial concerns of clients. Results indicated

Abstract Premarital education can benefit couples from many socioeconomic levels. This study aimed to validate the PREP questionnaire and then explore the effectiveness of PREP education for Iranian couples. This study has been done in two phases. In the first phase, the PREP questionnaire was validated. In the second phase, quasi-experimental research was conducted in a pretest-post-test control group

Abstract The necessity of providing required and necessary protection for the victims of crime is a matter of concerns in Sri Lanka today. Since 1995, several penal law amendments have been introduced to the legal system to strengthen the law relating rape and provide the justice- including protection- to rape victims. In 2015, the Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act

Abstract The life experiences of members of ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) stepfamilies have yet to be investigated. The aim of this qualitative study was to examine the role of culture-related traits and religious beliefs in the life experiences of young Haredi men who live with remarried parents. I conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 14 ultra-Orthodox male young adults as part of a larger

Abstract Substantial research has established that religiosity can be a protective factor against depression. However, little research has explored these associations within couples. Theory and previous research provide evidence that these relations may be manifest through marital satisfaction. A longitudinal Actor–Partner Interdependence Model was used to test the dyadic relations between religiosity

Abstract Military families face unique challenges, especially during times of deployment. Children and youth face particular stressors during deployment and benefit from formal and informal resources as they adapt to resilience. Reaching families of service members in the National Guard and Reserve, the Reserve Component, is more challenging since they are more often geographically dispersed and often

Abstract The timing of smartphone acquisition for children and adolescence has gained public interest and research on the topic is just beginning. Parent-late adolescent dyads (n = 8; 16 individuals) from one community were recruited for participation in a study regarding smartphone acquisition in adolescence. Late adolescents (m age = 18; female n = 4; male n = 4) and parents (m age = 47; female n = 6;

Abstract Recent debates about same-sex marriage have raised questions concerning the interchangeability of mothers and fathers. This paper provides three pieces of empirical evidence that highlight the distinct role that fathers and mothers play in the home. First, we use time-use data to show that fathers and mothers provide different amounts of time to their children regardless of who is the breadwinner

Abstract The aim of this study is to develop a scale that measures the levels of a systemic family functionality scale that an individual perceives as a member of a family. The scale was implemented with 506 individuals. The sample consisted of 359 children (70.7%) and 147 parents (29.3%). After running necessary analyses based on the data collected, principal component analysis and exploratory factor

Previous research highlights the importance of parental divorce in affecting health and well-being. This study focuses on the specific stages of the life course by examining the effects of childhoo...

The Asian population has the highest rate of intermarriages in the United States but with limited research on the determinants of intermarriages among foreign-born Asians. Social exchange theory, s...

Abstract Determining who to marry can be one of the most meaningful and daunting decisions an individual can make during their lifetime. The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of couples as they moved through varied partner selection decisions to become engaged and/or married to each other. Capturing the couples’ voice moves beyond individual partner preferences and attraction tendencies

Abstract Grounded in symbolic interaction theory, we used latent class analysis (LCA) to investigate the preexisting patterns of belief surrounding the disclosure process in married relationships. With a sample of 131 heterosexual married dyads from the U.S., we found four classes: two classes represented similarity of spouses’ beliefs (Both High Beliefs and Neither High Beliefs), and two classes represented

Abstract Smartphones and digital media are omnipresent in day-to-day life. There are positive and negative consequences to technology usage in established relationships; we also know that there are several theories outlining why people use technology generally. What is less clear, however, is how these two entities intersect. The purpose of this article is to determine the how different mechanisms

AbstractThe transition to parenthood is an exciting time for couples; however it also presents unique challenges. Many couples use technology to navigate these challenges and to stay better connect...

Depression and anxiety are the most prominent mental health concerns among college campuses. Thus, it is important to examine factors linked with rising depression and anxiety symptoms. The purpose...

Abstract Empirical research on love has focused mainly on the love of one person toward another. This study uses a new method to analyze estimates of one’s own and other’s love. Two hundred and twenty-six women estimated their own, their partner’s, and their parents’ overall love and various types of love. Factor analyses of self-reported estimates about love measured four factors: psychological closeness

Abstract The article focuses on one of the most painful experiences in intimate relationships and unveils a hitherto unexplored type of human right infringement, namely the right to establish a family in Israel, purported to be a democratic state. Thousands of couples are proscribed from marrying each other every year in Israel. This paper focuses on Jewish couples consisting of male Cohanim (descendants

Abstract The maternal perspective of the attachment relationship has been the focus of considerably less research in comparison to the volumes of studies conducted on infant attachment to mothers. A systematized review of the literature was conducted to gather and synthesize all the research published between 1990 and 2017 that has identified correlates and predictors of maternal affective attachment

Abstract Most youth desire to marry, and often around a certain age, but many individuals marry earlier or later than originally desired. Off-time marriage could have consequences for subsequent relationship stability and mental health. Whereas barriers to marriage goals in the short term have been studied extensively, predictors of meeting marital timing expectations over the life course are less

Abstract Many explanations offered for the gap in marriage rates between Black and White people are economic and cultural. Less often considered are how racial social psychological factors influence marriage rates. In this study, we use critical race theory and the life course perspective to investigate how perceived racial discrimination impacts the likelihood of marriage for Black and White people

Abstract Although there exists a breadth of literature on Americans’ marital aspirations and experiences, there is a significant lack of research available specifically on U.S. international students’ aspirations toward marriage. In this study, transnationalism, gender theory, and de-traditionalization are employed to analyze in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 21 international students studying

Abstract The Parent–Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI) is one of the most used instruments in child custody contexts, and it is also designed for clinical and research usages. This study aimed to initially analyze the psychometric properties of the Hebrew form of the PCRI in an Israeli sample of mothers and fathers. The sample consisted of 133 parents, 80 mothers (Mage = 39.66 ± 6.23) and 53 fathers

Abstract The incarceration of a family member often has repercussions in various facets of an individual’s life. In particular, the disruption of the coparenting relationship, by which parents negotiate roles, rules, responsibilities, and contributions to their shared child can be conceptualized through a Structural Family Therapy (SFT) lens. The systemic, present-oriented therapeutic approach of SFT

Abstract An historically high proportion of Canadian and American young adults are living with their parents. This trend has stimulated research and theorization of “coresidence,” yet recent reviews of the subject are lacking. In this paper, we examine literature on coresiding families spanning the last 25 years, focusing discussion on their economic, cultural, gendered, familial, and psychological

Abstract Early marriage has a negative influence on youngsters’ pursuits toward higher education, with considerable health and social impact worldwide. Educational aspirations, career goals, and early marriage are associated with numerous personal and contextual factors. We aimed to assess the association between sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors and Kosovar adolescents’ perceptions on early

Abstract Individual goals for first dates are examined in the context of requesting the first date, accepting a first date request, going on a blind date, and going on a group date in a sample of 211 college students. Results indicate that first dates are more likely to be group dates than blind dates or requested dates and those individuals on blind dates and group dates are less likely to endorse

Abstract Guided by family systems theory, we focused on families where young children have experienced paternal incarceration (n = 775 families). We examined how characteristics of mothers and fathers at two levels of the family system–individual (i.e., depression) and relational (i.e., support/affection, constructive conflict, destructive conflict, and coparenting)—were associated with internalizing

Abstract Amid widespread labor migration in Nepal, spousal separation may affect partner communication about intimate topics like family planning. We examined the association between spousal migration experience and partner communication about family planning using survey responses from 1,793 married Nepali women (ages 18–49 years) with a child under 5 years. More than 60% of women had recently migrating

Abstract Scholars of religious ritual have noted that inadequate attention has been paid to religious ritual in the social sciences. Based on what has been done, it is apparent that sacred family rituals (when done well and with relational sensitivity) can enhance structure, meaning, and family unity. The present study examines the family-level ritual practice of weekly Family Home Evening among members

Abstract Many fathers strive to be better parents. Yet it remains unclear what qualities contribute to effective fathering; less is clear about how such paternal efforts are viewed by their children. Based on theoretical frameworks and previous qualitative studies that assessed father roles, a set of father role items was developed to assess undergraduate students’ views of their fathers (n = 1,208)

Abstract In our initial article we raised concerns about a paradigm we called “Exclusively Positive Parenting” (EPP). This paradigm opposes all negative disciplinary consequences, including timeout and privilege removal. We argued that the empirical support for EPP was insufficient. Researchers should not rely on insufficient causal evidence to replace well-established parenting perspectives that combine