Transition à la Parentalité et Fonctionnement Conjugal chez les Couples Infertiles en Tunisie

Objectif.-Evaluer l’impact de l’adoption sur le fonctionnement conjugal des couples infertiles. Méthode.-L’échantillon est composé de 146 participants hétérosexuels (73 couples) répartis en un groupe avec enfant adoptif (GAEA) composé de 30 couples infertiles vivant une parentalité adoptive et deux groupes contrôles ; le groupe avec enfant biologique (GAEB) composé de 30 couples fertiles ayant accès à la parentalité biologique et le groupe sans enfant (GSE) qui comprend 13 couples infertiles sans enfants. Résultats : Le GAEA semble éviter moins la proximité que les deux groupes contrôles et apparaît plus anxieux face à l’abandon uniquement par rapport au GAEB. Il utilise significativement plus la communication mutuelle mais uniquement par rapport au GSE et rapporte davantage des comportements de "Demande-Retrait" par rapport aux deux groupes témoins. De plus, Il est plus satisfait sur le plan conjugal que les deux groupes contrôles. Conclusion: L’étude offre une meilleure compréhension des changements au sein des couples infertiles devenant parents par voie d’adoption et ouvre plusieurs pistes d’investigation. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of adoption on the marital functioning of infertile couples. The sample is composed of 146 heterosexual participants (73 couples) divided into a group with adopted children (GWAC) made up of 30 infertile couples living in adoptive parenthood and two control groups; the group with biological child (GWBC) made up of 30 fertile couples with access to biological parenthood and the childless group (GWC) which includes 13 infertile couples without children. The GWAC seems to avoid proximity less than the two control groups and appears more anxious about abandonment only in relation to the GWBC. He used mutual communication significantly more but only in relation to the GWC and reported more "Request-Withdrawal" behaviors compared to the two control groups. In addition, he is more marital satisfaction than the two control groups. The study offers a better understanding of the changes in infertile couples becoming parents by adoption and opens several tracks of investigation.

Better to Forgive or to Forget? Marital Transgressions and Forgiveness in Older Couples

Navigating romantic transgressions in older adulthood is imperative for both relationship quality and longevity, making forgiveness a critical process. The current study examined marital transgressions and forgiveness among 64 older (age range = 56–89), higher-functioning, primarily White, married couples studied at two time points spaced 16.4 months apart. More than half the spouses did not report a transgression in the past year, and not doing so was associated with better marital functioning at both time points. Of the transgressions reported, thematic analyses revealed they fell into six categories (e.g., spouse behaving badly, financial issues), but were overall relatively minor in nature. If husbands engaged in greater avoidance after a transgression, both spouses were less maritally satisfied a year later. Findings suggest more attention to not only forgiveness approaches employed (avoidance of the issue versus avoidance of the person) but also to the potential role of gender and timing in these associations.

Comparison of Marital and Sexual Functioning of the Spouses of Patients with Schizophrenia and Depressive Disorders

Aim: This study assessed the various aspects of marital functioning among the spouses of patients with schizophrenia and recurrent depressive disorder (RDD). Methodology: Spouses were assessed on Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), Marital Forgiveness Scale, Quality Marriage Index, New Sexual Satisfaction Scale, and Arizona Sexual Experience Questionnaire. Results: Compared to the spouses of patients with RDD, spouses of patients with schizophrenia reported poor marital adjustment (in the consensus and satisfaction domains of DAS), lower quality of marriage, and significantly lower sexual satisfaction. Spouses did not differ significantly on account of marital forgiveness and prevalence of sexual dysfunction. Higher age of onset of schizophrenia in the patients was associated with better quality of marriage as assessed by using quality of marriage scale, better consensus, and satisfaction as per the DAS. Higher residual psychopathology and poor socio-occupational functioning in patients with schizophrenia were associated with poor marital adjustment and sexual satisfaction. Conclusion: To conclude, the present study depicts that the spouses of patients with schizophrenia have poorer marital adjustment and sexual satisfaction, in comparison to the spouses of patients with RDD.

The longitudinal association between marital and psychological functioning in socioeconomically disadvantaged relationships

Marital functioning is associated with individuals’ psychological functioning. However, it is unclear if the association between marital and individual functioning extends to socioeconomically disadvantaged newlyweds (those with low educational attainment/income), and if changes in psychological distress differ between husbands and wives. Using three waves of data from 530 couples in the Supporting Healthy Marriage study, we investigated if improvements and deterioration in marital satisfaction were differentially associated with patterns of individuals’ psychological distress. We also examined if spouses’ divergent marital change patterns were associated with distress trajectories. For wives, improvements in marital satisfaction were more strongly associated with decreases in psychological distress compared to declines in satisfaction. Additionally, wives’ psychological distress was more adversely impacted than was husbands’ when they reported worse marital functioning. We provide empirical and practical implications for helping reduce disparities in psychological functioning observed in low-income populations.

Marital Functioning and Parenting in Extended Family Living Arrangements: A Qualitative Study in Family Buildings

In this study, relational and parenting experiences of living in a family building (FB) is interrogated through the experiences of couples. Seven married couples who had at least one child and have been living in family buildings at least for a year were selected for the present study. The participants’ mean age was 41, ranging from 30-46, and their average marriage length was 19, varying between 9 and 34. The semi-structured interviews, which took approximately an hour, were held at the participants’ apartments and conducted individually with partners. The participants expressed their living experiences in the family building, its effect on their general life, couple relationship, parenting practices and their boundary negotiations. Thematic analysis was carried out and the analysis of the interviews revealed four main themes: FB as a Network of Support and Safety, Roles and Rules of Conduct in the FB, Interference in the FB and Boundary Negotiations in the FB. The overall results of this study demonstrated that the participants’ experiences were shaped by the structure of the family building and gender, and that the participants exerted and manifested their agency according to the characteristics and the context of the FB. The results provided useful information for clinicians who work with clients, living in FBs or interdependent families. The findings are discussed in the context of the existing literature, and limitations and suggestions for further studies are presented.

CD38 is associated with bonding-relevant cognitions and relationship satisfaction over the first 3 years of marriage

Although there are numerous benefits to having a satisfying romantic relationship, maintaining high levels of relationship satisfaction is difficult. Many couples experience declines in relationship satisfaction in the early years of marriage, and such declines predict not only relationship dissolution but also poor mental and physical health. Several recent studies indicate that genetic variation on the CD38 gene (CD38), at the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs3796863, is associated with cognitions and behaviors related to pair bonding; we thus leveraged longitudinal data from a sample of newlywed couples (N = 139 genotyped individuals; 71 couples) to examine whether rs3796863 is associated with relationship maintenance processes and, in turn, relationship satisfaction in the early years of marriage. Replicating and extending prior research, we found that individuals with the CC genotype (vs. AC/AA) of rs3796863 reported higher levels of gratitude, trust, and forgiveness and that trust mediated the association between rs3796863 and marital satisfaction. Moreover, the benefits conferred to CC individuals lasted over the first 3 years of marriage. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the link between variation in CD38 rs3796863 and marital functioning over time.

Unilateral Spouse Therapy to Reach the Treatment-Resistant Alcohol Abusing Partner: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose: The aim of this research was to implement and evaluate unilateral family therapy (UFT) for alcohol abuse, an approach that assists the nonalcoholic spouse to induce their alcohol-abusing partner to enter treatment and/or reduce drinking. Method: Forty-two nonalcohol-abusing spouses participated in this randomized control trial, and 13 no-treatment spouses served as an additional comparison group. Repeated measures analysis over four time periods evaluated change in abuser alcohol use and spouse psychological, marital, and role induction (e.g., enabling) variables, whereas χ2 analyses evaluated alcohol abuser treatment entry. Results: The findings suggest that UFT is successful in facilitating abuser treatment entry, drink reduction as well as long-term improvement in the spouse’s psychological health, and marital functioning. Conclusions: Given the high numbers of treatment-resistant alcohol abusers in need of treatment and the related distress of their spouses, UFT represents an important approach for practitioners.

Integrating models of marital functioning to understand the mental health consequences of the Great Recession

It is well established that negative financial events during macroeconomic crises have a significant impact on individuals’ mental health. Much less is known about how and for whom economic crises impact mental health. Using data from the Midlife in the United States study, we examine the mental health impact of the Great Recession in the U.S. Drawing on predictions from the Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation Model of Marriage and the Family Stress Model, we examined whether increases in marital disagreements mediated the link between recession adversities (e.g., unemployment, increased debt, loss of a home) and mental health following the recession (2013–2014), controlling for prerecession marital disagreements and mental health (2004–2006). We found that those who experienced a greater number of recession adversities showed increased marital disagreements following the Great Recession, which were in turn associated with poorer mental health (negative affect and affective disorder). These associations held after controlling for prerecession levels of gender, age, race, and education. Furthermore, those who had lower income before the recession experienced greater increases in negative affect following the recession. These findings highlight the importance of marital processes in how the Great Recession is linked to mental health.