Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T02:17:19.433Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Toward Identification of Strategies to Strengthen the Family Unit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

C.L. Schultz ,
N.C. Schultz  and
A.E. Craddock
C.L. Schultz*
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural Health Sciences, Lincoln School of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, 625 Swanston Street, Carlton 3053
N.C. Schultz
Affiliation:
Highfields Centre, Ivanhoe 3079
A.E. Craddock
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Sydney, 2066
*
Department of Behavioural Health Sciences, Lincoln School of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, 625 Swanston Street, Carlton 3053
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study compares levels of couple agreement about positive and satisfying features of their relationship as reported by a remarried sample (n = 70) couples and a more general sample of couples largely in their first marriage or committed de facto relationship (n = 100 couples). The ENRICH inventory (Olson et al., 1982) was used with the general sample and the ENRICH-Anew inventory (Schultz & Schultz, 1987) was used for the remarried sample, thereby providing the measures of positive couple agreement, which can in turn serve as indicators for strengthening family relationships. There were no statistically significant differences between the two samples, indicating commonalities in stresses and strengths experienced by the two samples. However, there are suggestions in the data that issues related to children and parenting were subject to lower levels of agreement for the remarried couples. The comparison couples produced lower levels of agreement in the areas of conflict resolution and relating to partner's family and friends.

Keywords

Stressesstrengthscouple relationshipsremarriagefamily well-being
Type
Remarriage and Family Well-Being
Information
Children Australia , Volume 15 , supplement 4: The State of Australia's Children , 1990 , pp. 4 - 7
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ahrons, C.R. & Rodgers, R.H. (1987), Divorced Families: A Multidisciplinary Developmental View, W.W. Norton: New York.Google Scholar
Australian Bureau of Statistics (1985), Family formation and dissolution 1982 (ABS Catalogue No. 4411.0). Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.Google Scholar
Australian Bureau of Statistics (1987), Marriages Australia 1987 ABS Catalogue No. 3306.0). Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.Google Scholar
Craddock, A.E. (1988), “Marital role expectations and premarital satisfaction among Australian couples”. Aust. Journal of Sex, Marriage & Family, 9, 159–168.Google Scholar
Larsen, A.S. & Olson, D.H. (in press), “Predicting marital satisfaction using PREPARE: A replication study”. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.Google Scholar
Markman, H.J. (1981), “Prediction of marital distress: A 5 year follow up”. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 4, 760–762.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDonald, P. (1983), “What percentage of Australian marriages end in divorce?” Newsletter (December), Melbourne, Australia: Institute of Family Studies.Google Scholar
Ochiltree, G. (1988), “The effects of marital disruption on children: An overview”. Newsletter (December), Melbourne, Australia: Australian Institute of Family Studies.Google Scholar
Olson, D.H., Foumier, D.G. & Druckman, J.M. (1977), Premarital Personal and Relationship Evaluation (PREPARE). Prepare Inc., Minneapolis.Google Scholar
Olson, D.H., Foumier, D.G. & Druckman, J.M. (1982), Prepare-Enrich Counselor's Manual. Prepare-Enrich Inc., Minneapolis.Google Scholar
Olson, D.H., Foumier, D.G. & Druckman, J.M. (1986), Prepare-Enrich Counselor's Manual. Prepare-Enrich Inc., Minneapolis.Google Scholar
Schultz, N.C. (1986), Relationship issues in couples in blended families. Unpublished manuscript, University of Melbourne, Australia.Google Scholar
Schultz, N.C. & Schultz, C.L. (1987), “Affection and intimacy as a special strength of couples in blended families”. Aust. Journal of Sex, Marriage & Family, 8, 66–72.Google Scholar
Schultz, N.C., Schultz, C.L. & Olson, D.H. (1990), Couple strengths and stressors in complex and simple stepfamilies in Australia. Manuscript submitted for publication.Google Scholar
Spanier, G.D. & Furstenberg, F.F. (1982), “Remarriage after divorce: A longitudinal analysis of well being”. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 44, 709–720.Google Scholar