Using FOCCUS and a stress-vulnerability model for predicting marital success

Lee Michael Williams, Purdue University

Abstract

The overarching goal of the research was to develop a set of variables that could successfully predict the future marital success of couples. The first part of the study assessed whether or not couple scores on a premarital inventory called FOCCUS were predictive of marital success five years later. The second part of the study tested the ability of a stress-vulnerability model to predict marital quality. In essence, the stress-vulnerability theory predicts that certain couples will be more vulnerable to stress, and thus are more likely to develop distressed marriages. The results from the study indicate that FOCCUS does have some ability to predict the future success of couples. A discriminant function was derived that successfully predicted the marital success of 67.6% of the couples. An even higher success rate of 73.9% was achieved using a less conservative method for scoring FOCCUS. Since FOCCUS was not 100% accurate in its predictive ability, it should be one of several pieces of information the couple and the counselor weigh in assessing the potential of a marriage. Although a direct comparison was not possible, it appears that FOCCUS and an alternative premarital inventory called PREPARE have roughly comparable ability to predict future marital success. The results from the second part of the study provided limited empirical support for the stress-vulnerability theory. Although the theory did have some ability to predict which couples would have poor versus high quality marriages, this predictive ability seemed to be derived primarily from the FOCCUS variables included in the model. The lack of strong support for the theory may be due to the limitations of the testing model rather than the theory itself. Many of these limitations were a result of being restricted to secondary data. The results from the second part fit into a consistent pattern of results from other studies which suggests strains and not stressful life events most directly affect marital quality. It appears that stressful life events and transitions affect family strain, which in turn directly affects marital quality.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Jurich, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Families & family life|Personal relationships|Sociology|Social psychology

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