Title

Fiery wives and icy husbands: Pre-marital counseling and covenant marriage as buffers against effects of childhood abuse on gendered marital communication?

Authors

Authors

K. M. Krivickas; L. A. Sanchez; C. T. Kenney;J. D. Wright

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Soc. Sci. Res.

Keywords

Pre-marital counseling; Covenant marriage; Childhood abuse; MENTAL-HEALTH CONSEQUENCES; SEXUAL-ABUSE; RELATIONSHIP QUALITY; ADULT; RECOLLECTIONS; LONGITUDINAL VIEW; PHYSICAL ABUSE; CONFLICT; COUPLES; COHABITATION; SURVIVORS; Sociology

Abstract

We examine relationships between childhood abuse and two maladaptive marital communication patterns - hostile and withdrawing - and test whether covenant marriage or pre-marital counseling mediate the effects of childhood abuse. Drawing on a sample from the Marriage Matters (1997-2004) data, we find both gendered differences in communication and in the relationship between childhood abuse and negative communication patterns. Wives are more likely to use a hostile style of communication, whereas husbands are more likely to use a withdrawing style. We also find that childhood abuse affects hostile communication for both spouses but influences only wives' withdrawing. Neither covenant marriage nor pre-marital counseling is associated with hostile communication for either spouse. Covenant marriage increases husbands' withdrawal from conflict, whereas pre-marital counseling increases the use of withdrawing communication in both wives and husbands. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Journal Title

Social Science Research

Volume

39

Issue/Number

5

Publication Date

1-1-2010

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

700

Last Page

714

WOS Identifier

WOS:000281361500003

ISSN

0049-089X

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