Uncovering measurement bias: Differential item functioning by income in the Couples Satisfaction Index.

Relationship satisfaction is among the most popular constructs in family science. As the study of families and romantic couples continues to include more diverse samples, it is imperative to ensure the measures scholars use do not significantly vary in psychometric quality across groups. The goal of this study was to examine the psychometric utility of the four-item Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI-4; Funk & Rogge, 2007) for individuals across the income spectrum. This study uses data from the National Couples' Health and Time Study, which sampled married and cohabiting adults in the United States from late 2020 to early 2021. Differential item functioning in the CSI-4 was assessed based on income (N = 3,497) using item response theory. For individuals experiencing lower incomes, the CSI-4 demonstrated differential functioning compared to their more affluent peers, with a bias against individuals experiencing lower incomes equating to average scores 1.38 units lower than higher income participants on the CSI-4 despite having the same true levels of relationship satisfaction. Differential item functioning was less pronounced when comparing item performance of lower- and middle-income participants, equating to lower income participants scoring .21 units lower than middle-income individuals despite having the same true levels of relationship satisfaction. While advancing diversity in family science, researchers should employ psychometric methods to understand how measures perform across groups, which will help prevent the misinterpretation of statistical bias as real group differences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Relational concerns and change in relationship satisfaction in a relationship education program.

Lower income couples tend to report more difficulty sustaining high-quality intimate relationships. As a result, policy initiatives have been enacted to fund relationship education (RE) programs that aim to increase lower income couples' relationship satisfaction. Generally, these programs demonstrate small, albeit statistically significant improvements in mean levels of relationship functioning. It is critical, however, to understand if RE programming influences the developmental course of intimate relationships, and if this influence depends on couples' initial levels of concerns about their relationships. Using dyadic group-based modeling and three waves of data from 6034 couples in the Supporting Healthy Marriages project, a randomized control trial of RE, we categorized couples into four relationship concern groups (No Relational Concerns, Both Relationally Concerned, Men's Relational Concerns, and Women's Relational Concerns) and explored how these groups moderated the long-term efficacy of RE programming. Results indicated that RE was associated with different developmental trajectories of satisfaction, but RE effects differed for men and women. Specifically, random assignment into RE was associated with men maintaining high levels of relationship satisfaction, whereas women's satisfaction decreased over time. These effects were not moderated by initial relationship concerns. The association between RE and relationship satisfaction trajectories was small in magnitude, suggesting that more comprehensive services are needed to strengthen lower income couples' intimate relationships.

Prior On-Off Relationship Instability and Distress in the Separation and Divorce Transition.

Divorce is considered distressing for many individuals (Sbarra et al., Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2015, 24, 109); however, individuals in poor-quality relationships may experience certain benefits of leaving an unstable union (Amato & Hohmann-Marriott, Journal of Marriage and Family, 2007, 69, 621). On-off relationship cycling, or the breakup and reconciliation of a relationship, is a salient indicator of poor relationship quality and a common form of relationship instability (Dailey et al., Personal Relationships, 2009, 16, 23) that is associated with distress (Monk et al., Family Relations, 2018, 67, 523). In line with divorce-stress-adjustment and relational turbulence theory perspectives, we hypothesized that those whose relationships were characterized by on-off instability would experience less distress during the separation and divorce process. Given gender inequality in marriage (e.g., Dempsey, Journal of Sociology, 2002, 38, 91; Monin & Clark, Sex Roles, 2011, 65, 320), we also hypothesized that this association would be more pronounced for women. Using data from 98 divorced or separating couples, we found that relationship cycling prior to the separation and divorce process was associated with fewer distress symptoms for women. Conversely, a history of relationship cycling was associated with more distress symptoms for men. Our study provides support and extends prior investigations illustrating that, for some, those in unions characterized by more turmoil, may experience relief following a termination.

El divorcio se considera angustiante para muchas personas (Sbarra et al., 2015); sin embargo, las personas que tienen relaciones de mala calidad pueden percibir ciertos beneficios al romper una unión inestable (Amato & Hohmann-Marriott, 2007). El ciclo intermitente de las relaciones, o la separación y la reconciliación de una relación, es un indicador prominente de la mala calidad de la relación y una forma común de inestabilidad relacional (Dailey et al., 2009) que está asociada con el distrés (Monk et al., 2018). En consonancia con las perspectivas de adaptación al estrés por el divorcio y de la teoría del estrés relacional, planteamos la hipótesis de que aquellas personas cuyas relaciones se caracterizaban por la inestabilidad intermitente sufrirían menos distrés durante la separación y el proceso de divorcio. Dada la desigualdad de género en el matrimonio (p. ej.: Dempsey, 2002; Monin & Clark, 2011) también planteamos la hipótesis de que esta asociación sería más marcada para las mujeres. Utilizando datos de 98 parejas divorciadas o que se estaban separando, descubrimos que el ciclo relacional anterior a la separación y al proceso de divorcio estuvo asociado con menos síntomas de distrés en las mujeres. Contrariamente, un historial de ciclo relacional se asoció con más síntomas de distrés en los hombres. Nuestro estudio ofrece respaldo y amplía investigaciones previas demostrando que algunas personas que están en uniones caracterizadas por más confusión pueden sentir alivio después de una separación.

Strengthening lower-income families: Lessons learned from policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Families are navigating an unstable economy due to COVID-19. Financial stressors have the potential to strain intimate relationships and exacerbate prior inequities across lower-income families. Notably, the economic impact of COVID-19 disproportionately influenced Black and Latinx families. As a response to families' economic adversity during the pandemic, the federal government initiated the CARES Act. This type of federal response to lower-income families, however, is not new. The purpose of this paper is to contextualize and historicize previous and current efforts to mitigate the consequences of financial hardship on families by comparing the assumptions and efficacy of the Healthy Marriages Initiative and the CARES act. We conclude with four recommendations to promote well-being in lower-income families: (1) acknowledging and reducing inequities that disproportionally impact families racialized as Black or Latinx; (2) intervening to mitigate stressors surrounding families; (3) using innovative methods to deliver relationship education; and (4) considering prevention versus intervention strategies.

Las familias están transitando una economía inestable debido a la COVID-19. Los factores desencadenantes de estrés pueden dañar las relaciones amorosas y exacerbar las desigualdades previas entre las familias de bajos recursos. Notablemente, el efecto económico de la COVID-19 influyó de manera desproporcionada en las familias negras y latinas. Como respuesta a la adversidad económica de las familias durante la pandemia, el gobierno federal aprobó la ley CARES o ley de estímulo federal. Sin embargo, este tipo de respuesta federal a las familias de bajos recursos no es nuevo. El propósito de este artículo es contextualizar e historizar los esfuerzos anteriores y actuales para mitigar las consecuencias de las dificultades económicas en las familias comparando los supuestos y la eficacia de la Iniciativa para Matrimonios Saludables (Healthy Marriages Initiative) y la ley CARES. Finalizamos con cuatro recomendaciones para promover el bienestar en las familias de bajos recursos: (1) reconocer y reducir las desigualdades que afectan desproporcionadamente a las familias racializadas como negras o latinas; (2) intervenir para mitigar los factores desencadenantes de estrés en torno a las familias; (3) utilizar métodos innovadores para impartir capacitaciones sobre las relaciones; y (4) tener en cuenta estrategias de prevención frente a estrategias de intervención.

Understanding the Early Years of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Couples' Marriages.

Recent research has identified significant differences in how satisfaction in newlywed relationships progress, with the majority of spouses reporting relatively high marital satisfaction. However, most studies have focused on white, middle class, childless couples, and it is not clear whether these findings hold for socioeconomically disadvantaged couples (those with low educational attainment or income). Further, previous work has largely ignored differences between spouses within the same marriage and the circumstances under which interpersonal processes between spouses are influential to prospective marital satisfaction. Using dyadic growth-mixture modeling and three waves of data from 530 newlywed couples in the Supporting Healthy Marriages study, we simultaneously modeled husbands' and wives' marital satisfaction and identified two classes of couples, labeled the Relatively satisfied class and Husbands' moderate intercept, wives' low, and increasing satisfaction class. Husbands consistently reported better marital satisfaction than their wives regardless of class membership. Wives' perceptions of interpersonal processes during experiences of financial stress predicted class membership. Dissolution rates also differed between classes. We conclude by providing practical implications for working with socioeconomically disadvantaged families.

En investigaciones recientes se han detectado diferencias significativas en la manera en la que avanza la satisfacción en las relaciones de recién casados, donde la mayoría de los cónyuges informan una satisfacción conyugal relativamente mayor. Sin embargo, la mayoría de los estudios se han centrado en parejas blancas, de clase media, sin hijos, y no queda claro si estos resultados valen también para las parejas socioeconómicamente marginadas (aquellas con bajo nivel educativo o bajos ingresos). Además, en trabajos previos se han pasado por alto en gran medida las diferencias entre los cónyuges dentro del mismo matrimonio y las circunstancias en las cuales los procesos interpersonales entre los cónyuges influyen en la futura satisfacción conyugal. Utilizando el modelo de combinación de crecimiento diádico y tres tandas de datos recogidos de 530 parejas recién casadas en el Estudio de Apoyo al Matrimonio Saludable (Supporting Healthy Marriages Study), modelamos simultáneamente la satisfacción conyugal de los esposos y esposas e identificamos dos clases de parejas, catalogadas como la clase relativamente satisfecha y la clase de intersección moderada de los maridos y de satisfacción baja y en aumento de las esposas. Los maridos informaron constantemente una mejor satisfacción conyugal que sus esposas independientemente de la clase a la que pertenecían. Las percepciones de las esposas de los procesos interpersonales durante las experiencias de estrés económico predijeron la pertenencia a la clase. Los índices de divorcios también variaron entre clases. Finalizamos explicando las consecuencias prácticas para el trabajo con familias marginadas socioeconómicamente.

The longitudinal association between maternal parenting stress and spousal supportiveness.

Parenting stress can negatively impact mothers and the family unit. Previous research has identified spousal supportiveness as a critical resource in helping reduce maternal parenting stress, whereas other research demonstrates that parenting stress may reduce supportive behaviors over time. However, it is unclear whether the association between spousal supportiveness and maternal parenting stress is robust over an extended period of children's development, or whether economic hardship impacts change in both constructs. Using 4 waves of data from 612 mothers in the Fragile Family and Child Wellbeing study, we explored whether maternal parenting stress was associated with change in spousal supportiveness and whether spousal supportiveness simultaneously was associated with change in maternal parenting stress. We examined these bidirectional associations while accounting for economic hardship. We found parenting stress and perceptions of spousal supportiveness changed at varying rates throughout the 8 years of the study. We also found that when the focal child was 1 year old, perceptions of spousal supportiveness were associated with increases in mothers' parenting stress, whereas when the child was 3 and 5 years old, perceptions of spousal supportiveness were associated with a faster decrease in mothers' parenting stress. Maternal parenting stress was not associated with perceptions of spousal supportiveness over time. We also found that mothers with greater economic hardship showed a slower decline in perceptions of spousal supportiveness compared with the decline in perceptions of spousal supportiveness observed without economic hardship in the model. We conclude by providing both developmental and practical implications for helping mothers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).