The relationship between nuclear and extended family relationships and marital satisfaction in second marriages

Typescript (photocopy).The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between six family relationships and marital satisfaction in second marriages, and to compare the predictive power of the six family relationship variables with previously established predictors of marital satisfaction. The six family relationships were: the relationship of the remarried individual and the former spouse, the relationship of the present spouse and the former spouse, the relationship of the remarried individual and the children, the relationship of the remarried individual and the former in-laws, the relationship of the remarried individual and the present in-laws, and the relationship of the remarried individual and his/her family of origin. Subjects were divorced, presently in a second marriage, and met the following criteria: the respondent's former spouse was living, either the respondent and/or present spouse had children from the first marriage, at least one of the respondent's parents was living, and at least one of the respondent's former and present in-laws was living. The Positive Affect Index: Subjective Solidarity Between Parents and Children and five slightly modified versions of this instrument were used to measure the six family relationship predictors. The criterion was measured by the Marital Satisfaction Scale-Form C. The data were analyzed by using multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that three family relationship variables: the relationship of the present spouse and the former spouse, the relationship of the remarried individual and the present in-laws, and the relationship of the remarried individual and his/her family of origin, were significant predictors of marital satisfaction in remarriage. Additionally, two previously established predictors, the remarried individual's level of self esteem and the remarried individual's perception of his/her spouse's marital satisfaction, were also significant predictors of marital satisfaction. However, when all the variables were held constant, the best five predictors were the remarried individual's level of self esteem, the remarried individual's perception of his/her spouse's marital satisfaction, the remarried individual's relationship with the children of the first marriage, the remarried individual's relationship with the former in-laws, and the family income