A Study of Expectations and the Marital Quality of Participants of a Marital Enrichment Seminar

Abstract

This longitudinal study investigated the effects of expectations of effort of self and spouseon the marital quality of marital enrichment seminar participants. Self-report measures of marital quality, expectations regarding effort put into implementing what was learned during the seminar, amount of perceived effort, and satisfaction with effort were administered before and after the seminar, as well as at a 2-month follow-up. Participants (147 women, 95 men) attended community-based marital enrichment seminars in 12 U.S. cities. Multivariate path models indicated that larger discrepancies between expectations of effort postseminar and perceived effort at 2-month follow-up were associated with less satisfaction with perceived effort. Furthermore, participants' dissatisfaction in their spouses' effort had a negative effect on marital quality while controlling for initial marital quality, whereas dissatisfaction in their own effort did not. These findings highlight the possible detrimental

A nice surprise: Sacrifice expectations and partner appreciation in romantic relationships

“…On the other hand, a negative violation is a behavior that falls short of expectations, for example, when a partner fails to go grocery shopping when they had promised to do so. Such behaviors also trigger the attention of the receiver but instead can lead to negative outcomes, such as liking the enactor less, finding them less socially and physically attractive, and deeming them as less interesting or valuable interaction partners (Afifi & Burgoon, 2000; Afifi & Faulkner, 2000; Afifi & Metts, 1998; Bevan, 2003; Frisby & Sidelinger, 2013; Dixon, Gordon, Frousakis, & Schumm, 2012). Thus, a negative violation can hamper the partner’s evaluation toward the violator.…”

“…Interdependence Theory is also aligned with this reasoning, underscoring the importance of expectations in determining relationship satisfaction: people evaluate their relationship more positively and experience higher relationship satisfaction when the rewards obtained from the relationship exceed their expectations (Rusbult & Van Lange, 2003; Thibaut & Kelley, 1959). Moreover, when expectations are exceeded, such as in the case of a positive expectancy violation, people view their relationship in a more positive light as compared to when expectations are not met, such as in the case of a negative violation (e.g., Dixon et al, 2012; McNulty & Karney, 2004). Therefore, although perceiving a partner’s sacrifice can generally elicit appreciation toward the sacrificer (Visserman et al, 2018), the receiver’s expectations may play a key role in shaping their evaluation of the partner and the relationship.…”

A Research Program Testing the Effectiveness of a Preventive Intervention for Couples with a Newborn

“…Although rarely dwelled on in couples prevention (for exceptions, see Dixon, Gordon, Frousakis, & Schumm, , and Rogge, Cobb, Lawrence, Johnson, & Bradbury, ), equivocal prevention effects, and even iatrogenic effects, would be unsurprising given one of the oldest theories that behavioral psychoeducational prevention programming has drawn on—Thibaut and Kelley's () Social Exchange Theory. Social Exchange Theory posits three key cognitive/affective estimates relevant to relationship satisfaction and stability: the net rewards received; the Comparison Level (CL) of the rewards individuals expect in relationships based on past experience (lived and vicarious); and the Comparison Level of Alternatives (CL alt ), or the rewards individual believe they could receive in alternative relationships (including being in no relationship).…”

“…Prevention interventions both explicitly and implicitly lead individuals to focus on all three estimates, with enrollment in the programming most likely leading to a rise in both CLs. (See Dixon et al., , for an empirical exploration of CL‐related disappointment in couples’ prevention interventions.) Relationships with disparate interest in the intervention or in creating change, or with more relationship ambivalence seem at most risk for CL/CL alt related disappointment.…”

Mariqual Model: A Survey Instrument Developed For Marital Quality Conceptualized From Servqual Model

“…Clearly, people will in general have assumptions about their marital connections (Dixon, Gordon, Frousakis, and Schumm, 2012). Also, the standard one uses to assess one's nearby persona; connections are dynamic in nature and can change dependent on one's encounters (McDonald, 1981).…”