Premium
Neighborhood context and financial strain as predictors of marital interaction and marital quality in African American couples
Author(s) -
Cutrona Carolyn E.,
Russell Daniel W.,
Abraham W. Todd,
Gardner Kelli A.,
Melby Janet N.,
Bryant Chalandra,
Conger Rand D.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
personal relationships
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.81
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1475-6811
pISSN - 1350-4126
DOI - 10.1111/1475-6811.00056
Subject(s) - conger , disadvantage , residence , context (archaeology) , psychology , hostility , marital status , quality (philosophy) , marital relationship , demography , social psychology , geography , population , sociology , political science , philosophy , archaeology , epistemology , fishery , law , biology
Demographic characteristics, family financial strain, neighborhood–level economic disadvantage, and state of residence were tested as predictors of observed warmth, hostility, and self–reported marital quality. Participants were 202 married African American couples who resided in a range of neighborhood contexts. Neighborhood–level economic disadvantage predicted lower warmth during marital interactions, as did residence in the rural south. Consistent with the family stress model (e.g., Conger & Elder, 1994), family financial strain predicted lower perceived marital quality. Unexpectedly, neighborhood–level economic disadvantage predicted higher marital quality. Social comparison processes and degree of exposure to racially based discrimination are considered as explanations for this unexpected result. The importance of context in relationship outcomes is highlighted.