EFFECTS OF CHILDHOOD FAMILY BACKGROUND ON ADULT MARITAL QUALITY AND PERCEIVED STABILITY

The authors examine the effect of various single-parent childhood fami ly structures on adult marital quality and perceived stability. The au thors find no important differences in marital happiness by family his tory. However, among adults in less than very happy marriages, both ad ult children of divorce and adults who never lived with their father r eport significantly higher chances of divorce than those from two-pare nt families. Among those in relatively unhappy marriages, children of divorce more often report patterns of interaction that are likely to s train a marital relationship. Children of divorce are significantly mo re likely than those from two-parent families to have thought their ma rriage may be in trouble.