NEGATIVE LIFE EVENTS, MARITAL INTERACTION, AND THE LONGITUDINAL COURSE OF NEWLYWED MARRIAGE

Life events and problem-solving behavior were examined relative to lon gitudinal change in depressive symptoms and marital adjust ment over 1 8 months in 60 newlywed couples. Spouses' problem-solving behavior mod erated, but did not mediate, the relationship between life events and adjustment. Some behaviors contributed iu,spouses being more resilient to life events, and some behaviors made spouses more vulnerable, In p articular, wives' anger facilitated their adjustment to major and inte rpersonal events such that their depressive symptoms declined and thei r marital satisfaction increased. Husbands' humor contributed to marit al instability when spouses reported more major events. The results fu rther specify the vulnerability-stress-adaptation model of marriage an d expand on the role of behavior in marriage.