The connubial crucible: Newlywed years as predictors of marital delight, distress, and divorce

This study showed that couples' newlywed marriages and changes in their uni on over the first 2 years foreshadow their long-term marital fate after 13 years. Consistent with the enduring dynamics model, differences in the inte nsity of newlyweds' romance as well as the extent to which they expressed n egative feelings toward each other predicted (a) whether or nor they were h appy 13 years later (among those who stayed married) and (b) how long their marriage lasted prior to separation (for those who divorced). The results provide little support for the idea that emergence of distress (e.g., incre asing negativity) early in marriage leads to marital failure but instead sh ow that disillusionment-as reflected in an abatement of love, a decline in overt affection, a lessening of the conviction that one's spouse is respons ive, and an increase in ambivalence-distinguishes couples headed for divorc e from those who establish ii stable marital bond.