E to effective problem solving with a romantic partner when grown to adulthood? Might economic stress and inter-parental hostility in the family of origin put children at risk for developing aggressive and reactive personalities? These kinds of proposed transactional processes linking earlier environments to adult outcomes via individual differences are worth exploring in future research (see Interactionist Model: Conger et al., 2010). Limitations and Concluding Remarks This study is not without limitations, which we hope that future research will address. Our measure of effective problem solving was an informant’s report (i.e., each member reported on the other’s quality of problem solving) of a general ability to problem solve and thus measured a broad-based perception of a partner’s skill. Although perceptions of all kinds are certainly important for relationships, future research should assess: (a) more finely nuanced skills (e.g., solicitation of problem solving, quality of resolutions to a problem); (b) types of problems being solved (financial or otherwise); and (c) the severity and chronicity of the issue that needs to be addressed. Moreover, on average, couples in this study reported rather high levels of effective PF-04418948MedChemExpress PF-04418948 problem-solving skills, suggesting that participants perceived one another to be generally good problem solvers. Future samples that include high-risk couples with more PD150606 clinical trials variation in problem-solving abilities could shed light on the more extreme ends of this characteristic. Other research could investigate change and stability of problemsolving skills over time and whether stressful circumstances weaken a couple’s ability to problem solve over time, ultimately contributing to relationship distress (see e.g., Neff Karney, 2007). That is, perhaps couples’ problem-solving skills mediate (as well as moderate) the link between external stressors and relationship distress.Author Manuscript Author Manuscript Author Manuscript Author ManuscriptJ Marriage Fam. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2017 April 01.Masarik et al.PageAlso important to highlight, our sample was ethnically and geographically homogenous. Replication of these findings with more diverse groups would provide greater confidence in the generalizability of results. We would note, however, that the basic economic stress processes examined here have tended to generalize across a diverse array of study populations (see Conger et al., 2010). For future researchers interested in replicating these findings, other points worth noting are that the selected G1 participants (i.e., wives and husbands in marital relationships in 1992 and 1994) were, on average, less economically stressed and more likely to perceive each other as effective problem solvers compared to G1 couples who were initially in marital relationships in 1989 (the first wave of the study) but then divorced or separated from their partner during the 1992 and 1994 assessments. This suggests that economic pressure and effective problem solving may directly influence relationship stability (see also Conger et al., 1999). In a similar vain, selected G2 participants (those involved in the same romantic partnership across the years of 2005 and 2007) were, on average, slightly more educated and reported higher income than those without romantic partners during this time frame. It is important to keep these selection differences in mind while interpreting the findings. In conclusion, the present study has str.E to effective problem solving with a romantic partner when grown to adulthood? Might economic stress and inter-parental hostility in the family of origin put children at risk for developing aggressive and reactive personalities? These kinds of proposed transactional processes linking earlier environments to adult outcomes via individual differences are worth exploring in future research (see Interactionist Model: Conger et al., 2010). Limitations and Concluding Remarks This study is not without limitations, which we hope that future research will address. Our measure of effective problem solving was an informant’s report (i.e., each member reported on the other’s quality of problem solving) of a general ability to problem solve and thus measured a broad-based perception of a partner’s skill. Although perceptions of all kinds are certainly important for relationships, future research should assess: (a) more finely nuanced skills (e.g., solicitation of problem solving, quality of resolutions to a problem); (b) types of problems being solved (financial or otherwise); and (c) the severity and chronicity of the issue that needs to be addressed. Moreover, on average, couples in this study reported rather high levels of effective problem-solving skills, suggesting that participants perceived one another to be generally good problem solvers. Future samples that include high-risk couples with more variation in problem-solving abilities could shed light on the more extreme ends of this characteristic. Other research could investigate change and stability of problemsolving skills over time and whether stressful circumstances weaken a couple’s ability to problem solve over time, ultimately contributing to relationship distress (see e.g., Neff Karney, 2007). That is, perhaps couples’ problem-solving skills mediate (as well as moderate) the link between external stressors and relationship distress.Author Manuscript Author Manuscript Author Manuscript Author ManuscriptJ Marriage Fam. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2017 April 01.Masarik et al.PageAlso important to highlight, our sample was ethnically and geographically homogenous. Replication of these findings with more diverse groups would provide greater confidence in the generalizability of results. We would note, however, that the basic economic stress processes examined here have tended to generalize across a diverse array of study populations (see Conger et al., 2010). For future researchers interested in replicating these findings, other points worth noting are that the selected G1 participants (i.e., wives and husbands in marital relationships in 1992 and 1994) were, on average, less economically stressed and more likely to perceive each other as effective problem solvers compared to G1 couples who were initially in marital relationships in 1989 (the first wave of the study) but then divorced or separated from their partner during the 1992 and 1994 assessments. This suggests that economic pressure and effective problem solving may directly influence relationship stability (see also Conger et al., 1999). In a similar vain, selected G2 participants (those involved in the same romantic partnership across the years of 2005 and 2007) were, on average, slightly more educated and reported higher income than those without romantic partners during this time frame. It is important to keep these selection differences in mind while interpreting the findings. In conclusion, the present study has str.
