Intimate Relationships 8th Edition

DeGenova Test Bank

Visit to download the full and correct content document: https://testbankdeal.com/dow
nload/intimate-relationships-8th-edition-degenova-test-bank/
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

Chapter 07
Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

Multiple Choice Questions

1. (p. 168) According to the text, couples' personal happiness depends to a large degree on the
_____ of their marriage.
A. overall length
B. general quality
C. stability
D. state

2. (p. 168) The family life cycle consists of phases over the life span which are determined by:
A. researchers who compile statistics
B. specific age cut-off points
C. ages of children
D. major life changes

3. (p. 168) According to Census Bureau statistics, children are typically born _____ year(s)
apart.
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

4. (p. 168) According to Census Bureau statistics, on average, a couple waits about _____
year(s) before having the first of _____ children.
A. 1; 2
B. 2; 2
C. 3; 3
D. 4; 2

7-1
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

5. (p. 168) According to Census Bureau statistics, women tend to marry men who are ____
than/as they are.
A. about 2 years older
B. about the same age
C. about 2 years younger
D. much older

6. (p. 169) According to Census Bureau statistics, the median age of first marriage for couples
who later divorce is:
A. 2 years younger than for couples who never divorce.
B. 2 years older than for couples who never divorce.
C. 4 years younger than for couples who never divorce.
D. 4 years older than for couples who never divorce.

7. (p. 169) According to Census Bureau statistics, couples who divorce usually remarry when
their children are:
A. preschoolers
B. early elementary age
C. middle school age
D. high school age

8. (p. 169) According to Census Bureau statistics, men tend to remarry within _____ years of
divorce and women tend to remarry within _____ years of divorce.
A. 2; 3
B. 3; 4
C. 4; 3
D. 5; 4

9. (p. 169) According to Census Bureau statistics, men tend to remarry ______ after divorce than
women.
A. sooner
B. later
C. about the same number of years

7-2
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

10. (p. 169) According to Census Bureau statistics, fathers who divorce and remarry will most
likely live with their _____ children.
A. biological
B. step

11. (p. 169) According to Census Bureau statistics, youngest children typically leave home when
they are _____ years old.
A. 18
B. 19
C. 20
D. 21

12. (p. 168 - 169) In the traditional family life cycle, what does the Census Bureau say are the
average ages of the mother and father when the youngest child leaves home?
A. woman is 45; man is 47
B. woman is 50; man is 51
C. woman is 51; man is 53
D. woman is 54; man is 56

13. (p. 169) According to Census Bureau statistics, in _______ couples, women typically will
spend more years as a widow.
A. never divorced
B. divorced and remarried

14. (p. 169) According to Census Bureau statistics, on the average, remarried women can expect
to be widows for about __________ years.
A. 4
B. 5
C. 7
D. 10

7-3
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

15. (p. 172) Which of the following does NOT fit in with the text's definition of "marital
adjustment"?
A. the process of modifying individual and couple patterns of behavior
B. a means to an end
C. becoming adjusted to each other but still being unhappy and dissatisfied with the
relationship
D. a process that is completed early in marriage

16. (p. 172) Making adjustments to one's partner in a marriage:

A. will always improve the marriage
B. does not necessarily make partners happier
C. may provide the highest satisfaction possible under the circumstances
D. both B and C
E. none of these

17. (p. 174 - 175) Which of the following became less of a problem after marriage than had been
true before marriage - according to longitudinal research of couples?
A. money
B. communication
C. religion
D. alcohol and drugs
E. both C and D

18. (p. 174) According to a longitudinal study of couples during three early stages of their
relationship, _____ was the number one problem at all stages of the relationship.
A. jealousy
B. communication
C. money
D. relatives

7-4
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

19. (p. 174 - 175) Research shows that one big problem before marriage that declines substantially
after marriage is:
A. jealousy
B. communication
C. money
D. relatives

20. (p. 174 - 175) _____ was a bigger problem after the first child was born than either before
marriage or in the first year.
A. religion
B. relatives
C. communication
D. recreation

21. (p. 174 - 175) According to research studies, which of the following issues was as much a
problem after the birth of the first child as before marriage?
A. jealousy
B. friends
C. relatives
D. religion

22. (p. 175) Which of the following problems became much more serious after the birth of the
first child?
A. jealousy
B. communication
C. religion
D. sex
E. both B and D

7-5
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

23. (p. 178) According to research, which of the following is NOT true regarding stress and
parenthood?
A. The less stressful a couple's marriage before parenthood, the more stressful parenthood
becomes.
B. Part of the stress arises because couples are inadequately prepared for parenthood.
C. Parenthood is more stressful if it is not planned.
D. Part of the stress arises because of the abrupt transition to parenthood.

24. (p. 175 - 176) The stress of new parenthood arises because of:
A. inadequate preparation for parenthood
B. abrupt transition to parenthood
C. immaturity of the parents
D. all of these
E. A and C

25. (p. 176) Social support during the transition to parenthood is associated with:
A. positive parent-child interactions
B. more positive adaptations to parenthood
C. more negative mental and physical health outcomes
D. all of these
E. A and B

26. (p. 177) Of the following positive contributions that fathers make to their children's well-
being, most fathers tend to think that _____ is the most important feature of being a good
father.
A. sharing child care responsibilities
B. being a provider
C. being available to their children
D. teaching their children

7-6
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

27. (p. 176) Mexican American families, in comparison to European American families:
A. have more frequent social interactions
B. show stronger levels of obligation
C. exchange more support
D. are less likely to share living arrangements with the elderly
E. A, B, and C

28. (p. 177) Which of the following is characteristic of Chinese American families?
A. great emphasis on the extended family as the most important unit
B. children have high sense of duty to parents
C. emphasis on the importance of fulfilling individual needs
D. all of these
E. A and B

29. (p. 176) Research shows that children who receive support from their parents during
childhood:
A. have fewer psychological and physical problems
B. have lower levels of depressive symptoms
C. have lower levels of self-esteem
D. A and B
E. none of these correlates

30. (p. 177) In a multicultural study of fathering, most fathers reported _______ about
fatherhood.
A. ambivalent feelings
B. feeling disappointed
C. positive feelings
D. fears

7-7
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

31. (p. 177) The text points out that the most noticeable changes of midlife are
A. physical
B. emotional
C. intellectual
D. social

32. (p. 178) According to your text, middle adulthood:

A. marks a stage of low life fulfillment for most individuals.
B. marks the prime of life in many ways.
C. sees very few physical changes but many psychological changes.
D. is marked by rapid physical changes.

33. (p. 177) During which period of the family life cycle are most adults first confronted with
their own mortality?
A. beginning marriage
B. after the first child is born
C. middle adulthood
D. late adulthood

34. (p. 178) Which period in the life cycle is the time of heaviest responsibilities at work and in
the community, often leading to considerable stress?
A. Single adulthood
B. Young adulthood
C. Middle adulthood
D. Late adulthood

35. (p. 178) The generalized capacity for flexible and resourceful adaptation to stress is referred
to as:
A. coping-skill
B. play-quotient
C. ego-resiliency
D. combating-depression

7-8
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

36. (p. 179) Middle-aged adults are sometimes called the __________ generation because they
carry both the care-giving responsibilities for their children and for their elderly parents.
A. flip-flop
B. sandwich
C. reverse
D. upside-down

37. (p. 179) The post-parental years usually refer to:

A. the period between when children go away to college and then return to live at home for
some time
B. the period between the last child's leaving home and the parents' retirement.
C. the period when middle aged adults take care of their elderly parents
D. a time of marital dissatisfaction

38. (p. 180) Because today's generation of young adults may return home several different times
to live, they are referred to as the:
A. sandwich generation
B. upside-down generation
C. good-bye kids
D. boomerang kids

39. (p. 180) The text points out that one result of the "boomerang kid" phenomenon is:
A. stronger extended family ties
B. the easing of financial pressure on middle-aged parents
C. increased conflict between parents and children
D. later retirement

40. (p. 180) Late adulthood is defined as the period of life in which adults:
A. are over 65
B. are over 75
C. become grandparents
D. lose their independence

7-9
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

41. (p. 180) The text refers to the "young-old" as being between _____ years of age.
A. 45-54
B. 55-64
C. 65-74
D. 75-84

42. (p. 182) Which of the following living arrangements is of great importance to older people?
A. living in their own home
B. living with their grown children
C. living with a roommate
D. living in an extended care facility

43. (p. 183) Research findings indicate that as adults get older they tend to:
A. prefer living alone
B. lose interest in pursuing friendships
C. take on different gender roles at home
D. resent their children's concern about them

44. (p. 182) Research indicates that the majority of older people:
A. rent housing
B. live with adult children
C. live in homes they own.
D. live in senior citizens' communities

45. (p. 180)) Research findings indicate that one of the most important predictors of life
satisfaction for the elderly is:
A. retirement
B. home maintenance
C. high status and prestige
D. good health

7-10
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

46. (p. 183) According to the text, what happens to marital satisfaction during late adulthood?
A. It continues to decline.
B. It decreases after the children are launched.
C. It increases after retirement.
D. It increases briefly, then decreases.

47. (p. 184) Research indicates that later-life parental divorce has a _______ effect on the
relationships between older adults and their grown children.
A. generally positive
B. generally negative
C. devastating
D. strengthening

48. (p. 184) In research looking at relationships between parents and grown children, the grown
children tend to describe their relationship with their older parents in terms of:
A. the quality of the relationship
B. how much their parents need them
C. how often they contact and help them
D. how available their parents are to them

49. (p. 185) Studies show that older adults generally feel ______ when their children give them
extensive help when they need it.
A. resentful
B. encouraged
C. the need to give back
D. incapacitated

50. (p. 185) Which of the following has been shown by research NOT to be a key factor in the
relationship between older adults and their grown children?
A. emotional support
B. frequent contact
C. reciprocated help
D. moderate level of support

7-11
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

51. (p. 185) According to census statistics, on average, about how many years will a woman be a
widow in her later years?
A. 3
B. 4
C. 7
D. 10

52. (p. 187) Studies reveal that widows report that the biggest problem they have is:
A. low income
B. loneliness
C. isolation from children
D. self-identity

53. (p. 185) How one deals with the challenges of widowhood depends on:
A. physical factors
B. emotional factors
C. spiritual factors
D. all of these
E. A and B only

54. (p. 187) Which of the following was NOT cited by younger widows as a problem after their
spouses died?
A. loneliness
B. home maintenance and car repair
C. finances
D. increased independence

55. (p. 173) _____ is often a period of disillusionment and disenchantment for couples who have
not realized what marriage involves.
A. Early marriage
B. Parenthood
C. Middle adulthood
D. Late adulthood

7-12
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

56. (p. 175) The text makes a strong point that during ______ a great deal of stress can occur
because the couple is inadequately prepared.
A. early marriage
B. parenthood
C. middle adulthood
D. late adulthood

57. (p. 178) Studies show that during ______marital satisfaction is at its lowest point.
A. early marriage
B. middle adulthood
C. retirement
D. post retirement

58. (p. 176) Research shows that stress arises in _____ because of the sudden transition to the
stage.
A. early marriage
B. parenthood
C. middle adulthood
D. late adulthood

59. (p. 178) In _____, the text suggests that a tired marriage may need to be revitalized.
A. early marriage
B. parenthood
C. middle adulthood
D. late adulthood

60. (p. 182) In _____, the text points out that there is significant loss of status and prestige.
A. early marriage
B. parenthood
C. middle adulthood
D. late adulthood

7-13
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

True / False Questions

61. (p. 168) The family life cycle can be said to consist of the phases, or stages, over the life span
and to describe changes in family structure during each stage.
TRUE

62. (p. 169) Typically, according to census figures, a woman remarries 3 years after her divorce.
TRUE

63. (p. 171) Same sex couples have very little role flexibility.
FALSE

64. (p. 170) Researchers have found that gay and lesbian families are very different in most
respects than are heterosexual families.
FALSE

65. (p. 172) The goal of marital adjustment is to eliminate conflict.

FALSE

66. (p. 174) According to longitudinal research, jealousy is often a big problem after marriage,
even though it was not before the marriage.
FALSE

67. (p. 175) The more stressful a couple's marriage prior to parenthood, the more likely they are
to have problems in adjusting to their first child.
TRUE

7-14
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

68. (p. 175) Couples who prepare for parenthood find greater satisfaction in being a parent than
do those who do not prepare.
TRUE

69. (p. 176) Stress related to parenthood is greater if parents are young.
TRUE

70. (p. 178 - 179) Ego resiliency refers to the generalized capacity to be flexible and resourceful in
adapting to stress.
TRUE

71. (p. 180) Parents today see their children leaving home at an earlier age than in past decades.
FALSE

72. (p. 186) In looking at the population over age 45, the number of widows is about 4 times the
number of widowers.
TRUE

73. (p. 186) The chief psychological task of the final stage of life is the development of ego
integrity - contentment with one's life as it is and has been.
TRUE

Short Answer Questions

7-15
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

74. Discuss the traditional family life cycle of spouses in an intact marriage in the United
States.

Man is married at 28 and the woman at 26. They wait 2 years before having the first of two
children. The man is 52 and the woman 50 when the youngest child is 20 and leaves home.
The empty-nest years are from age 52-65 for men and 50-65 for women. The man dies at age
75 and the woman at 80.

75. What usually precipitates a midlife crisis?

An awareness that one's years are numbered, even as one is entering the prime of life, the
stage of fulfillment; this is the time when one personalizes mortality, realizes that time is
finite and that one has to hurry to accomplish all that one wants to achieve.

76. Describe the "sandwich generation." To what does this term refer? Give some examples in
your answer.

The "sandwich generation" refers to middle-aged adults who are caught between caregiving
responsibilities for their children and for their elderly parents. Many of these middle-aged
adults had counted on their parents and their own children to have sufficient financial
independence to care for themselves; they had planned on retiring and being carefree. Instead,
they now feel compelled to take on the responsibilities of multigenerational caregiving.

77. Unmarried children continue living with their parents for a longer period of time than they
used to for three basic reasons. Discuss them.

(1) delay of marriage; (2) high divorce rates; (3) financial need

7-16
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

78. What problems and stresses do widows face?

Psychological stress of spousal loss and the need to reconstruct a new sense of self;
loneliness; sexual frustration; home maintenance and car repair; decision making; financial
management and child rearing if the widow is left with young children.

79. Identify four of the nine categories of major adjustments facing elderly people that were
discussed in the chapter.

(1) Staying physically healthy and adjusting to limitations; (2) maintaining an adequate
income and means of support; (3) adjusting to revised work roles; (4) establishing acceptable
housing and living conditions, (5) maintaining identity and social status; (6) finding
companionship and friendship; (7) learning to use leisure time pleasurably; (8) establishing
new roles in the family; (9) achieving integrity through acceptance of one's life.

80. Identify and give an example of five of the twelve marital adjustment tasks early in
marriage as discussed in the chapter.

(1) Emotional fulfillment and support; (2) sexual adjustment; (3) personal habits; (4) gender
roles; (5) material concerns and finances; (6) work, employment, achievement; (7) social life,
friends, recreation; (8) family, relatives; (9) communication; (10) power, decision making;
(11) handling conflict, solving problems; (12) morals, values, ideology.

81. Why is parenthood often a period of stress?

Stressful if not planned, if couple is inadequately prepared, because transition is abrupt; stress
varies depending upon child's temperament and the quality of the marriage before parenthood;
stress is greater if parents are young and immature; the economic status of the family affects
stress levels.

82. What did fathers report as the primary components of good fathering?

"Being there" for their children; being a model, teacher, and moral guide; love

7-17
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

83. Discuss the effects of people going through divorce during late adulthood.

The proportion of unhappy divorced adults increases with age. Adults over 60 who become
divorced stand out as lower in morale and overall happiness. They exhibit more symptoms of
psychological disturbance and report they are troubled by the separation.

84. What are the chief sources of stress in middle age?

Health concerns, identity issues, heaviest responsibilities at work and in the community,
marital issues, launching children.

85. Identify and briefly discuss the six different types of long-term marriages described by
Weishaus and Field.

Stable/positive: stable but not static marriage, maintaining moderately high to high
satisfaction level. Stable/neutral: generally comfortable marriage based on motives other than
emotional closeness. Stable/negative: marriage marked with primary negative emotions, such
as hostility or indifference. Curvilinear: marriage with satisfaction level that is high early on,
lower during mid-years, and higher again after children are grown. Continuous decline:
marriage with continuous erosion of satisfaction level. Continuous increase: marriage with
continuous increase in satisfaction level.

Essay Questions

86. Outline the basic stages of the family life cycle in an intact marriage and in a family in
which there has been divorce and remarriage.

Answer will vary

7-18
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

87. Discuss the differences and similarities of gay and lesbian families as compared to
heterosexual marriages.

Answer will vary

88. Summarize the major marital adjustment tasks early in marriage.

Answer will vary

89. Describe the relationship between marriage happiness and life satisfaction.

Answer will vary

90. Discuss the major adjustments people typically face during middle adulthood.

Answer will vary

91. Discuss the ramifications that the return of adult children to their parents' home might
have on the parents, the adult children, and the grandchildren.

Answer will vary

92. Summarize the major adjustments typically necessary during late adulthood.

Answer will vary

7-19
Chapter 07 - Marital Relationships Over the Family Life Cycle

93. Describe marriage and family relationships among the elderly.

Answer will vary

7-20