The present prospective, longitudinal study of 193 young adults (85 men, 108 women, M = 20.7 years old) and their partners in ongoing romantic relationships in 1997 was initiated in 1989, when the 193 target youths were in the 7th grade. On the basis of the model for the development of early adult romantic relationships (DEARR; C. Bryant & R. D. Conger, in press), the authors hypothesized that interactional processes in the family of origin would predict interpersonal skills by the target youths, which would be positively related to the early adult couple's relationship quality. Observational ratings showed that nurturant-involved parenting in the family of origin predicted behaviors by the target youth to a romantic partner that were warm, supportive, and low in hostility. These competent behaviors of the target youth were positively associated with relationship quality for the early adult couple and also mediated or explained the connection between parenting and relationship quality.

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Demographic characteristics, family financial strain, neighborhood-level economic disadvantage, and state of residence were tested as predictors of observed warmth, hostility, and self-reported marital quality. Participants were 202 married African American couples who resided in a range of neighborhood contexts. Neighborhood-level economic disadvantage predicted lower warmth during marital interactions, as did residence in the rural south. Consistent with the family stress model (e.g., Conger & Elder, 1994), family financial strain predicted lower perceived marital quality. Unexpectedly, neighborhood-level economic disadvantage predicted higher marital quality. Social comparison processes and degree of exposure to racially based discrimination are considered as explanations for this unexpected result. The importance of context in relationship outcomes is highlighted.Some fragile relationships survive forever because they never encounter a relationship-toxic environment and some very strong relationships dissolve...because fate...put their relationship in harm's way.Ellen Berscheid, 1999, p. 265 Multiple contexts influence the course of relationships over time. Bronfenbrenner (1979Bronfenbrenner ( , 1986 described the contexts that influence people's lives as concentric spheres, where the smallest sphere of the nuclear family is encircled by the larger sphere of extended family and friendship networks, which is, in turn, contained within the social context of neighborhood and local institutions, which is further contained within the economic, social, educational, and legal systems of the culture. The above quotation from Ellen Berscheid emphasizes the importance of environmental contexts to relationship outcomes. A weak relationship may persist intact in a supportive environment, whereas a strong relationship may deteriorate if it is embedded in an environmental context that continually assaults the ties that bind individuals.The current study considers the effects of contextual variables on marital interaction and marital quality in African American couples who reside in various ecological settings, which range from rural poverty to suburban affluence. Most studies of African American families have been conducted in the inner cities of large metropolitan areas. We believed it was important to sample a broader range of contexts to reflect more accurately the diversity of settings in which African

This study investigated cross‐level mediational and moderational community and family influences on adolescent depressive symptoms. Using multilevel data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we predicted that structural community characteristics such as community poverty and ethnic heterogeneity would influence community social resources, which in turn would influence adolescent depressive symptoms. We further predicted that community social resources would influence adolescent depressive symptoms through family social resources. Findings also suggested that the influence of the parent‐child relationship on adolescent depressive symptoms is weaker in more adverse communities than in less adverse communities. The findings underscore the importance of placing family process models within the community context when adolescent outcomes are investigated.