The existing research on the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) indicated that there were problems with some of the subscales and individual items. This study was designed to improve the instrument by following the standards of construct hierarchy. Through previous research and the analyses in this study, the subscales were found to contain some items that were homogeneous and others that were more heterogeneous. This problem was corrected by selecting out items that were homogeneous; 7 first‐order scales were created which were combined to creat the 3 second‐order concepts of consensus, satisfaction, and cohesion. With a sample of distressed and nondistressed couples, a series of confirmatory factor analyses was conducted. The factor analyses provided evidence for the construct validity of the new structure of the Revised DAS (RDAS) with the distressed, nondistressed, and total samples of this study, as well as with the sample from Spanier and Thompson's (1982) study. Additional analyses correlating the RDAS with another popular marital instrument provided more evidence for the construct validity of the RDAS. Criterion validity was demonstrated by discriminant analyses results. Both internal consistency and split‐half reliability estimates demonstrated that the RDAS was reliable. The result also supported dividing the RDAS into two alternative forms for use in pre‐ and posttest studies. Summary statistics for the RDAS are presented as are implications for the field of marriage and family therapy.

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The present study investigated the associations between family functioning, acculturation between parents and their adolescents, and adolescent adjustment problems. Chinese adolescents and their parents (N ¼ 41) living in the United States and Canada participated in this study. Results showed that differences in acculturation between parents and adolescents were related to adolescent depression and that family functioning was related to both depression and delinquency. Both parental and adolescent acculturation levels and their differences were important in predicting adolescent outcomes. Implications for conducting family therapy and parent education with Chinese North American adolescents and their parents are discussed.

This study examined select premarital factors from the ecosystemic perspective hypothesized to influence marital sexual satisfaction in the first year of marriage. A sample of 70 couples was administered by the Preparation of Marriage Questionnaire (PREP-M) a few months prior to marriage to measure premarital levels of empathy, self-disclosure, open communication, relationship stability, and self-esteem. At 1 year of marriage, their sexual satisfaction was assessed using the Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS). Using multiple regression analyses it was found that the best premarital predictors of husband's marital sexual satisfaction were wives' self-esteem, wives' open communication, and wives' relationship stability. The best predictors for wives' marital sexual satisfaction were wives' self-esteem, wives' open communication, and husbands' empathic communication. Conclusions and implications for premarital counselling and family life education are discussed.

To evaluate the effective components of couple relationship education, 59 newlywed couples were randomly assigned to one of two couple relationship programs (CRE): (1) RELATE, which involved receiving feedback on their relationship based on the on-line RELATE assessment; or (2) RELATE + Couple CARE, which was RELATE plus completing the 6 unit Couple CARE relationship skill training program. Relative to RELATE, RELATE + Couple CARE produced more improvement in couple communication, and high relationship satisfaction across the next 12 months in women. Men sustained high and similar relationship satisfaction in either condition. Skill training CRE has additional benefits for couples beyond assessment and feedback.

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This paper presents a review of the research literature from 1980 to present on the premarital predictors of remarital satisfaction and stability (quality). The predictive factors are organized with an ecosystemic theoretical model using three general predictor categories: background and context factors (e.g., stepchildren), individual traits and behaviors (e.g., attachment to an ex-spouse), and couple interactional processes (e.g., couple consensus). Major factors related to lower remarriage quality include the roles of stepchildren, stepfamily complexity, emotional attachment to an ex-spouse, serial marriage, and economic strain. Predictors related to higher remarital quality include couple consensus on important topics, social support from family and friends, and financial stability. Implications for couple therapy before remarriage are discussed. Keywords Remarriage Á Marital quality Á Premarital predictorsDivorce rates continue to be high in the United States as nearly 50% of first marriages end in divorce and 27% of couple households in the US include at least one partner who has been previously married. The divorce rate for remarrieds is even higher-about 60% (Bramlett & Mosher, 2001), especially when remarried couples have stepchildren (Booth & Edwards, 1992). This makes it important for marriage and family therapists to understand the premarital factors that support a successful remarriage. The most recent reviews of remarriage focus more on general stepfamily dynamics rather than on the remarital dyad Stephanie Falke, M.S. is a doctoral student in marital and family therapy at