Ruvolo (1998): study US Detroit 1987

Publication

Author(s):

Ruvolo, A.P.

Title:

Marital Well-Being and General Happiness of Newlywed Couples: Relationships across Time.

Source:

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 1998, Vol. 15, 470 - 489

Investigation

Public

Newly wed couples, USA, followed one year 1987-1988

Survey name

Unnamed study

Sample

Probability systematic sample

Respondents

N = 634

Non Response

Assessment

Interview: face-to-face
In the first wave of study, they were interviewed seprately face to face. In the second wave, it is interviewd via telephone.

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:

Self report on single question:
Taking all together, how happy would you say you are these days?
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

10 step version of the rating scale
3 very happy
2 pretty happy
1 not too happy
Labels on this 10 step version not reported

Classification:

O-HL-c-sq-n-10-f

Author's label:

General Happiness

Remarks:

Assessed at T1 shortly after marriage and T2 one year later
T1: wives M= 3.56, sd= ,5, Husband M= 3,49, SD=,54
T2: Wives, M= 3,52, sd= ,56, Husband, M= 3,51, SD= ,52

Page in publication:

476

Observed distribution

Summary Statistics

On original range 1 - 10 On range 0-10

Mean:

3.59 2.88

SD:

0.52 0.58

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Same time perception of mariage as happy Attitudes to own marriage-relationship Same time certainity to be married in 5 years Expectation to maintain marriage Same time perception of marriage as stable Perceived stability of one's marriage Same time (not) consider leaving marriage Consider divorce Later perception of marriage as happy Later satisfaction with current marriage Later certanity to be married in 5 years Characteristics of later marriage-relationship(s)
Later expectation to maintain marriage Later perception of marriage as stable Later perception of marriage as stable Later (not) consideration of leaving marriage Later consider divorce Later satisfaction with marriage Later satisfaction with current marriage Same time satisfaction with marriage Satisfaction with marriage Same time marital wellbeing index Attitudes to own marriage-relationship Later marital wellbeing index Characteristics of later marriage-relationship(s) Life satisfaction one year later Recent happiness (< 1 year ago) Earlier marital satisfaction Earlier satisfaction with current marriage-relationship