Marital stability, satisfaction and well-being in old age: variability and continuity in long-term continuously married older persons.

Objectives: Recent research shows that the well-documented positive effects of marital stability on well-being and health outcomes are conditional upon the quality of marriage. To date, few studies have explored the relationship between marital satisfaction, well-being and health among very long-term married individuals. This study aims at identifying groups of long-term married persons with respect to marital satisfaction and comparing them longitudinally concerning their well-being outcomes, marital stressors, personality and socio-demographic variables.

[Strengthening parenting competences through primary prevention: one ounce of prevention weighs more than one pound of therapy].

Upon a clarification of the term and main components of parenting competences, the present contribution first delineates research-focused aspects and various target groups for primary familial prevention. Then, an overview of a selection of preventive measures for German speaking countries aiming at strengthening parental competences is provided for universal prevention programs including available information on the effectiveness of the corresponding programs. Next, an account of some meta-analytic findings and cost-benefit analyses concerning the relevance of parenting programs is presented.

[Living donors in kidney transplantation. Renaissance by non-related donors?].

Renal Transplantation is hampered worldwide by the continuing lack of cadaveric organs. The discrepancy between the number of patients on the waiting list and the number of organs available is further compounded by the still unresolved problem of chronic transplant failure. Against this background, the arguments for increasing acceptance of the use of kidneys from living donors, both related and unrelated, are discussed.

Causes and consequences of harsh parental punishment. An empirical investigation in a representative sample of 570 German families.

This article examines a multifactorial model of causes and consequences of harsh parental punishment. The social-psychological model as developed by Gelles was extended to also include the antecedent conditions leading to rigid assertion of parental power relating to the child. Furthermore, personality problems of the child observable as consequences of harsh parental punishment were included in our model.