the case of women who are traditionally expected to be primary caretakers of young children. Very often, stay-at-home mothers feel unfulfilled and isolated from adult challenges. On the other hand, if they choose to work outside, they are often overwhelmed by multiple responsibilities. Consequently, some couples will engage in frequent conflicts with the husbands feeling pressured at home and at work and the wives feeling overworked and unappreciated for her sacrifices (Peterson, 1995a; Haley, 1973).
The middle marriage period is reached typically when the couples' young children reach the adolescence stage. The dramatic physiological and psychological transformation of adolescents can often disrupt the stability of the family system and the couple's relationship. As their adolescent children begin to assert their individual identities and express new ideas, couples will have to alter their parenting style and learn how to accommodate the former's choices and preferences. At the same time, couples are also facing their own issues such as the expan
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