DIFFERENTIATION FROM EX-SPOUSES AND STEPFAMILY MARITAL INTIMACY

Based on Masheter's (1991) results supporting the relationship between attachment to an ex-spouse and personal functioning, this study explored the relationship between attachment to an ex-spouse and spousal well-being, specifically marital intimacy in stepfamilies. The sample consisted of 127 volunteer spouses who completed the Masheter (1991) inventory as the measure of differentiation from ex-spouses and the PAIR as the measure of marital intimacy. The study found a significant positive relationship between the two variables. These findings suggest that the relationship between ex-spouses and between current spouses is an important component of counseling with stepfamily couples.