ABSTRACT
This chapter presents unifying themes in American culture, which may affect the types of stressors couples in the US may face. It reviews empirical studies conducted in the US on stress and dyadic coping, as conceptualized by the systemic-transactional model. The US broadly embodies traits and values that lend to its classification as an individualistic society. In addition to the focus on individualism, political and social movements in the US, such as the women's rights and civil rights movements, continue to shape the views of human roles and values over time as social climates change. Together, the individualistic nature and social movements of the US influence the function and roles intimate partners have within their romantic relationship. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), close to half of the marriages in the US end in divorce, and the tendency to divorce have been increasing over the last sixty years.
