Marriage, Family Issues to be Focus of Lecture

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- From the "Sopranos" to such films as "Life as a House," popular culture offers society a broad range of observations about relationships in families.

In one's daily life, however, vital questions remain: How do children adjust to their parents' divorcing? How does the relationship between parents affect their children? What are the key elements to achieving a successful marriage?

Frank Fincham, professor of psychology at the University at Buffalo, will discuss the findings of 30 years of psychological research on marriage and family issues, as well as expose some of the prevalent myths currently held by the public, during a lecture at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 17, in the Screening Room in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus.

The lecture, entitled "The Ties that Bind: On Marriage, Divorce and Children," is part of the College of Arts and Sciences Spring 2002 Lecture Series. It will be free of charge and open to the public. For further information, call 645-2711.

A UB faculty member since 1999,Fincham has a joint appointment in the clinical and social psychology programs. His research spans clinical, developmental and social psychological perspectives in the study of personal relationships. He has undertaken research programs in two complementary areas: The first focuses on understanding marriage/partnership, particularly the cognitive processes involved in conflict, while the second examines the association between interparental conflict/divorce and child adjustment. He is beginning a new program of research on forgiveness in family relationships.

A former Rhodes Scholar, Fincham has received numerous awards for his research, including the President's Award from the British Psychological Society for "distinguished contributions to psychological knowledge," and the Berscheid-Hatfield Award from the International Network on Personal Relationships for "sustained, substantial and distinguished contributions to the field of personal relationships."