The model predicts that couples who have fewer enduring vulnerabilities, fewer stressors, and are better at using effective adaptive processes are more likely to experience high marital quality and stability. On the other hand, couples with many enduring vulnerabilities, encounter many stressors, and use ineffective adaptive processes will experience lower marital quality and/or divorce.

Diagram of Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation Model

A model that attempts to predict marriage quality and stability that focuses on three main aspects: 
- Stressful events (external factors)
- Enduring Vulnerabilities (stable demographic, historical, personality, and experiential factors of each person in the relationship)
- Adaptive Processes (How people react and cope with differences and problems)

Alma College

Investigated the psychological, sociological, and interpersonal barriers to the reason why African-Americans may be less likely to get married using 2 main overarching frameworks:
- Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation Model
- Theories of Constraint

Conceptual and Theoretical Frameworks Utilized

Chambers, A. L., & Kravitz, A. (2011). Understanding the disproportionately low marriage rate among African Americans: An amalgam of sociological and psychological constraints. Family Relations, 60(5), 648-660.

Understanding the disproportionately low marriage rate among African Americans: An amalgam of sociological and psychological constraints.

Idea that human beings behave and think in certain ways specifically because there are constraints which exist that prevent them from doing otherwise.  These constraints exist on all levels of the human system on both an individual and structural level.

- Sociological Constraints
- Psychological Constraints

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