Affect, verbal content, and psychophysiology in the arguments of couples with a violent husband.

Studied the affect, psychophysiology, and verbal content of arguments in couples with a violent husband. On the basis of self-reports of violent arguments, there were no wife behaviors that successfully suppressed husband violence once it began; moreover, husband violence escalated in response to nonviolent as well as violent wife behaviors, whereas wife violence escalated only in reaction to husband violence or emotional abuse. Only wives were fearful during violent and nonviolent arguments. The observational coding of nonviolent arguments in the laboratory revealed that both battering husbands and their wives (DV) were angrier than their maritally distressed but nonviolent (DNV) counterparts. As predicted, on the more provocative anger codes, only DV men differed from their DNV counterparts. However, DV wives were as verbally aggressive toward their husbands as DV husbands were toward their wives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparing the responses of maritally violent and nonviolent spouses to problematic marital and nonmarital situations: Are the skill deficits of physically aggressive husbands and wives global?

This study compared the competency of responses offered by spouses in violent and nonviolent marriages to problematic marital and nonmarital situations. Twenty-five maritally violent and distressed, 10 nonviolent but maritally distressed, and 23 nonviolent and nondistressed couples participated. Each spouse listened to narratives of marital and nonmarital (e.g., boss or friend) problematic situation vignettes. Participants were asked what they would say and do in each situation. A coding system designed with input from nonviolent, happily married individuals showed that violent spouses provided less competent responses than nonviolent spouses for both marital and nonmarital situations and for both 1st and 2nd responses. The findings suggest that violent-distressed spouses have particular difficulty with marital situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Demand and withdraw communication among couples experiencing husband violence.

Two studies compared marital communication behaviors of violent and nonviolent couples. In Study 1, violent distressed (VD) men reported more husband demand-wife withdraw than did nonviolent men. Distressed men reported less mutual constructive communication and more mutual blame and avoidance than did nondistressed men. Interactions of VD, violent nondistressed (VND), nonviolent distressed (NVD), and nonviolent nondistressed couples were coded in Study 2. VD spouses tended to engage in the most demand and withdraw and the least positive behavior; violent couples had the highest levels of contempt. On some codes, VND couples resembled NVD couples, suggesting that violence without distress may correlate differently with marital communication than violence in combination with distress and that severity of violence is important to consider. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Power and violence: The relation between communication patterns, power discrepancies, and domestic violence.

Hypothesized that power discrepancies in the marital relationship, where the husband is subordinate, serve as risk factors for husband-to-wife violence. The construct of marital power was assessed from 3 power domains operationalized by discrepancies in economic status, decision-making power, communication patterns, and communication skill. Three groups of married couples (N?=?95) were compared: domestically violent (DV), maritally distressed/nonviolent, and maritally happy/nonviolent. DV couples were more likely than the 2 nonviolent groups to engage in husband-demand/wife-withdraw interactions. Within the DV group, husbands who had less power were more physically abusive toward their wives. Thus, violence may be compensatory behavior to make up for husbands' lack of power in other arenas of marriage. Difficulties in assessing marital power and future direction for the study of power and violence are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attributions and behavior in functional and dysfunctional marriages

The study examined whether spouses' attributions for partner behavior are related to their own behavior by assessing their attributions and observing the problem-solving discussions of couples in which (a) neither spouse was depressed or maritally distressed, (b) the wife was depressed and both spouses were maritally distressed, and (c) the wife was not depressed and both spouses were maritally distressed. To the extent they made maladaptive attributions, wives displayed less positive behavior and more negative behavior. Husbands' attributions and behavior were unrelated, and associations between attributions and behavior were not moderated by marital distress and depression. These results highlight the need to clarify how partner behavior contributes to the attributions spouses make and to reexamine interventions designed to modify attributions in marital therapy.     

Causal attributions of married couples: When do they search for causes? What do they conclude when they do?

Administered an attribution questionnaire and a partner behavior checklist to 20 nondistressed and 22 distressed couples (as determined by a dyadic adjustment scale). Instruments contained indirect and direct probes. Wives were aged 20–59 yrs; husbands were aged 20–61 yrs; 11 distressed couples had been referred to a clinic for marital therapy. Spouses were asked about frequent as well as infrequent relationship events and about partner behaviors that had positive or negative impacts on the recipient. Attributions were coded for content and contribution to the relationship. Results show that husbands in unsatisfying relationships reported more attributional thoughts than did happily married husbands, whereas wives in the 2 groups did not differ. Behaviors having negative impacts elicited more attributional activity than did positive behaviors. Behavioral frequency and impact interacted in ways contrary to predictions. Finally, distressed couples were particularly likely to report distress-maintaining attributions and were particularly unlikely to report relationship-enhancing attributions when compared with their nondistressed counterparts. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital interaction and depression.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 99(4) of Journal of Abnormal Psychology (see record 2008-10491-001). In this article, the measures in Table 1 were incorrectly listed. The third and fourth measures ought to read "Wife DAS" and "Husband DAS," respectively.] In this article, patterns of marital interaction as a function of depression and marital satisfaction are examined. The purpose of the study was to separate dysfunctional marital interaction patterns that were unique to depression from those that were associated with marital distress. The presence or absence of a depressed wife was crossed with level of marital satisfaction (distressed or nondistressed) to produce four groups of subject couples. Couples in which the wife was depressed exhibited more depressive behavior than did nondepressed couples, but only during discussion of a high conflict (as opposed to neutral) topic. Sex&×&Depression Level&×&Marital Satisfaction interactions were found for aggressive behavior: Depressed women in nondistressed relationships exhibited behavior that was characteristic of maritally distressed couples (high rates of aggression). In contrast, the husbands of these women exhibited behavior that one would expect in happily married couples (low rates of aggression). We failed to replicate previous findings that depressive behavior served a coercive function, although distressed couples, regardless of depression status, exhibited all the usual signs of negative dysfunctional interaction. [An erratum for this article will appear in Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1990 (Nov), Vol 99(4). The measures in Table 1 were incorrectly listed in the original article.] (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital communication: Differences among maritally distressed, depressed, and nondistressed-nondepressed couples.

Explored differences in communication and perception of communication among 3 types of married couples: maritally distressed, in which the wife was depressed; maritally distressed only couples; and nondistressed-nondepressed couples. Findings revealed differences both in the patterns of communication and in the meanings these patterns have for the relationship. The results suggested that depression within the context of a distressed marriage is related to (1) more negative communication both toward and from the depressed person and (2) spouses' lower comprehension of each other's messages. Among the nondistressed couples, the more negative their communication, the more maritally satisfied they were. The suggestion is made that "negative communication" might be used in a constructive way by nondistressed couples, whereas negative communication might be detrimental to distressed couples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Marital interaction and depression": Correction to Schmaling and Jacobson.

Reports an error in "Marital interaction and depression" by Karen B. Schmaling and Neil S. Jacobson (Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1990[Aug], Vol 99[3], 229-236). In this article, the measures in Table 1 were incorrectly listed. The third and fourth measures ought to read "Wife DAS" and "Husband DAS," respectively. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1991-01471-001.) In this article, patterns of marital interaction as a function of depression and marital satisfaction are examined. The purpose of the study was to separate dysfunctional marital interaction patterns that were unique to depression from those that were associated with marital distress. The presence or absence of a depressed wife was crossed with level of marital satisfaction (distressed or nondistressed) to produce four groups of subject couples. Couples in which the wife was depressed exhibited more depressive behavior than did nondepressed couples, but only during discussion of a high conflict (as opposed to neutral) topic. Sex?×?Depression Level?×?Marital Satisfaction interactions were found for aggressive behavior: Depressed women in nondistressed relationships exhibited behavior that was characteristic of maritally distressed couples (high rates of aggression). In contrast, the husbands of these women exhibited behavior that one would expect in happily married couples (low rates of aggression). We failed to replicate previous findings that depressive behavior served a coercive function, although distressed couples, regardless of depression status, exhibited all the usual signs of negative dysfunctional interaction. [An erratum for this article will appear in Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1990 (Nov), Vol 99(4). The measures in Table 1 were incorrectly listed in the original article.] (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Violent versus nonviolent husbands: Differences in attachment patterns, dependency, and jealousy.

Two studies were conducted to compare the attachment patterns, dependency, and jealousy of violent and maritally distressed husbands with that of nonviolent distressed and nonviolent-nondistressed husbands. In Study 1, participants completed the Adult Attachment Scale, Spouse Specific Dependency Scale, and Interpersonal Jealousy Scale. In Study 2, participants completed the Relationship Styles Questionnaire, Rempel Trust Scale, and Adult Attachment Interview. Results were generally consistent with hypotheses that, relative to nonviolent husbands, violent men would evidence more insecure, preoccupied, and disorganized attachment (e.g., anxiety about abandonment, discomfort with closeness, and difficulty in classifying attachment); more dependency on and preoccupation with their wives; and more jealousy and less trust in their marriage. In addition, the findings suggest that researchers need to more carefully compare various measures of attachment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationships between marital distress and child behavior problems, maternal personal adjustment, maternal personality, and maternal parenting behavior.

Examined the relationship of marital adjustment to maternal personal adjustment, maternal personality, maternal perception of child adjustment, maternal parenting behavior, and child behavior using 20 maritally distressed and 20 maritally nondistressed mothers and their children (aged 3–7 yrs). Ss were given a battery of tests that included the Beck Depression Inventory, the Trait form of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Personality Research Form—Form A. Results indicate that, compared to mothers in the maritally nondistressed group, mothers in the distressed group perceived themselves as significantly more anxious and depressed and perceived their children as having significantly more behavior problems, particularly in the area of undercontrol. There were no differences between the groups with respect to maternal personality. Maritally distressed mothers showed less appropriate parenting behavior than did nondistressed mothers and the children of maritally distressed mothers were more deviant than were children of nondistressed mothers. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Before children: Preparenthood cognitions of distressed and husband-to-wife aggressive couples.

Positive and negative cognitions about parenthood were assessed in a sample of recently married childless spouses who were in nondistressed, distressed, and husband-to-wife (H-to-W) aggressive marriages (328 husbands and 331 wives). As predicted, maritally distressed spouses held more negative cognitions about parenthood than did nondistressed spouses. Results indicated that spouses in H-to-W aggressive marriages expected parenthood to be a more unpredictable and difficult job than spouses in marriages not involving H-to-W aggression. Wives also reported more fears that having a child would result in a loss of freedom than did husbands. No distress, H-to-W aggression level, or gender differences were obtained for positive preparenthood cognitions. Finally, wives' but not husbands' positive and negative preparenthood cognitions at 6 months of marriage were able to predict parenthood status at 30 months of marriage. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital distress, depression, and attributions: Is the marital distress-attribution association an artifact of depression?

We examined whether the association between marital distress and attributions is an artifact of depression. Study 1 showed that the attributions of 40 wives recruited from the community accounted for variance in their marital satisfaction after the effects of depression had been taken into account. Study 2 compared the attributions of 20 clinically depressed and maritally distressed wives (respondents to an advertisement offering therapy for depression and marital problems), 20 nondepressed but distressed wives (clients seeking marital therapy at a clinic), and a control group of 20 nondepressed and nondistressed wives (respondents to an advertisement for participants in a research project). The first two groups did not differ in attributions, but the attributions of both groups differed from those of the control group. Both studies therefore suggest that the association between attributions and marital satisfaction is not due to depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Refining the association between attributions and behavior in marital interaction.

Evidence in support of an association between attributions and behavior in marital interaction is incomplete and subject to alternative interpretations. To address this problem, 120 newlywed spouses completed measures of marital satisfaction and marital attributions and participated in 2 interaction tasks. In one task, spouses discussed a marital difficulty with their partner. In the other task, one spouse described a personal difficulty that he or she wanted to resolve while the partner provided support; these roles were then reversed. To the extent that wives offered maladaptive attributions, they tended to behave in ways that hindered problem resolution in both tasks. Attributions and behavior were more strongly related among wives than husbands and among relatively distressed spouses than nondistressed spouses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conflict resolution in distressed and nondistressed married couples.

Compared the communication interactions of 12 maritally distressed and 12 nondistressed (as determined by the Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Test) couples while they engaged in conflict resolution tasks. Analyses of ratings from 2 behavioral observation systems (Interpersonal Behavior Rating System and the Coding Scheme for Interpersonal Conflict) indicated that distressed couples made significantly more negative and fewer positive cognitive and problem-solving acts. Sequential analyses showed that distressed couples evidenced more reciprocity of negative communications as compared with nondistressed couples. The influence of individual spouse, couple type, and other experimental factors on communication patterns were quantified using multivariate analyses. The relationships of these findings to the etiology and treatment of marital distress are discussed. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Negative reciprocity and communication in couples with a violent husband.

To better understand the relationship dynamics of couples experiencing husband-to-wife violence, the interaction patterns of 29 domestically violent (DV), 15 distressed but nonviolent (DNV), and 13 happily married (HM) couples were examined using the Marital Interaction Coding System and lag sequential analyses. DV spouses were generally more often aversive and less often facilitative than nonviolent couples. DV couples were significantly more likely to engage in negative reciprocity than their DNV or their HM counterparts. DV wives were as likely as their husbands to reciprocate negative behavior. Furthermore, no support was found for a negative reinforcement hypothesis that husbands' aversiveness was shaped or maintained by wives' capitulation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital violence: Characteristics of abusive couples.

The Short Marital Adjustment Test, short form of the Attitudes Toward Women Scale, Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, and measures of assertion were administerd to 52 abused wives (AWs) and 20 abusive husbands (AHs) who were seen at a center that specializes in domestic violence problems. Comparison data were collected from 20 couples with satisfactory marriages and 20 maritally dysfunctional nonviolent couples. Results show that although AWs and AHs were differentiated from satisfactorily married couples on almost every measure, when comparisons were made with nonabused wives in marital therapy, no measures yielded significant between-group differences. Three variables differentiated AHs from nonabusive husbands with marital difficulties: (a) AHs were less assertive with their wives, (b) they were more likely to have been abused children, and (c) they were more likely to have witnessed parental spouse abuse in their families of origin. Alcoholism and conservatism characterized the men who would not come for therapy with their AWs. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting couples' response to marital therapy: A comparison of short- and long-term predictors.

Identified predictors of couples' response to marital therapy at termination and 4 yrs posttreatment for 55 couples receiving either behavioral or insight-oriented marital therapy. Couples were more likely to remain maritally distressed at termination if either spouse reported high levels of negative marital affect or depressive symptomatology at intake. Couples were more likely to be divorced or maritally distressed 4 yrs after completing therapy if spouses' intake measures reflected high levels of negative marital affect, poor problem-solving skills, low psychological resilience, high levels of depression, low emotional responsiveness, or if neither spouse was employed at a semiskilled or higher level position. Termination measures of negative marital affect and poor communication skills also predicted couples' status at 4-yr follow-up. Joint contingency tables relating predictors to outcome were constructed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Efficacy of a tiered therapy defibrillator system used to treat recurrent ventricular arrhythmias refractory to drugs

This study identified predictors of couples' response to marital therapy at termination and 4 years posttreatment for 55 couples receiving either behavioral or insight-oriented marital therapy. Couples were more likely to remain maritally distressed at termination if either spouse reported high levels of negative marital affect or depressive symptomatology at intake. Couples were more likely to be divorced or maritally distressed 4 years after completing therapy if spouses' intake measures reflected high levels of negative marital affect, poor problem-solving skills, low psychological resilience, high levels of depression, low emotional responsiveness, or if neither spouse was employed at a semiskilled or higher level position. Termination measures of negative marital affect and poor communication skills also predicted couples' status at 4-year follow-up. Joint contingency tables relating predictors to outcome were constructed.