The Taxometrics of Marriage: Is Marital Discord Categorical? |
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Authors: | Beach, Steven R. H. Fincham, Frank D. Amir, Nader Leonard, Kenneth E. |
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Abstract: | This study used taxometric methods to investigate the latent structure of the construct of marital adjustment as indexed by the Marital Adjustment Test (MAT; H. J. Locke & K. M. Wallace, 1959). That is, the authors examined whether marital adjustment is best thought of as a "dimension" of adjustment only or whether there also are categorical differences between "discordant" and "nondiscordant" couples. Analyses of data provided by 447 couples married for approximately 2 years provided converging evidence for a latent category of marital discord, suggesting that marital discord can be viewed as a qualitatively distinct state experienced by approximately 20% of the couples in the current sample. Implications for marital assessment are outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
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Keywords: | taxometrics marriage marital discord couples marital adjustment categorical differences |
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