Sequential analysis of conflict and accord in distressed and nondistressed marital partners.

Abstract

The interactional patterns of distressed (n = 22) and nondistressed (« = 17) couples were compared through base rate and sequential analyses of communication samples that were coded with the Marital Interactional Coding System.Nondistressed, compared to distressed, couples emitted higher rates of problem-solving, verbal and nonverbal positive, and neutral behaviors.Sex differences were found for Nonverbal Positive and Neutral behaviors.The sequential analyses provided support, but of limited duration, for positive and negative reciprocity and negative reactivity.The combination of sequential and base rate variables, contrasted with base rate variables alone, made a moderate contribution to the prediction of marital satisfaction.The importance of sequential analyses for examining marital interactional processes is discussed, and several methodological considerations in conducting sequential analyses are examined.A frequently articulated objective in the marital interaction literature is the identification of interactional patterns that differentiate between functional and dysfunctional styles of communication (Gottman, 1979).This concern with communication patterns reflects interest in how spouses influence one another's behavior rather than how they behave as separate individuals.From a social learning perspective, the exploration of interaction patterns is grounded in the assumption that behaviors displayed by intimate partners are lawfully related (Azrin, Naster, & Jones, 1973;Jacobson & Margolin, 1979;Rappaport & Harrell, 1972;Stuart, 1969;Weiss, 1978); that is, each spouse's behavior is controlled by discriminative and reinforcing stimuli provided

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