How Influence and Satisfaction with Influence in Decision-making Affect Marital Conflict Tactics: A Multi-group Cross-domain Growth Analysis
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to (a) examine empirically women's and men's patterns of change that occur in the conflict tactics domains of verbal reasoning and psychological aggression over four years in early marriage; (b) test whether percentage of couple income, percentage of couple education, influence in decision-making, and satisfaction with influence in decision-making were significant predictors of wives' and husbands' initial status and change over four years in the use of verbal reasoning and psychological aggression; and (c) examine differences between the fitted model for the women and the fitted model for the men. A multi-group cross-domain growth analysis model was fit with longitudinal data from a sample of 118 spouses (59 couples). Verbal reasoning and psychological aggression declined over the four years for both women and men. Percentage of couple income and percentage of couple education were not significant predictors of the true initial status of verbal reasoning or psychological aggression for either women or men. Influence in decision-making and satisfaction with influence in decision-making reduced the unexplained variance in the true initial status of verbal reasoning by 12% and of psychological aggression by 23%. Differences between women and men were examined. Application of findings to marriage and family therapy and recommendations for future research were discussed.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Keiley, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Individual & family studies|Communication
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