Carl A. Ridley

Relationship enhancement with premarital dyads: A six-month follow-up

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to assess the short-term and longterm effectiveness of relationship enhancement on the self-disclosure and empathy skills of premarital dating couples. Nineteen couples were given the Guerney Relationship Enhancement Program over an eight week period, while 18 other couples were given a lecture/discussion program on relationship development. Behavioral assessments of self-disclosure and empathy skill levels were taken prior to training, immediately following training, and six months after training. Results indicated that from both pretest to posttest and pretest to follow-up, the relationship enhancement couples, relative to the lecture/discussion couples, demonstrated a significant increase in both self-disclosure and empathy skill levels. Discussion centers on the implications of the durability of the skills learned as well as on suggestions for future research on skill generalization to social interactions with others.

The Role of Conflict-Based Communication Responses and Outcomes in Male Domestic Violence toward Female Partners

The general purpose of this study was to investigate domestic violence within a conflict framework. Specifically, the associations between conflict-based, communication responses and outcome behaviors and the frequency and severity of male domestic violence towards female partners were examined. Participants were 251 male volunteers who reported on a range of communication responses and outcomes for both self and partner. The contribution of relationship distress was controlled for and also examined as a moderator. Relationship distress was not found to be a significant moderator. Results showed that 8 communication response variables and 4 outcome variables were significantly associated with the frequency and/or severity of male domestic violence. Relative to non-violent relationships, relationships with male violence had more male and female unilateral verbal aggression, more mutual verbal aggression, more male demand/partner withdraw, less constructive relative to destructive communication, and less mutual problem-solving. Relationships with male violence also had poorer resolution of problems and more emotional distance after problem arguments and discussions than their non-violent counterparts.

Relationship enhancement with premarital couples: An assessment of effects on relationship quality.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a relationship enhancement program on the relationship adjustment; trust and intimacy; empathy, warmth and genuinesness; and communication of premarital couples. Twenty-five experimental couples were given the Guerney Relationship Enhancement program over an eight-week period, while 29 couples participated in a relationship discussion group over the same period of time. Self-report measures designed to assess the dependent variables were administered to the experimental and control groups at pretest and posttest. Results showed that following training the experimental group, relative to the control group, made significant increases on all dependent variables. Discussion centered on the benefits of relationship enhancement on improving both the empathy and self-disclosure behavioral skill levels and the self-report indices of relationship quality.

Female domestic violence toward male partners: Exploring conflict responses and outcomes

The general purpose of this study was to investigate domestic violence within a conflict framework. Specifically, the association between conflict-based, communication response and outcome behaviors and the frequency and severity of female domestic violence towards male partners was examined. Participants were 153 female volunteers who reported on a range of communication responses and outcomes for both self and partner. The contribution of relationship distress was controlled for and also examined as a moderator. Relationship distress was not found to be a significant moderator. Results showed that seven communication response variables and four outcome variables were significantly associated with the frequency and/or severity of female domestic violence. Relative to nonviolent relationships, relationships with female violence had more male and female unilateral verbal aggression, more mutual verbal aggression, more male verbal aggression/female calms things down, more male demand/partner withdraw, more mutual avoidance, and less constructive relative to destructive communication. Relationships with female violence also had poorer resolution of problems and more emotional distance after problem arguments and discussions than their nonviolent counterparts.

INTERPERSONAL PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS TRAINING WITH AGGRESSIVE YOUNG CHILDREN.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an interpersonal problem-solving training program with aggressive young children. There were 13 children in the experimental group and 11 children in the contact control group. Both experimental and contact control group children were evaluated at pretest, posttest, and follow-up on the Behavioral Interpersonal Problem Solving Test (BIPS). Experimental group subjects were exposed to the interpersonal problem-solving skills training program for 50 training sessions. The contact control group participated in reading-story sessions during the same time period. Results and discussion reflect the efficacy of the training procedure and the nature of the change in interpersonal problem-solving behavior in aggressive young children.

The ebb and flow of marital lust: A relational approach

This diary study examined daily fluctuation in marital lust over a 56‐day period. The purposes of the study were to describe typical patterns of lust over time and to examine intrapersonal and interpersonal associations between relationship affect, relationship states, and marital lust. We also tested various daily moderational predictions. Four patterns of daily fluctuation in lust were identified. Typical patterns varied from almost no fluctuation to wide fluctuation over time. Our findings showed that daily affect was generally related to lust both within partners and between partners. Also, spouses’ relational states (closeness and equality of power) moderated several of these intrapersonal and interpersonal associations. In general, the affect‐lust link was strengthened by closeness and equality of power, while the lust‐lust link between spouses was often conditioned by both relationship affect and relational states. However, the role of negative affect toward spouses in interactions with other constructs was not as expected. We discuss possible explanations for the findings and implications for further research.

Conflict Management: A Premarital Training Program in Mutual Problem Solving.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured educational program designed to train premarital couples in communication and mutual problem-solving skills. Twenty-six couples participated in an eight-week, 24-hour problem-solving training program, while 28 similar couples participated in an eight-week, 24-hour relationship discussion group. Results indicated that the problem-solving group, as compared to the relationship-discussion group, showed a significant increase in communication and mutual problem-solving skills. Discussion focused on the benefits for premarital couples of learning effective problemsolving procedures as well as the need for follow-up assessments of both behavioral skill level and relationship satisfaction and adjustment.

Interpersonal problem solving: An intervention program for preschool children☆

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention program designed to train preschool children in interpersonal problem solving skills. Forty preschool age children were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. Experimental subjects were trained in interpersonal problem solving skills for ten weeks, four days per week, for a total of 10–13 hours. Problem-solving skills were assessed at pretest, posttest, and three months after training was completed. Seventy-eight percent of the children who participated in pretest and posttest were tested at follow-up. Results indicated that the experimental group, compared to the control group, showed a significant increase in both cognitive—verbal and behavioral interpersonal problem-solving skills from pretest to posttest and that these changes were maintained at follow-up testing. Discussion focuses on suggestions for future research and implications for applied settings.

Stress and Unemployment in Rural Nonfarm Couples: A Study of Hardships and Coping Resources.

This study was designed to explore effects of unemployment on stress with rural nonfarm families. Specifically, relationships were analyzed among increases in financial management, increases in financial arguments, and coping resources on stress. Eighty-eight husbands and wives (44 couples) participated in the study. The study determined that increases in financial arguments are more predictive of stress than actual changes in financial management, especially for wives. Avoidance coping was predictive of stress and mediated the relationship between financial arguments and stress for both husbands and wives. Implications for counselors and educators are discussed.

Using online methods and designs to conduct research on personal relationships

In recent years the Internet has become a useful tool for carrying out research. The authors provide information specific to relationship research regarding qualitative and quantitative research methods, the advantages and disadvantages of online research, and practical concerns researchers may have regarding data quality and validity, sampling issues, and ethical considerations. They conclude with an empirical example of how the Internet can be used to carry out longitudinal, daily diary, self-report, and relationship research.