Assessment of Couples

What do we want to assess?  Pathology in each partner  Positive feelings for partner and marriage (satisfaction)  Areas of agreement  Communication  Problem-solving  Problem areas Affection Sex Finances Childrearing

Marital Adjustment Test (Locke-Wallace)  The first commonly used scale (1959)  15-item, paper and pencil  Takes less than 10 minutes  Given to both partners  Measures global marital satisfaction

Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Spanier, 1976)  32-item scale, takes less than 15 minutes  “Borrows” from MAT  Given to both partners  Measures global satisfaction  Measures 4 dimensions Dyadic consensus Dyadic cohesion Dyadic satisfaction Affectional expression

Marital Satisfaction Inventory (Snyder, 1981)  280 true-false items  Given to both partners  Plotted as a profile using T-scores  Assesses satisfaction as well as more specific problem areas  Scales include Validity Global distress Affective communication Problem-solving communication Time together Disagreement about finances Sexual dissatisfaction Role orientation Family history of distress Dissatisfaction with children Conflict over child rearing

Family Environment Scale (Moos, 1981)  Part of a series of social climate scales  3 forms (ideal, real, expectations)  Can be used for multiple family members  10 scales 3 relationship dimensions 5 personal growth dimensions 2 system maintenance dimensions  Distressed families show lower cohesion, expressiveness, independence, intellectual and recreation orientation; show higher conflict and control