Demand-withdraw communication in marital interaction: Tests of interspousal contingency and gender role hypotheses

Author(s): Smith, D. A.

Journal/Book: J Marriage Fam. 1996; 58: 3989 Central Ave NE #550, Minneapolis, MN 55421. Natl Counc Family Relations. 945-957.

Abstract: This article examines the demand-withdraw communication dynamic during which one spouse requests change and the other disengages from the topic. We evaluated two problem-solving discussions by each of 50 married couples using both self-report questionnaires and microanalytic observational coding. Working under the hypothesis that demand-withdraw results from a disparity in the motivation to change, we asked each couple to discuss an issue about which the husband wanted the wife to change and an issue about which the wife wanted the husband to change. Data showed that wives demanded and husbands withdrew during discussions of her issue, whereas husbands demanded and wives withdrew during discussions of his issue. Time-series analyses of observational data confirmed that demand and withdraw behaviors are temporally associated during the course of discussion. We classified couples as bidirectional, wife-dominant, husband-dominant, and nondependent, based on the pattern of interdependency they exhibited.

Note: Article Klinetob NA, Ohio State Univ, Dept Psychol, 142 Townshend Hall, 1885 Neil Ave Mall, Columbus,OH 43210 USA

Keyword(s): communication; demand withdraw; interaction patterns; marital interaction; time-series analysis; INTRACLASS CORRELATIONS; DYADIC ADJUSTMENT; CONFLICT; COUPLES; RELIABILITY; MARRIAGE; PATTERN; QUALITY

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