This study explores the severity of psychological and physical aggression that recurred during and following couples\' participation in Domestic Violence-Focused Couple Therapy. The overall recurrence of violence was found to be quite high. Chi Square tests revealed a difference in severity of violence during the time couples (N=41) were participating in the program in that more couples reported minor only violence at post-test than at pre-test and fewer couples reported severe violence at post-test than at pre-test for both psychological and physical aggression. Also, more couple reported no physical aggression at post-test than at pre-test and fewer couples reported severe physical aggression at post-test than at pre-test. It was also found that much of the violence that recurred during and following participation in the program was coded in the same category of severity at pre-test and post-test and at post-test and follow-up and few couples reported an increase in the severity of the violence they experienced. Implications for treating couples experiencing interpersonal violence and suggestions for further research are discussed. / Master of Science

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references.

This study attempts to better understand relationship processes that promote or enhance a couple’s experience of emotional intimacy in their relationship. An overarching goal of the research is to test Reis and Shaver’s (1988) interpersonal process model of intimacy with a sample of committed, romantic couples. The interpersonal process model asserts that discussions involving self-disclosure and empathic responding will result in subjective feelings of emotional intimacy. Reis and Shaver’s model suggests that more vulnerable self-disclosure will promote deeper levels of emotional understanding and concern, subsequently resulting in greater subjective intimacy. Analyses tested the interpersonal process model of intimacy by examining self- and partner-reports of self-disclosure, empathic responding, and emotional intimacy. In this study, data were collected on 108 committed romantic couples from the community. Couples completed a packet of questionnaires individually and then engaged in videotaped interactions in which they discussed times when (a) someone other than their partner hurt their feelings (low-risk), and (b) their partner hurt their feelings (high-risk). The discussion topics were aimed at eliciting vulnerable self-disclosure and empathic responding. Results support the interpersonal process model, showing that self-disclosure and empathy are positively related to greater reports of post-interaction intimacy. Empathy proved to have a stronger impact on intimacy in high-risk discussions than low-risk discussions. The impact of self-disclosure and empathy on intimacy did not differ for men and women, suggesting that similar processes are at work for both genders. Methodological and clinical implications are discussed, along with suggestions for future research.

Intimacy is an important component of romantic relationships and a lack of intimacy is one of the most common presenting problems of distressed couples, but the process through which intimacy develops is not well understood. This study examined the evidence for the interpersonal process model of intimacy described by Reis and Shaver (1988), which proposes that self-disclosure and empathic responding are the basis of intimate interactions. The sample consisted of 108 community couples who completed measures of intimacy after having videotaped discussions about relationship injuries that occurred both within and outside of the relationship. The Couples' Intimate Behavior Coding System (CIB) was developed to assess depth of factual, emotional, and cognitive self-disclosure and components of empathic responding in these discussions. Results indicate that males' own disclosure and empathic responding predicted their feelings of intimacy, whereas females' intimacy was predicted by their partner's disclosure and empathic responding. The effects of both self- and partner-disclosure appear to have been driven by factual and emotional components of disclosure. These results provide preliminary evidence that self-disclosure and empathic responding are important behaviors in the development of intimate feelings for both men and women, but the manner in which these behaviors influence intimacy differs by gender.

This study attempts to better understand relationship processes that promote or enhance a couple’s experience of emotional intimacy in their relationship. An overarching goal of the research is to test Reis and Shaver’s (1988) interpersonal process model of intimacy with a sample of committed, romantic couples. The interpersonal process model asserts that discussions involving self-disclosure and empathic responding will result in subjective feelings of emotional intimacy. Reis and Shaver’s model suggests that more vulnerable self-disclosure will promote deeper levels of emotional understanding and concern, subsequently resulting in greater subjective intimacy. Analyses tested the interpersonal process model of intimacy by examining self- and partner-reports of self-disclosure, empathic responding, and emotional intimacy. In this study, data were collected on 108 committed romantic couples from the community. Couples completed a packet of questionnaires individually and then engaged in videotaped interactions in which they discussed times when (a) someone other than their partner hurt their feelings (low-risk), and (b) their partner hurt their feelings (high-risk). The discussion topics were aimed at eliciting vulnerable self-disclosure and empathic responding. Results support the interpersonal process model, showing that self-disclosure and empathy are positively related to greater reports of post-interaction intimacy. Empathy proved to have a stronger impact on intimacy in high-risk discussions than low-risk discussions. The impact of self-disclosure and empathy on intimacy did not differ for men and women, suggesting that similar processes are at work for both genders. Methodological and clinical implications are discussed, along with suggestions for future research.

Intimacy is an important component of romantic relationships and a lack of intimacy is one of the most common presenting problems of distressed couples, but the process through which intimacy develops is not well understood. This study examined the evidence for the interpersonal process model of intimacy described by Reis and Shaver (1988), which proposes that self-disclosure and empathic responding are the basis of intimate interactions. The sample consisted of 108 community couples who completed measures of intimacy after having videotaped discussions about relationship injuries that occurred both within and outside of the relationship. The Couples' Intimate Behavior Coding System (CIB) was developed to assess depth of factual, emotional, and cognitive self-disclosure and components of empathic responding in these discussions. Results indicate that males' own disclosure and empathic responding predicted their feelings of intimacy, whereas females' intimacy was predicted by their partner's disclosure and empathic responding. The effects of both self- and partner-disclosure appear to have been driven by factual and emotional components of disclosure. These results provide preliminary evidence that self-disclosure and empathic responding are important behaviors in the development of intimate feelings for both men and women, but the manner in which these behaviors influence intimacy differs by gender.

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on Feb. 18, 2010). The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Dr. Lawrence Ganong, Thesis Advisor. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (PhD) -- Australian Catholic University, 2005. / Submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Bibliography: p. 268-298. Also available in an electronic format via the internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Sociology, December 1997. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.