In this article, the authors present a newly developed self-report measure that assesses specific communication skills that couples may use, particularly during conflict discussions. The authors present preliminary findings from 2 studies on this measure to support its validity and use in guiding and measuring the effectiveness of clinical interventions with couples. Specific clinical implications related to the development of this measure are discussed.Each year, over a million marriages dissolve, representing a 50% probability of divorce (National Center for Health Statistics, 1990). Because divorce has tremendous psychological and economic costs (Julien, Markman, & Lindahl, 1989), researchers have attempted to uncover the correlates of marital distress. Couple communication has received a great deal of attention in investigations of marital distress, and it has proven to be productive in increasing our understanding of why marriages are unsuccessful. Consistently, studies have indicated that happy and unhappy couples differ in their communication, particularly in how they handle conflicts (Birchler, Weiss, Vincent, 1975;Gottman, 1979;Gottman, Markman, & Notarius, 1977;Markman & Notarius, 1987). Current research indicates that whereas happy couples use more facilitative behaviors such as paraphrasing, asking for clarification or elaboration, and seeking and giving information (Wegener, Revenstorf, Hahlweg, & Schindler, 1979; as cited in Schapp, 1984), unhappy couples exhibit more negativity and escalation during conflict

In this article the author reviews current literature that investigates the connection between a history of childhood physical and/or sexual abuse and subsequent substance use. In general, current research findings have found a link between child maltreatment and substance use. However, the number of studies focusing on the connection between child abuse and substance use and misuse are limited, and many are plagued with a number of methodological weaknesses. Methodological weaknesses are reviewed and implications for future research are discussed.

Data were obtainedfrom a nonclinical sample of 1,121 Mexican American and White non-Hispanic adolescent females. Three hundred and three female participants who reported being sexually assaulted were compared to 793females who reported no history of sexual assault on a number of psychosocial characteristics. Male participants were excluded due to small N. White non-Hispanic adolescent females were twice as likely to report sexual assault as Mexican American adolescentfemales. Although rates of sexual assault differed across ethnicity, ethnicity did not influence the relationship between sexual assault and psychosocial characteristics of victims. Results did indicate, however; that sexual assault victims reported more emotional distress, more social isolation and more deviant behavior than nonvictims. Likewise, sexual assault victims reported poorer school adjustment, were more likely to affiliate with deviant peers, and were more likely to come from homes in which there was parental substance use and family conflict.

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of sports participation and race/ethnicity on violence and victimization among a sample of white, African American, and Hispanic rural-area high school girls. It was hypothesized that girls who participated in sports would report lower rates of violent behavior and fewer incidents of victimization. Using logistic regression and multivariate analysis of variance, evidence for the hypotheses was mixed and appeared to be related to the type of violence and victimization. Sports participants were less likely to engage in general violence and reported less physical and sexual victimization, but did not experience less intimate partner violence victimization. Conversely, sports participants were more likely to engage in verbal and physical reactive violence. While sports participation may have some preventative impact on violence and victimization, this relationship may also be influenced by community characteristics and not a universal outcome.

Psychosocial and emotional characteristics were assessed in a nonclinical sample of 1,385 adolescent Mexican American and White non-Hispanic males. Fifty-four males who reported being sexually assaulted one or more times were compared to 1,331 males who reported no history of sexual assault. Sexually assaulted male victims were more emotionally distressed, socially isolated, deviant (e.g., lying & stealing), likely to affiliate with deviant peers, and to come from homes in which there was parental substance use, than males who did not report sexual assault. Significant differences were not found between Mexican American and White non-Hispanic assault victims. Implications of these findings are discussed.