Depression, relationship quality, and couples’ demand/withdraw and demand/submit sequential interactions.

Abstract

This study investigated the associations among depression, relationship quality, and demand/withdraw and demand/submit behavior in couples' conflict interactions. Two 10-min conflict interactions were coded for each couple (N = 97) using Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB; Benjamin, 1979a, 1987, 2000a). Depression was assessed categorically (via the presence of depressive disorders) and dimensionally (via symptom reports). Results revealed that relationship quality was negatively associated with demanding behavior, as well as receiving submissive or withdrawing behavior from one's partner. Relationship quality was positively associated with withdrawal. Demanding behavior was positively associated with women's depression symptoms but negatively associated with men's depression symptoms. Sequential analysis revealed couples' behavior was highly stable across time. Initiation of demand/withdraw and demand/submit sequences were negatively associated with partners' relationship adjustment. Female demand/male withdraw was positively associated with men's depression diagnosis. Results underscore the importance of sequential analysis when investigating associations among depression, relationship quality, and couples' interpersonal behavior.

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“…This adds PTSD to a growing body of research suggesting that couple dysfunction in the context of physical and mental health problems is marked by “power struggles” for control and autonomy (Knobloch-Fedders et al, 2013, 2014; Smith et al, 2011). …”

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“…This pattern is also supported by demand/withdraw research showing that in some studies females report higher rates of demand, or seeking change, behaviors (Eldridge, Sevier, Jones, Atkins, & Christensen, ). Thus, when female clients continue to try things from therapy at higher rates, their partners continue to experience lower relationship satisfaction (Knobloch‐Fedders et al., ). The opposite is true when males try something from therapy at greater rates.…”

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“…cross‐lagged panel models, growth curve models, latent change models), temporally sensitive longitudinal research will also require the employment of statistical techniques that can deal with different levels of analysis (Kenny, ; Nestler, Grimm, & Schönbrodt, ; Raudenbush & Bryk, ), distinguish between‐person and within‐person processes (Hamaker, Kuiper, & Grasman, ), account for the dynamics of a variable whose level is changing over time (Brandt & Williams, ), model patterns among sets of variables (Borsboom & Cramer, ; Read, Droutman, Smith, & Miller, ; Read & Miller, ), integrate and distinguish states and traits (e.g. Hamaker, Nesselroade, & Molenaar, ), identify idiographic patterns that may not generalize to the sample as a whole (Belz, Wright, Sprague, & Molenaar, ; Borkenau & Ostendorf, ; Molenaar, ), distinguish correlates at different timescales (Ferrer & Helm, ), be sensitive to variability in associations across time (Dermody, Thomas, Hopwood, Durbin, & Wright, ), and test specific sequences (Guastelo & Gregson, ; Hollenstein, ; Knobloch‐Fedders et al, ), among other issues. Moreover, the models depicted in Figures are probabilistic and the dynamic sequences, while presented in a serial order for interpretive ease, are likely to be better characterized as parallel and co‐occurring variation across multiple dimensions (see DeYoung, ).…”