Measuring Perceived Mutuality in Women: Further Validation of the Connection–Disconnection Scale

Abstract

Relationships with family and significant friends and partners are important contributors to the quality of life, health, and mental health of women. The Connection-Disconnection Scale (CDS) was developed to assess perceived mutuality (PM) in relationships with mothers, fathers, friends, and romantic partners, and data are presented here that offer additional reliability and validity for the scale with college women. Two samples totaling 152 women from a midwestern university completed the CDS along with theoretically similar measures. Results revealed that scores on each form of the CDS possess excellent test-retest reliability and internal consistency, and all scale items load on a single factor. Pearson correlations with theoretically similar measures, such as the Parental Attachment Questionnaire, Social Support Questionnaire, and Dyadic Adjustment Scale, showed good convergent and discriminant validity. Overall, findings suggest the CDS is a psychometrically strong assessment tool that can be used to assess PM as it relates to women's health and mental health.

Application of a Relational Model to Understanding Body Image in College Women and Men

“…Internal consistency estimates for the CDS are excellent for college women, with Cronbach's alphas for the four versions (mother, father, friend, partner) at .96 and above (Sanftner & Tantillo, 2009). Test-retest estimates range from .67 (friend) to .91 (mother) (father = .85; partner = .71) (Sanftner & Tantillo, 2009).…”

Restoring connection in the face of disconnection: an integrative approach to understanding and treating anorexia nervosa

“…Finally, results from a program evaluation of an 8-week outpatient Multifamily Therapy Group based on an integrated Relational-Motivational approach showed improvements in perceived mutuality with fathers and mothers, as well as ED symptom improvements between pre-and post-group assessments, including reduced EDE-Q4 Restraint and EDI-3 DT, BD, and BU (Tantillo, 2010(Tantillo, , 2011). …”

“…Findings have shown that perceived mutuality is a good measure of how well people in a relationship (including those without psychiatric illness and women with ED) are able to mutually engage in the identification and repair of interpersonal disconnections (Genero et al, 1992;Jordan, 2010;Sanftner & Tantillo, 2010;Sanftner, Tantillo, & Seidlitz, 2004;Tantillo & Sanftner, 2010a). They have also shown a link between perceived mutuality and ED symptoms.…”

“…Findings have suggested that when patients and families can identify and repair interpersonal disconnections, this may help the patients repair intrapersonal disconnections and experience decreased ED symptoms (Tantillo, 2010(Tantillo, , 2011Tantillo & Sanftner, 2007). According to Relational-Cultural Theory, perceived mutuality with others is posited to also improve connection with one's authentic internal affective and bodily states (Nakash, Williams, & Jordan, 2004).…”

“…This approach is informed by MI (Miller & Rollnick, 2002) and SOCT (Prochaska, Norcross, & DiClemente, 1994), and at its heart is Relational-Cultural Theory (Jordan, 2010;Miller & Stiver, 1997;Tantillo, 2006Tantillo, , 2010Tantillo & Sanftner, 2010b). SOCT allows the therapist to track patient stage of change.…”