MARITAL COMMUNICATION IN EATING DISORDER PATIENTS - A CONTROLLED OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

In order to investigate the communication between 21 eating disorder ( ED) patients and their husbands, an observational study was carried ou t using two matched control groups of 21 maritally distressed (MD) and 21 nondistressed (ND) couples. During some discussion tasks the inter action was videotaped and the (verbal and nonverbal) communication ski lls were rated afterwards according to the Kategoriensystem fur Partne rschaftliche Interaktion (KPI) coding system. Unexpectedly, compared w ith the control groups ED couples do not show a greater disequilibrium (between patient and husband) in the emission rate of positive and ne gative messages. Also striking is the generally higher degree of self- disclosure in ED couples than in ND couples, but this may reflect thei r experience of distress. Overall and most importantly, ED couples app ear to lack some of the ND couples' skills of constructive communicati on, but manage to avoid the destructive communication style of MD coup les. (C) 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.