MACROSCOPIC MARITAL INTERACTION CODING SYSTEMS - ARE THEY INTERCHANGEABLE

The present study sought to determine the convergent validity of two m acroscopic marital interaction coding systems: the Marital Interaction Coding System-Global and the Global Couple Interaction Coding System. The sample consisted of 40 couples who completed the Dyadic Adjustmen t Scale, the Potential Problem Checklist and a 30-min problem solving interactional task. Filmed interactions were coded by separate teams o f observers using the Marital Interaction Coding System-Global and the Global Couple Interaction Coding System. Results showed that interobs erver agreement, as assessed through intraclass correlations, was sati sfactory for both coding systems. Between-system comparisons revealed that convergent validity coefficients were moderate; thus, it seems pr emature to conclude that macroscopic coding systems are interchangeabl e. Finally, multiple regression analyses indicated that both systems c ontained significant non-redundant behavioral predictors of marital ad justment. Implications of these results are discussed.