COMMUNICATION PATTERNS DURING MARITAL CONFLICT - A CROSS-CULTURAL REPLICATION

This study examines the reliability and validity of the Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ) from Christensen and Sullaway (1984). The CPQ is a relatively new questionnaire aimed at assessing marital comm unication at the dyadic level. It addresses communication patterns inv olving the behavior of both members of the dyad rather than just one p artner. The CPQ permits the evaluation of communication in close relat ionships on three scales: (a) mutual constructive communication; (b) m utual avoidance of communication; (c) demand/withdrawal. Previous rese arch among American samples has yielded empirical evidence concerning the reliability and validity of this instrument. The current study foc uses upon whether the CPQ may also be applied to European subjects. To address this question, a German and a Swiss sample were used. Our res ults demonstrate that the questionnaire's reliability and validity als o prove satisfactory among European samples. In both studies, communic ation avoidance and withdrawal were negatively correlated with relatio nship satisfaction.