Date of Award
Summer 2007
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
de St. Aubin, Ed.
Second Advisor
Franzoi, Stephen L.
Third Advisor
Grych, John
Abstract
Mental Self-Government and Marital Communication The current study was designed to investigate a multi-level model of marital communication and cognitive styles. One hundred and thirty-four married dyads, ranging in age (38-63 years) and length of marriage (16-35 years) participated in the current study. The relationship between cognitive style, (ie., mental self-government) and marital communication, including models of marital satisfaction, demand-withdraw behavior, and relational dimensions were assessed. Dyadic analysis, including the application of the actor-partner interdependence model revealed that mental self-government significantly influenced each level of marital communication uniquely. In addition, these findings demonstrate the complex and dynamic nature of marital relationships and the employment of advanced statistical techniques to adequately capture this dynamic complexity. Future research includes refining the proposed model of marital communication and cognitive style, as well as, broadening the scope of theoretical models and populations studied.