Abstract
Psychological correlates of the use of coping strategies in intimate relationships were investigated through the development of an objective self-report instrument, the Multidimensional Intimate Coping Questionnaire (MICQ). Preliminary results indicated that the 25 MICQ subscales had high internal consistency, that the subscales were uncontaminated by social desirability tendencies, that several demographic variables predicted the use of MICQ intimate coping strategies, and that the MICQ subscales were associated in predictable ways with other general measures of coping. Other findings revealed that several personality tendencies were related to specific coping tendencies: relational esteem was associated with positive, active coping strategies; relational depression was associated with avoidant strategies and self-criticism; relational obsession was associated with emotion-focused strategies and suppression of competing activities in order to focus on the relationship issue; relational consciousness was associated with problem-focused strategies and emotional expression; relational monitoring was associated with denial, wishful thinking and mental disengagement from the relation-ship issue; and relational anxiety was correlated with emotional expression coupled with self-criticism and attempts to disengage from the problem. Adult attachment style and gender also influenced coping tendencies. The MICQ represents a comprehensive approach to the study of coping in intimate relationships.
Published Version
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