Interaction patterns and communication skills in sexually distressed, maritally distressed, and normal couples: two experimental studies.

Abstract

Two experiments are reported evaluating the behavioral deficits in communication skills found in couples with secondary sexual dysfunction (primarily of the female partner). Groups of satisfied couples and couples experiencing primarily marital distress served as controls. In Experiment 1 which analyzed the most frequently chosen behavioral reactions to 22 situations in a questionnaire (KIP), sex clients and maritally distressed couples were distinguished from the normal control group. In Experiment 2, videotaped conflict discussions were analyzed. Results show that clients with sexual dysfunctions, especially a subgroup with high scores on depressed mood, have even worse ratings on influence strategies, self-acceptance, and nonverbal expression than both maritally distressed and normal couples. Implications for theory and especially for setting treatment goals and selecting treatment interventions are discussed.