Destructive Communication Research Articles

Communication of military couples during deployment predicting generalized anxiety upon reunion.

This study draws on the emotional cycle of deployment model (Pincus, House, Christenson, & Adler, 2001) to consider how the valence of communication between military personnel and at-home partners during deployment predicts their generalized anxiety upon reunion. Online survey data were collected from 555 military couples (N = 1,110 individuals) once per month for 8 consecutive months beginning at homecoming. Dyadic growth curve modeling results indicated that people's anxiety declined across the transition. For at-home partners, constructive communication during deployment predicted a steeper decline in anxiety over time. For both returning service members and at-home partners, destructive communication during deployment predicted more anxiety upon reunion but a steeper decline in anxiety over time. Results were robust beyond the frequency of communication during deployment and a host of individual, relational, and military variables. These findings advance the emotional cycle of deployment model, highlight the importance of the valence of communication during deployment, and illuminate how the effects of communication during deployment can endure after military couples are reunited. (PsycINFO Database Record

Речевой конфликт в семейном общении

The study was performed in line with the actual scientific areas of language conflictology and linguistic axiology. The article is devoted to the linguistic description of conflict situations in family communication by the material of the film “Inadequate people” (directed by Roman Karimov). The relevance of the study is due to the need to study communication in small social groups (in particular, in the family), as there is a high level of emotionality and intensity of communication, and it often becomes a conflictogenic factor. The text fragments representing speech conflicts between a teenager and adult relatives are analyzed. The markers of destructive communication and speech aggression in the communicative behaviour of adults (negatively charged language means and non-cooperative speech-behavioral tactics of condemnation, threat, coercion, etc.) and adolescents (high tone, insults, rude demand, disharmonizing strategy of discredit, tactics of “rudeness” and other). Special attention is paid to implicit speech aggression, which is embodied in irony, sarcasm, indirect issues. It is noted that using such techniques, the communicant expresses a negative or critical attitude towards the addressee. It is indicated that the intergenerational conflict is expressed in the deformation of interpersonal communication, in the failure of mechanisms of understanding between parents and children, in disagreements concerning moral and value orientations.

Green on the Screen: Types of Jealousy and Communicative Responses to Jealousy in Romantic Comedies

ABSTRACTRomantic jealousy is common within romantic relationships, yet there is a lack of research on media portrayals of romantic jealousy and subsequent communicative responses to jealousy. Motivated by script theory and social cognitive theory, this study is a content analysis of types of romantic jealousy and communicative responses to jealousy in the 51 top-grossing romantic comedies released between 2002 and 2014. Results indicate that reactive jealousy was the most frequently depicted type of romantic jealousy in these movies, and destructive communication was the most common response. Furthermore, the type of romantic jealousy was significantly related to the type of communicative response the character employed, and females were more likely to use rival-focused communicative responses than males.

Relacja praca–rodzina, komunikacja małżeńska i zdrowie pracowników zatrudnionych w systemie rotującym wstecz

Wśród pracowników zmianowych (N = 42) dużej polskiej firmy produkcyjnej przeprowadzono badania w zakresie powiązań pomiędzy relacją praca–rodzina, komunikacją małżeńską i zdrowiem psychicznym. Wykorzystano Skalę Wzajemnego Wpływu Pracy i Rodziny, Kwestionariusz Komunikacji Małżeńskiej i Partnerskiej oraz GHQ-28. Uzyskane rezultaty wskazują, że: (1) dolegliwości związane ze zdrowiem psychicznym pracowników zmianowych (objawy somatyczne, lęk i bezsenność, dysfunkcja społeczna/zaburzenia funkcjonowania, ostra depresja i ogólny stan zdrowia) mogą być w umiarkowanym stopniu powiązane z konfliktem praca–rodzina; (2) facylitacja rodzina–praca koreluje umiarkowanie z konstruktywnymi stylami komunikacji małżeńskiej (wsparcie i zaangażowanie), natomiast konflikt praca–rodzina koreluje umiarkowanie z destruktywnym stylem komunikacji w diadzie: deprecjacją. Relacja praca–rodzina wiąże się zatem w umiarkowanym stopniu z komunikacją małżeńską i zdrowiem pracowników zmianowych.

Impulsivity, communication, and marital satisfaction in newlywed couples

AbstractThe authors used a vulnerability–stress–adaptation framework to examine how and why impulsivity affects communication and marital satisfaction in a sample of 100 newlywed couples. We specifically examined the links between impulsivity and perceptions of conflict communication patterns and their associations with marital satisfaction. Using an actor–partner interdependence framework, the results demonstrated that impulsivity was negatively associated with one's own and partner's marital satisfaction. Impulsivity was also negatively associated with constructive communication and positively associated with destructive communication. Furthermore, mediation analyses showed that communication patterns mediated the impulsivity–satisfaction link. Taken together, these findings suggest that impulsivity is likely to lead to lower marital satisfaction, partly through its effect on communication between partners.

Management Misinformation Systems: A Time to Revisit?

In this essay, we revisit Ackoff’s (1967) classic “Management Misinformation Systems” and its five myths. The paper appeared at the dawn of the information systems (IS) field and shattered popular assumptions about designing and using IS. The paper shaped the direction and scope of scholarly discourse around information systems; in contrast to dominant claims at that time, he argued that managers swam in the abundance of irrelevant information, were victims of poor modeling and, consequently, poor understanding of their own decisions, participated in destructive communication due to conflicting goals, and had a poor understanding of how systems worked. Despite the passage of 50 years (and many revolutions in information technology), researchers in the IS field still regard Ackoff’s arguments as valid and rarely debate them. Yet, given the new information-rich environments and our nearly limitless capability to collect and analyze data, we may need to reexamine these arguments to correctly frame information systems’ contemporary effects on managerial decision making. We scrutinize Ackoff’s five assumptions in light of today’s IT and data-rich environments and identify key tenets that will reframe the disciplinary discourse concerning the effects of information systems. We identify significant shifts in research on decision making including the role of abduction, data layering and options, and intelligence augmentation. We honor the extraordinary legacy of Ackoff’s remarkable paper as an IS scholar by shaping the field’s future inquiries in the spirit of the original paper.

Breaking Bad in Business Education: Impacts on Student Incivility and Academic Dishonesty

The present study examines instructors’ attempts to increase student satisfaction through what we predict to be destructive communication tactics. Results indicate that business majors reported being more likely to engage in incivility and academic dishonesty in courses taught by professors who attempted to gain student favor through gossiping, self-disclosure, and downward convergence. Furthermore, perceptions of the instructor’s ethical character mediated the relationships between instructor behaviors and student incivility. Given the centrality of the professor in developing future managers and employees, we discuss implications for business and professional education and advocate for a return to a more traditional business professor role.

A randomized waitlist-controlled trial of culturally sensitive relationship education for male same-sex couples.

Relationship education, effective in improving relationship quality among different-sex couples, represents a promising and nonstigmatizing approach to promoting the health and stability of same-sex couples. A new culturally sensitive relationship education program was developed specifically for male same-sex couples, which includes adaptations of evidence-based strategies to build core relationship skills (e.g., communication skills training) and newly developed content to address unique challenges faced by this group (e.g., discrimination; low social support). A small randomized waitlist-control trial (N = 20 couples) was conducted to evaluate the program. To assess program efficacy, dyadic longitudinal data (collected at pre- and postprogram and 3-month follow-up) were analyzed using multilevel models that accounted for nonindependence in data from indistinguishable dyads. Results indicated significant program effects in comparison to waitlist controls on couple constructive and destructive communication, perceived stress, and relationship satisfaction. Gains in each of these areas were maintained at 3-month follow-up. Although there was no evidence of within-person program effects on social support, satisfaction, or relationship instability immediately postprogram, all 3 showed within-person improvements by follow-up. Ratings of program satisfaction were high. In summary, study findings support the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of the program and highlight the potential value of culturally sensitive adaptations of relationship education for same-sex couples. (PsycINFO Database Record

Diagnostics of teenagers’ disposition towards destructive communication as a way of youth extremism prevention

Diagnostics of teenagers’ disposition towards destructive communication as a way of youth extremism prevention

Sticks and stones: investigating rude, dismissive and aggressive communication between doctors

Destructive communication is a problem within the NHS; however previous research has focused on bullying. Rude, dismissive and aggressive (RDA) communication between doctors is a more widespread problem and underinvestigated. We conducted a mixed method study combining a survey and focus groups to describe the extent of RDA communication between doctors, its context and subsequent impact. In total, 606 doctors were surveyed across three teaching hospitals in England. Two structured focus groups were held with doctors at one teaching hospital. 31% of doctors described being subject to RDA communication multiple times per week or more often, with junior and registrar doctors affected twice as often as consultants. Rudeness was more commonly experienced from specific specialties: radiology, general surgery, neurosurgery and cardiology. 40% of respondents described that RDA moderately or severely affected their working day. The context for RDA communication was described in five themes: workload, lack of support, patient safety, hierarchy and culture. Impact of RDA communication was described as personal, including emotional distress and substance abuse, and professional, including demotivation. RDA communication between doctors is a widespread and damaging behaviour, occurring in contexts common in healthcare. Recognition of the impact on doctors and potentially patients is key to change.

To Avoid or Not to Avoid: When Emotions Overflow

ABSTRACTThis study focuses on how postepisodic conflict avoidance is related to the emotional and behavioral reactions to a partner's destructive conflict behavior. The first hypothesis predicted that a partner's destructive behavior is positively related to postepisodic conflict avoidance when an individual becomes emotionally flooded and withdraws during an argument. Conversely, a partner's destructive behavior was expected to be negatively related to postepisodic conflict avoidance when an individual becomes emotionally flooded and reciprocates the destructive behavior during an argument. A path analysis of the accounts of 182 undergraduate participants about a recent conflict episode supported the second hypothesis but not the first. However, results indicate other positive paths between a partner's destructive behavior and postepisodic conflict avoidance. Limitations and future research directions are discussed. This study extends the anger avoidance model and also advances understanding of destructive communication processes.

Intimacy, communication, and aggressive behaviors: Variations by phases of romantic relationship development

AbstractThis study examined how phases of romantic relationship development (honeymoon, defining, and established) were related to positive and negative relationship qualities. Participants (N = 136) completed self‐report measures. Results found significant differences between phases of romantic relationship development for all three positive relationship qualities, but each had a unique pattern of variation: (a) levels of intimacy had a linear increase across phases, (b) constructive communication strategies were higher in the established phase as compared with the earlier phases, and (c) negotiation was higher in both the defining and established phases as compared to the honeymoon phase. Results for negative relationships qualities found an inverted U‐shaped pattern for both destructive communication strategies and psychological aggression.

Changes in dyadic communication during and after integrative and traditional behavioral couple therapy

To examine changes in dyadic communication, as well as links between communication and long-term relationship outcomes, 134 distressed couples randomly assigned to either Traditional Behavioral Couple Therapy (TBCT; Jacobson & Margolin, 1979) or Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT; Jacobson & Christensen, 1998) were observed in video-recorded interactions. Observers rated discussions of relationship problems at 3 time points (pre-therapy, post-therapy, 2-year follow-up) and relationship outcomes (i.e., treatment response and relationship stability) were measured at a 5-year follow-up. Consistent with previous examinations of individual partner communication (K.J.W. Baucom et al., 2011; Sevier et al., 2008), TBCT produced greater improvements from pre-therapy to post-therapy (d = 0.27–0.43) and superior communication at post-therapy (d = 0.30–0.37). However, IBCT produced greater improvements from post-therapy to 2-year follow-up (d = 0.32–0.39). Both levels of, and changes in, dyadic communication were associated with relationship outcomes, even when controlling for individual communication. Our findings lend additional support for theoretical and practical differences between these two therapies and the utility of assessment at the level of the couple. Furthermore, they contribute to a broader pattern of findings in which relationship outcomes are more consistently linked with constructive communication than with destructive communication.

A Humanistic Environment for Dental Schools: What Are Dental Students Experiencing?

A Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) standard now requires that dental schools commit to establishing a "humanistic culture and learning environment" for all members of the academic environment. The aim of this study was to identify students' perceptions of factors that affect the dental school environment and to test differences in their experiences in terms of gender and year. This picture of the existing environment was meant to serve as a first step toward creating and supporting a more humanistic academic environment. A mixed-methods approach was used for data collection during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years at one U.S. dental school. Four focus groups were first conducted to explore challenges and conflicts faced by students during their dental education. A written survey informed by the focus group results was then used to obtain quantitative data. The survey response rate was 47 percent (N=188). Faculty inconsistency, cheating, and belittlement/disrespect were experienced by many of the responding dental students during their education, similar to what has been documented in medicine. These students also reported experiencing both constructive communication (90 percent) and destructive communication (up to 32 percent). The female students reported more gender discrimination and sexual harassment than their male peers, and the clinical students reported more experience with belittlement and destructive communication than the preclinical students. The results suggest that greater effort should be directed toward creating a more humanistic environment in dental schools. Based on the issues identified, steps academic institutions can take to improve these environments and student skills are outlined.

Jealousy and Relational Satisfaction: Actor Effects, Partner Effects, and the Mediating Role of Destructive Communicative Responses to Jealousy

Communication researchers have embraced the idea that jealous communication is more important to satisfaction than jealousy experience, yet this has rarely been tested. The present study used dyadic data from dating couples to demonstrate that destructive communication mediates the association between jealousy experience and relational satisfaction, whereas other forms of jealous communication (constructive, avoidant, and rival-focused) do not. For constructive communicative responses, there were direct effects between communication and relational satisfaction, such that women's reported use of constructive communication was positively associated with both their own and their partner's relational satisfaction. For rival-focused responses, there were direct effects between jealousy experience and surveillance, rival derogation, and rival contacts. Jealousy experience was also positively associated with signs of possession, but only for women. When men reported using signs of possession, they also tended to report more relational satisfaction. These findings suggest that associations among jealousy experience, jealous communication, and satisfaction differ depending on the type of communicative response.

Effects of communication styles on marital satisfaction and distress of parents of pediatric cancer patients: a prospective longitudinal study.

The aim of this study was to examine the longitudinal effects of communication styles on marital satisfaction and distress of parents of children treated for cancer. Marital dissatisfaction (Maudsley Marital Questionnaire), intimacy, avoidance, destructive and incongruent communication (Communication Skills Inventory) and psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire) were assessed in 115 parents of pediatric cancer patients shortly after diagnosis (T1) and 5 years later (T2). Only mothers' marital dissatisfaction increased significantly over time. No gender differences in dissatisfaction were found. Mothers had a significantly higher lack of intimacy score than fathers. All T1 communication styles were significantly univariately related to fathers' and mothers' T2 marital dissatisfaction, while not to T2 distress. Mothers' T1 marital dissatisfaction accounted for 67% and fathers' for 12% in the explained variance of T2 dissatisfaction. T1 destructive communication uniquely affected fathers' T2 marital dissatisfaction and T1 avoidant communication that of mothers. Five years after cancer diagnosis in their children, the quality of parents' marital relationships seemed largely unchanged. Parents' use of communication skills at diagnosis appeared to have limited effect on their marital dissatisfaction and no effect on their distress 5 years later. While avoidant communication seemed indicative of mothers' marital distress, fathers' seemed affected by destructive communication.

Hopelessness and Interpersonal Conflict: Antecedents and Consequences of Losing Hope

Research on intractable conflict indicates that difficult conflicts often are associated with a sense of hopelessness about the potential for resolution. We argue that hopelessness arises from individuals who want another to change and whose arguments evidence self demand/other withdraw and mutual hostility. The sense of hopelessness arising from these patterns is related to avoidance after an argument and withdrawing support and affection. We conducted a survey of undergraduates about their arguments with parents and romantic partners. As predicted, the correlations between desire for change and withdrawal of support/affection and desire for change and avoidance were positive and statistically significant. A mediation analysis confirmed our hypotheses. The relationships between desire for change and withdrawal of support/affection and avoidance were mediated by self demand/other withdraw and hopelessness. Similarly, the relationships between desire for change and withdrawal of support/affection and avoidance were mediated by mutual hostility and hopelessness. We discuss implications for research on serial arguing, intractable conflict, and destructive communication behaviors.

Understanding Couples’ Relationship Quality and Contraceptive Use in Kumasi, Ghana

A wealth of data exist on knowledge, attitudes and practice related to contraceptive use; however, emotional aspects of relationships that may influence reproductive decision making are often overlooked. Data from the 2010 Family Health and Wealth Survey were used in bivariate and multinomial logistic regression analyses to identify associations between relationship quality and current contraceptive use among 698 married or cohabiting couples in Kumasi, Ghana. Four scales measuring commitment, trust, constructive communication and destructive communication, as well as a question about relationship satisfaction, were the indicators of relationship quality. Current contraceptive use was divided into three categories: no use, reliance on a method that can be used without the partner's awareness (the injectable, pill, IUD, implant and diaphragm) and use of a method that both partners are typically aware of (periodic abstinence, withdrawal, condoms and spermicide). Overall contraceptive use was low--22% of women said they were currently using any method. In general, respondents reported high levels of relationship quality. Women's relationship satisfaction scores were positively associated with use of awareness methods rather than nonuse (relative risk ratio, 1.2). Men's trust scores were positively associated with use of nonawareness methods rather than nonuse (1.1), and men's constructive communication scores were associated with use of both types of method rather than nonuse (1.1 for each). Couples' relationship quality appears to be an important element in their decision making regarding contraceptive use, and should be taken into consideration in the design and implementation of family planning programs and policy.

Yellowstone grizzly delisting rhetoric: An analysis of the online debate

The Yellowstone ecosystem is a hotbed of environmental issues and conflicts such as endangered species management. The Yellowstone grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) delisting debate illustrates how rhetoric can contribute to fragmentation and polarization among stakeholders engaged in endangered species conflicts. The partisan view of the grizzly ideograph, and what it represented, created impediments to conflict management (e.g., mistrust and development of and/or belief in stereotypes). The debate coalesced as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began proceedings to delist the Yellowstone population from the endangered species list in 2005. Our objective was to use a rhetorical analysis of the Internet-based debate to identify strategies used by disputants in conflicts over the Endangered Species Act. By analyzing web-based stakeholder texts from 1998 through 2009, we found that rhetoric about grizzly bears fell into three main categories of rhetorical appeal: authority, ethics, and identity. Arguments relying on these appeals contributed to destructive communication amongst stakeholders. Rhetorical strategies served to clearly define stakeholder belief systems and clarify exclusionary practices. We found as an emerging theme that perspectives toward climate change influenced perception of grizzly delisting (e.g., climate change influences grizzly bear food availability). The Endangered Species Act's lack of directives regarding anthropogenic climate change further complicated the debate. We demonstrated how rhetorical analyses can reveal disputants' preferred social control frameworks. This provides important information to managers seeking to promote common ground between otherwise conflicted stakeholders that leads to legitimate and lasting policy decisions. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.

Couple Communication as a Mediator Between Work–Family Conflict and Marital Satisfaction

Using a sample of married individuals employed full-time (N = 1,117), this study examined the mediating effects of constructive and destructive communication between partners on the relationship between work–family conflict and marital satisfaction. Results from structural equation modeling revealed that work–family conflict was significantly and negatively related to marital satisfaction. This relationship became insignificant when constructive and destructive communication were added to the model, evidence for full mediation. This was confirmed with Sobel’s test for mediation. Results suggest that teaching communcation skills may be a potent point of intervention for couples who experience high levels of work–family conflict.