Dyadic coping with stepfamily conflict

Abstract

Demand–withdraw patterns of spousal response to family conflict were examined among 83 couples living in a stepfamily context. Using daily process methods, husbands and wives were each asked to report separately on incidents of relationship conflict, responses to this conflict, and subsequent negative affect for a period of seven consecutive days. Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling and interpreted from a dyadic coping perspective. Findings indicated that when husbands engaged in demand or withdraw responses both members of the dyad subsequently reported declines in mood. Wives demanding and withdrawing had no significant cross-spousal impact. Of particular interest was the finding that husbands’ use of confrontive demanding exacerbated the negative impact of wives’ withdrawal on wives’ mood.