Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.6115/fer.2019.008

The Marital Interaction Coding System-Global(MICS-G): A Validation Study  

Park, Woochul (Duksung Women's University, Dept. of Human Development and Family Studies)
Publication Information
Human Ecology Research / v.57, no.1, 2019 , pp. 109-125 More about this Journal
Abstract
Few studies have utilized observational methods in the field of couple research even though using self-report questionnaires is prone to the subjective biases of the reporter. This study validates the Marital Interaction Coding System-Global (MICS-G), a global version of the well-established microanalytic observational coding system, Marital Interaction Coding System (MICS). Participants in the study consisted of 30 married couples with varied levels of marital adjustment who visited one of the Healthy Family and Multicultural Family Support Centers in Seoul, either for couple therapy or the "Marriage Checkup"program. Ten-minute problem-solving discussions were rated by two undergraduate student raters who were trained for 10 hours. Interobserver agreement based on percentage agreement and intraclass correlation coefficients showed a high level of agreement between raters in establishing interrater reliability. Convergent validity was established by: correlations among marital adjustment, psychological aggression, mental health, and MICS-G categories of conflicts, validation, invalidation, facilitation, and withdrawal. MICS-G categories also were successful in discriminating between distressed and nondistressed couples, which provides evidence of discriminant validity for MICS-G. This study showed that MICS-G is a promising method for researchers to observe couple interactions in a more cost-effective way. Methodological issues and practical applications are also discussed.
Keywords
couples; behavioral observation; coding system; marital interaction;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Spanier, G. B. (1976). Measuring dyadic adjustment: New scales for assessing the quality of marriage and similar dyads. Journal of Marriage and Family, 38(1), 15-28.   DOI
2 Straus, M. A., Hamby, S. L., Boney-McCoy, S., & Sugarman, D. B. (1996). The revised conflict tactics scales (CTS2) development and preliminary psychometric data. Journal of Family Issues, 17(3), 283-316. https://doi.org/10.1177/019251396017003001   DOI
3 Suhr, J. A., Cutrona, C. E., Krebs, K. K., & Jensen, S. L. (2004). The social support behavior code. In P. K. Kerig & D. H. Baucom (Eds.), Couple observational coding systems (pp. 311-318). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
4 Tolman, A. O., & Weiss, R. L. (1990). Marital Interaction Coding System-Global(MICS-G): Training manual for observers. Unpublished manual, Oregon Marital Studies Program.
5 Vincent, J. P., Friedman, L. C., Nugent, J., & Messerly, L. (1979). Demand characteristics in observations of marital interaction. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 47(3), 557-566.   DOI
6 Weiss, R. L., & Heyman, R. E. (2004). Couples observational research: An impertinent, critical overview. In P. K. Kerig & D. H. Baucom (Eds.), Couple observational coding systems (pp. 11-26). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
7 Weiss, R. L., & Summers, K. J. (1983). Marital Interaction Coding System-III. In E. E. Filsinger (Ed.), Marriage and family assessment: A sourcebook for family therapy (pp. 85-115). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
8 Weiss, R. L., & Tolman, A. O. (1990). The Marital Interaction Coding System-Global (MICS-G): A global companion to the MICS. Behavioral Assessment, 12, 271-294.
9 Baucom, K. J., Baucom, B. R., & Christensen, A. (2012). Do the naive know best? The predictive power of naive ratings of couple interactions. Psychological Assessment, 24(4), 983-994. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0028680   DOI
10 Bakeman, R., & Quera, V. (1995). Analyzing interaction: Sequential analysis with SDIS and GSEQ. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
11 Baucom, B. R., Leo, K., Adamo, C., Georgiou, P., & Baucom, K. J. (2017). Conceptual and statistical issues in couples observational research: Rationale and methods for design decisions. Journal of Family Psychology, 31(8), 972-982. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/fam0000370   DOI
12 Billings, A. G., & Moos, R. H. (1984). Coping, stress, and social resources among adults with unipolar depression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46(4), 877-891. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.46.4.877   DOI
13 Cordova, J. V., Scott, R. L., Dorian, M., Mirgain, S., Yaeger, D., & Groot, A. (2005). The marriage checkup: An indicated preventive intervention for treatment-avoidant couples at risk for marital deterioration. Behavior Therapy, 36(4), 301-309. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(05)80112-1   DOI
14 Weusthoff, S., Baucom, B. R., Zimmerman, T., & Hahlweg, K. (2012, 11). Construct validity of fundamental frequency in different types of couple interaction settings. In T. Zimmerman (Chair), Fundamental frequency as a new, voice-based measure of arousal in intimate personal relationships. Paper presented at Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, National Harbor, MD.
15 Yalcin, B. M., & Karahan, T. F. (2007). Effects of a couple communication program on marital adjustment. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 20(1), 36-44. https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2007.01.060053   DOI
16 Boulet, J., & Boss, M. W. (1991). Reliability and validity of the brief symptom inventory. Psychological Assessment, 3(3), 433-437. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.3.3.433   DOI
17 Brace, N., Kemp, R., & Snelgar, R. (2012). SPSS for psychologists : A guide to data analysis using SPSS for Windows. Abingdon: Routledge.
18 Byun, J., & Yang, H. (2018). Self-compassion and marital quality: Dyadic perspective taking and dysfunctional communication behavior as mediators. Family and Family Therapy, 26(1), 1-22.
19 Chung, M. J., Chun, Y. J., Kim, S. J., & Jeong, S. B. (2010). Conflictual issues in marital conversation, patterns of dysfunctional interaction, and dyadic perspective-taking among the Korean couples with minor children. Korean Journal of Counseling, 11(3), 1305-1324. http://dx.doi.org/10.15703/kjc.11.3.201009.1305   DOI
20 Christensen, A., & Shenk, J. L. (1991). Communication, conflict, and psychological distance in nondistressed, clinic, and divorcing couples. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59(3), 458-463. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.59.3.458   DOI
21 Derogatis, L. R., & Melisaratos, N. (1983). The brief symptom inventory: an introductory report. Psychological Medicine, 13(3), 595-605. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291700048017   DOI
22 Dishion, T. J., Gardner, K., Patterson, G. R., Reid, J. B., & Thibodeaux, S. (1983). The Family Process Code: A multidimensional system for observing family interaction. Unpublished coding manual, Oregon Social Learning Center.
23 Epstein, N. B., & Baucom, D. H. (2002). Enhanced cognitive-behavioral therapy for couples: A contextual approach. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
24 Gallese, V., & Goldman, A. (1998). Mirror neurons and the simulation theory of mind-reading. Trends in cognitive sciences, 2(12), 493-501. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1364-6613(98)01262-5   DOI
25 Epstein, N. B., McDowell, A. M., & Evans, L. M. (2009). Ratings of therapists' general clinical skills/qualities scale. Unpublished scale, Department of Family Science, University of Maryland, College Park.
26 Epstein, N. B., & Werlinich, C. A. (1999). The relationship issues survey. Unpublished measure, the Family Service Center, University of Maryland, College Park.
27 Floyd, F. J., & Rogers, C. H. (2004). Methodological guidelines for conducting observations of couples. In P. K. Kerig & D. H. Baucom (Eds.), Couple observational coding systems (pp. 27-42). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
28 Foster, D. A., Caplan, R. D., & Howe, G. W. (1997). Representativeness of observed couple interaction: Couples can tell, and it does make a difference. Psychological Assessment, 9(3), 285-294. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.9.3.285   DOI
29 Fredman, S. J., Vorstenbosch, V., Wagner, A. C., Macdonald, A., & Monson, C. M. (2014). Partner accommodation in posttraumatic stress disorder: Initial testing of the Significant Others’Responses to Trauma Scale (SORTS). Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 28(4), 372-381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.04.001   DOI
30 Go, M., & Park, W. (2018). Effects of grandmothers' parenting practices on parents and preschoolers in dual-income families. Family and Family Therapy, 26, 109-131.
31 Gottman, J. M. (1979). Marital interaction: Experimental investigations. Cambridge, MA: Academic Press.
32 Gottman, J. M. (1994). What predicts divorce? Mahwah, NJ: L. Erlbaum.
33 Hatfield, E., Cacioppo, J. T., & Rapson, R. L. (1993). Emotional contagion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
34 Gottman, J. M. (2011). The science of trust: Emotional attunement for couples. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.
35 Gottman, J. M., & Krokoff, L. J. (1989). Marital interaction and satisfaction: A longitudinal view. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57(1), 47-52.   DOI
36 Griffin, W. A., Greene, S. M., & Decker-Haas, A. (2004). The MICSEASE: An observational coding system for capturing social processes. In P. K. Kerig & D. H. Baucom (Eds.), Couple observational coding systems (pp. 95-112). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
37 Han, H. R., & Lee, J. M. (2018). Effect of gender role attitude and work.family balance perceived by married career women on life stress: The mediating effect of marital intimacy. Family and Environment Research, 56(5), 425-433. https://doi.org/10.6115/fer.2018.031   DOI
38 Harvey, E. A., Friedman-Weieneth, J. L., Miner, A. L., Bartolomei, R. J., Youngwirth, S. D., Hashim, R. L., et al. (2009). The role of ethnicity in observers'ratings of mother-child behavior. Developmental Psychology, 45(6), 1497-1508. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0017200   DOI
39 Heavey, C. L., Layne, C., & Christensen, A. (1993). Gender and conflict structure in marital interaction: A replication and extension. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61(1), 16-27.   DOI
40 Heyman, R. E. (2001). Observation of couple conflicts: Clinical assessment applications, stubborn truths, and shaky foundations. Psychological Assessment, 13(1), 5-35.   DOI
41 Heyman, R. E. (2004). Rapid Marital Interaction Coding System (RMICS). In P. K. Kerig & D. H. Baucom (Eds.), Couple observational coding systems (pp. 67-93). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
42 Jacobson, N. S., & Christensen, A. (1996). Integrative couple therapy: Promoting acceptance and change. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.
43 Heyman, R. E., Weiss, R. L., & Eddy, J. M. (1995). Marital Interaction Coding System: Revision and empirical evaluation. Behavioural Research and Therapy, 33(6), 737-746. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(95)00003-G   DOI
44 Holtzworth-Munroe, A., Smutzler, N., & Stuart, G. L. (1998). Demand and withdraw communication among couples experiencing husband violence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66(5), 731.   DOI
45 Hops, H., Wills, T. A., Weiss, R. L., & Patterson, G. R. (1972). Marital Interaction Coding System (MICS). Eugene: University of Oregon, Oregon Research Institute.
46 Hrapczynski, K. M., Epstein, N. B., Werlinich, C. A., & LaTaillade, J. J. (2012). Changes in negative attributions during couple therapy for abusive behavior: Relations to changes in satisfaction and behavior. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 38, 117-132. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2011.00264.x   DOI
47 Jacob, T., Tennenbaum, D., Seilhamer, R. A., Bargiel, K., & Sharon, T. (1994). Reactivity effects during naturalistic observation of distressed and nondistressed families. Journal of Family Psychology, 8(3), 354-363.   DOI
48 Jacobson, N. S., & Margolin, G. (1979). Marital therapy: Strategies based on social learning and behavior exchange principles. New York, NY: Psychology Press.
49 Jacobson, N. S., & Moore, D. (1981). Spouses as observers of the events in their relationship. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 49(2), 269-277.   DOI
50 Kazdin, A. E. (2003). Research design in clinical psychology (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
51 Lee, J., & Kwon, J. (2002). The effects of interpersonal relationships' communication patterns, and marital satisfaction on verbal and physical violence in community couples. The Korean Journal of Clinical Psychology, 21(2), 313-330.
52 Kerig, P. K., & Baucom, D. H. (2004). Couple observational coding systems. London: Taylor & Francis.
53 LaTaillade, J. J., Epstein, N. B., & Werlinich, C. A. (2006). Conjoint treatment of intimate partner violence: A cognitive behavioral approach. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 20(4), 393-410.   DOI
54 Lee, H. Y. (2006). Statistics. Seoul: Cheongram.
55 Nichols, M. P., & Davis, S. D. (2017). Family therapy: Concepts and methods. Boston, MA: Pearson.
56 Lim, S. L., & Kwon, J. H. (1998). The effect of depressive symptoms on marital communication. Korean Journal of Clinical Psychology, 17(2), 17-31.
57 Matud, M. P. (2004). Gender differences in stress and coping styles. Personality and Individual Differences, 37(7), 1401-1415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.01.010   DOI
58 Mo, E., & Kim, J. (2002). The mediating effects of couples' self-esteem on the relationship between couple communication and marital adjustment. The Korean Journal of Counseling and Psychotherapy, 14(4), 887-900.
59 Oh, H. (2013). Development and validation of couple communication observational coding system (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
60 Rehman, U. S., Gollan, J., & Mortimer, A. R. (2008). The marital context of depression: Research, limitations, and new directions. Clinical Psychology Review, 28(2), 179-198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2007.04.007   DOI
61 Robinson, E. A., & Eyberg, S. M. (1981). The dyadic parent-child interaction coding system: Standardization and validation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 49(2), 245-250.   DOI
62 Sayers, S. L., & McGrath, K. (2004). Data analytic strategies for couple observational coding systems. In P. K. Kerig & D. H. Baucom (Eds.), Couple observational coding systems (pp. 43-66). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
63 Seedall, R. B. (2014). Observing couple and family relationships: Data management and analysis. In R. B. Miller & L. N. Johnson (Eds.), Advanced methods in family therapy research: A focus on validity and change (pp. 383-400). New York, NY: Routledge.
64 Shapiro, A. F., & Gottman, J. M. (2004). The specific affect coding system. In P. K. Kerig & D. H. Baucom (Eds.), Couple observational coding systems (pp. 191-208). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.