• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.67-80
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• 2011

This study investigated a path model in which men's and women's communication behavior escalating marital conflict (CBEMC) may be influenced directly and indirectly, via negative interpretations of their spouse, by their spouse's problem behavior, the couple's turning toward bids, and dyadic perspective-taking. Self-report data were collected from 498 married men and women who were living in Busan, Korea. Multiple-group analysis revealed that the path model was not equivalent for men and women. Their couple's turning toward bids and dyadic perspective-taking for men, and their spouse's problem behavior and dyadic perspective-taking for women, had direct effects on CBEMC. Further, their spouse's problem behavior and the couple's turning toward bids had indirect effects on CBEMC through negative interpretations in both men and women. The indirect effect of dyadic perspective-taking on CBEMC was significant only for men. Finally, considering total effects, dyadic perspective-taking was the strongest predictor of CBEMC for both genders.