Distinguishing Indistinguishable Dyads: An Example Using Same-sex Couples

Heterosexual partners have been typically treated as distinguishable based on their gender, whereas same-sex couples have been treated as interchangeable. As same-sex couples are not distinguishable by their gender, it is important to consider the possibility of other potential variables that may distinguish partners in dyadic analyses. Developing such an approach transcends the limits of heteronormative analytic approaches that fail to account for factors that may, in fact, appropriately distinguish partners in both same-sex and other-sex couples. The current study distinguished same-sex partners on the basis of femininity and examined actor and partner effects linking relationship quality to relationship commitment.

Objectives

1. Discuss the challenges of dyadic data analysis with dyads viewed as interchangeable 2. Highlight the applicability of the proposed method for distinguishing between partners in interchangeable dyads using a continuous measure of femininity to distinguish between partners. 3. Discuss the implications of distinguishability in working with dyads traditionally considered distinguishable 4. Highlight the substantive contribution of examining the links between relationship quality and relationship commitment in same-sex couples distinguished by femininity.

Conceptualizing and Measuring Implicit Attitudes About Marriage

Implicit attitudes reflect biases that are often more genuine than explicit or self-reported attitudes. Technological advances have facilitated computer-based instruments to capture implicit attitudes by recording response times to certain words and the categories to which they belong. The current investigation focused on the development of measures of implicit attitudes toward marriage and the consistency of such measures, including issues related to treating marriage as a single-target attitude or as one of two contrasting targets-marriage vs. singlehood. Results suggested that a single target procedure corresponded better to explicit attitudes toward marriage and arguably how people think about marriage.

Objectives

To explore new methods for measuring implicit attitudes, to demonstrate Implicit Association Tests (IAT) for implicit attitudes about marriage, and to determine the appropriateness of distinct IAT measures.

Adaptation of the Couples Satisfaction Index to Russian

Increased globalization has expanded cross-cultural research (Sireci, 2005), but translation/back translation methods lack rigor in instruments’ acculturation.  This project used a cutting-edge rigorous 8-step acculturation methodology for the Couples Satisfaction Index (Funk & Rogge, 2007) to Russian, including analytical procedures to establish psychometric equivalence, reliability and validity of the adapted version.  Results produced evidences for semantically, idiomatically, conceptually, experientially, and psychometrically equivalent instrument for cross-cultural reliable, valid, and precise relationship assessment in Russian.  The CSI(16R) can be used in cross-cultural relationship research, clinical interventions, programs’ evaluations to provide new knowledge for policy makers, researchers, educators, therapists, and other professionals.

Objectives

(a) to exemplify a sophisticated and rigorous adaptation procedure and produce a (b) culturally and (c) psychometrically equivalent tool for measuring couple satisfaction in the Russian language.

An Analysis of the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale using Rasch Modeling

The Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS) is widely used in the assessment of couple relationship adjustment. While it is an improvement from the original Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), there has yet to be an analysis of the RDAS from an advanced measurement perspective. This study analyzes the RDAS's subscales using Rasch modeling in order to determine if it can truly be considered both a global and multidimensional measure. Findings substantiate that the RDAS can distinguish between distressed and non-distressed couples, and that with the removal of one particular item it functions on both a global and multidimensional level.

Objectives

1) Highlight the importance of utilizing Rasch Modeling to critically evaluate measures used in research. 2) Critically evaluate the effectiveness of the RDAS as a global measure of couple functioning using higher order statistical methods 3) Statistically evaluate each of the three subscales of the RDAS in order to establish its multidimensionality.