Marital conflict resolution: Factors influencing concordance between partners and trained coders

Abstract This investigation sought to further delineate the factors which influence the concordant perceptions of distressed and nondistressed husbands and wives and trained coders who observed samples of marital conflict resolution. Twenty-eight couples entering marital therapy and 28 volunteer “happy” couples repeatedly rated five-minute videotaped samples of their own and a stranger couple's problem solving. These tapes were also scored by trained coders using the Marital Interaction Coding System. Correlational analyses suggested greater insider-outsider perceptual agreement for distressed than nondistressed couples and for negative than positive behavior being rated. Intracouple agreement was higher when couples rated their own versus stranger problem solving. After minimal training, only the distressed partners increased their agreement for their own problem solving. Findings are discussed in light of previous research.