Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

12-1991

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Psychology

Major Professor

Robert Wahler

Committee Members

Warren Lambert, Priscilla Blanton, Richard Saudargas

Abstract

Families are an intimate group of individuals, intricately interwoven in complex interactional systems. The interplay of individual psychological dynamics and familial relational patterns continue to challenge both clinicians and researchers. This research project investigates one aspect of familial relations, that of the interpersonal themes of mothers of children diagnosed conduct disorders. The mother's experience of her relationships with her conduct disordered child, her family, and others was examined by identification of her primary relationship themes. The specific goals of this study were to: 1) devise and evaluate a method to study the relationship themes of mothers of children with conduct disorders; 2) generate hypotheses about the types of relationship themes most important for this population; and 3) describes and interpret the patterns of these mothers' relationship themes among Child, Family, and Others. The subjects were ten mothers of children who were diagnosed with a conduct disorder. Transcripts of parental therapy sessions were coded using a modification of Luborsky's Core Conflictual Relationship Theme method (1990). Relationship episodes were grouped according to whether the mother was talking about her child, a family member, or another person. The relationship between the interpersonal themes and each group was analyzed using correspondence analysis, which graphically displayed the relationships among the nominal variables. The use of correspondence analysis was found to be a viable option that provides an investigator analyzing nominal variables a means to define principle components of a data set. The results revealed two dimensions, defined by the variables and labeled by the investigator as Mutuality, and Conflict Expression. Additionally, the results showed the mothers' interactions with their children were toward the Affiliation pole on the Mutuality dimension, and toward the Externalization pole on the Conflict Expression dimension. The mothers' interactions with others were toward the Alienation pole on the Mutuality dimension, and toward the Internalization pole on the Conflict Expression dimension. Implications for treatment and suggestions for future research were offered.

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