EN EL REGISTRO NACIONAL DE PROVEEDORES (RNP)

The present thesis aims to provide additional insights into the role of empathy in interpersonal affect regulation in intimate relationships. Study 1 and Study 2 addressed the role of empathy in dyadic coping, and Study 3 addressed the role of empathy in conflict interactions. Study 1 was based on a smaller study, which used a process-oriented approach3. Study 2 and study 3 were based on data of from a large longitudinal project4, with 368 couples at the first measurement point, and follow-up data across 4 years with annual measurements.

Study 1

Dyadic coping is a dynamic and iterative process involving stress expressions from one partner and supportive reactions from the other partner. In the 3-phase method, a therapeutically guided couple interaction which aims to strengthen couple's dyadic coping skills (Bodenmann, 2008b), stress expressions are structurally separated from the provisions of support. In a first phase, one partner expresses his/her stress-related emotions with the aim of enhancing the other partner's understanding of the stress. Then, in a second phase, the listening partner is asked to provide emotional support. Due to the structural separation of the stress expression (and the gaining of an emotional understanding) from the support provision, this setting is particularly suitable for examining the processes of stress expression, emotional understanding, and supportive behaviors.

Study 1 assessed a sample of 33 couples who took part in the 3-phase method, with both partners taking turns in the role of the stress discloser and the support provider. This study examined whether processes within the first phase of the 3-phase method resulted in stronger affective and cognitive empathy, and whether the gained empathy is a prerequisite for the provision of supportive dyadic coping in the second phase. Thus, study 1 examined the role of state empathy within the process of dyadic coping based on a therapeutic guided

3

The study was planned and implemented by the author and Rebekka Kuhn and supervised and funded by Guy Bodenmann.

4

Sinergia Project "Impact of Stress on Relationship Development of Couples and Children: A Longitudinal Approach on Dyadic Development Across the Lifespan" funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF: CRSI11_133004/1) to Guy Bodenmann, Veronika Brandstätter, Mike Martin, Fridtjof W. Nussbeck, & Tom Bradbury.

couple interaction. Study 1 can expand on previous knowledge by providing insights into the processes of support provision in couples. Furthermore, this study can provide additional knowledge on the underlying mechanisms of the 3-phase method, which can help to tailor this intervention to couples' specific needs.

Regarding the framework of interpersonal affect regulation processes presented in Chapter 2.2, study 1 examined partner A's affect (i.e., immersion), partner B's cognitive processing of partner A's stress expression (i.e., summarizing), the role of partner B's state empathy (i.e., affective and cognitive state empathy), and partner B's emotional supportive behaviors as perceived by partner A (i.e., perceived emotional supportive dyadic coping). See Figure 3 for a graphical depiction of the empirically investigated aspects of interpersonal affect regulation in study 1.

Study 2

Several cross-sectional studies suggest that trait empathic competencies contribute to a successful dyadic coping process (Devoldre et al., 2010; Levesque et al., 2014; Verhofstadt et al., 2016). However, dyadic coping has been shown to worsen across time (M. D. Johnson et al., 2016). Given that trait empathy may be seen as an emotional competency facilitating better support reactions across various situations (see Chapter 4.1.2), trait empathy may buffer the decline of dyadic coping across time. More specifically, trait empathy could be a resource that helps partners to maintain high levels of dyadic coping across time.

Study 2 tested this hypothesis and examined the effect of self-reported cognitive trait empathy on the temporal trajectory of supportive dyadic coping as perceived by the partner across 2 years5. Regarding the framework of interpersonal affect regulation processes presented in Chapter 2.2, study 2 examined the influence of partner B's cognitive trait

empathy on his/her supportive behavior as decoded by partner A. See Figure 3 for a graphical depiction of the empirically investigated aspects of interpersonal affect regulation in study 2.

5

This study was based on data from three measurement points only, as the data for the fourth and fifth measurement point was not available at the time of the analyses.

Study 3

Past studies have shown that cognitive empathy covaries with de-escalating conflict interactions (e.g., Cohen et al., 2015; Rizkalla et al., 2008), indicating that cognitive empathy is a prerequisite for the successful regulation of conflicts. However, in these previous studies, the communication outcome variables were measured by using questionnaires. Study 3 aimed to expand on these previous studies and analyzed the communication outcome variable by using observational data. More specifically, study 3 examined whether cognitive trait empathy predicts the temporal trajectories of the negative behaviors of both partners. Thus, study 3 assessed whether cognitive trait empathy alters how negativity unfolds across the course of a conflict interaction. Therefore, this study captured a facet of the dynamic processes of

interpersonal affect regulation in a conflict discussion and investigated whether cognitive trait empathy alters this dynamic process.

In addition, previous research has revealed inconsistent findings on the effects of negativity in conflict interactions on long-term relationship satisfaction (e.g., M. D. Johnson et al., 2005; Karney & Bradbury, 1997). This study therefore investigated whether the conceptualization of a conflict interaction as a dynamic interpersonal affect regulation task could provide further insight into the effect of conflict communication on long-term

relationship satisfaction. More specifically, this study tested whether trajectories of negative behaviors across a conflict interaction predicted changes in relationship satisfaction across 5 years.

Regarding the framework of interpersonal affect regulation processes presented in Chapter 2.2, study 3 examined the effect of both partners' cognitive trait empathy on the temporal trajectory of their own behavior across the course of a conflict interaction.

Additionally, this study further examined the effect of the temporal trajectory of both partner's behavior across the conflict interaction on the changes in long-term relationship satisfaction. See Figure 3 for a graphical depiction of the empirically investigated aspects of interpersonal affect regulation in study 3.

Figure 3. Summary of the empirically investigated aspects of interpersonal affect regulation in study 1, 2, and 3. The indices next to the specific aspects within the model indicate in which study the respective aspect was examined (1 = study 1; 2 = study 2; 3 = study 3).

Study 1

A Process-Oriented Analysis of a Therapeutic

Couple Intervention Strengthening Dyadic Coping

This is the version of the manuscript before the co-authors reviewed it.

A revised version of the manuscript (including revisions of all co-authors) is in revision in the Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy:

Leuchtmann, L., Horn, A.B., Randall, A.K., Kuhn, R., Bodenmann, G. (under review). A

process-oriented analysis of the 3-phase method: A therapeutic couple intervention strengthening dyadic coping.

6. Study 1: A Process-Oriented Analysis of a Therapeutic Couple