A variance decomposition of the Continuous Assessment of Interpersonal Dynamics.

Abstract

The Continuous Assessment of Interpersonal Dynamics (CAID) is an observational coding method that enables continuous tracking of warmth and dominance in both members of a dyad as an interaction unfolds. Research using this tool has revealed dynamic patterns relevant to psychopathology and psychotherapy, suggesting considerable potential for clinical assessment and research. However, CAID data are sensitive to a variety of person and situational factors, and the way that these factors combine to influence CAID data is poorly understood. We examined data from ten raters using CAID to assess moment-to-moment warmth and dominance in opposite-sex married dyads (N = 137 couples) interacting in four distinct situations. Using Generalizability Theory methods, we decomposed sources of variance in CAID data and estimated multiple forms of between-and within-person reliability. Results revealed how spouses' moment-to-moment behaviors varied as a function of person, sex, dyad, rater, situation, and relevant interactions between these factors. Based on these results, we provided guidelines for interpreting CAID data at different levels of aggregation in clinical research and practice.

Using Interpersonal Dimensions of Personality and Personality Pathology to Examine Momentary and Idiographic Patterns of Alliance Rupture

“…CAID was chosen because this method can capture relatively continuous streams of interpersonal behaviors in both parties as a dyadic interaction unfolds. The details of CAID are extensively described in previous studies (e.g., Sadler et al, 2009;Lizdek et al, 2012;Thomas et al, 2014;Hopwood et al, 2020b;Fox et al, 2021). CAID provides observer-rated time series of the interpersonal circumplex dimensions of warmth and dominance for dyadic interactions (Girard and Wright, 2018).…”

To put asunder: Are there perils of partialing in actor–partner interdependence models?

“…There are additional interpretive cautions when unadjusted and partner-partialed scores have similar correlates. Scores on couple measures can have multiple components of systematic variance reflecting a mix of dyadic and individual factors (e.g., Fox et al, 2021). Partner-partialing slants variables toward more individual constructs, even when the interpersonal themes are similar to unadjusted versions.…”

“…Following these latter recommendations in dyadic research can be difficult in some circumstances, however. Moderate and strong correlations between partners’ parallel scores are often conceptually well-founded, and relationship measures often tap multiple sources (i.e., facets) of systematic variance related to a mix of dyadic and individual factors (Fox et al, 2021). Posing minimal difficulty, Lynam et al (2006) also encourage routine reporting of zero-order associations and comparisons with partialed results.…”

Idiographic and nomothetic relationships between momentary interpersonal behaviors, interpersonal complementarity, and alliance ruptures in psychotherapy.

“…The reliability of warmth in this study was similar to estimates from previous studies using the same assessment tool. Moreover, variation in moment-to-moment warmth has been shown to be sensitive to specific interpersonal situations (Fox et al, 2021). That being said, it is possible that the relatively low reliability of observer-coded variation in warmth limited our ability to find effects with this variable.…”