Applying readily accessible graphical techniques to assess curvilinear relationships and detect outliers. The case of...

The purpose of this article is to use data from a study of protective family processes to illustrate how readily accessible graphical techniques can supplement correlation and regression analyses. Graphical techniques can help to (a) better understand family process data from a descriptive standpoint, (b) minimize erroneous statistical conclusions, and (c) clarify theoretically important relationships among variables. Following a brief description of the substantive area selected for illustration of the graphical techniques, data from a study employing multimethod measurement procedures (N = 146) are employed to illustrate two graphical technique applications in the analysis of a predictor (marital quality) of a study outcome variable (parent-child affective quality). Instructions for the application of relevant procedures in SAS and SPSS statistical packages are provided.