Coding "We-ness" in couple's relationship stories: A method for assessing mutuality in couple therapy.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Relationship Science
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• "We-ness," a couple's mutual investment, is vital for relationship resilience.
• Measuring "We-ness" in clinical settings is challenging.
• Couple narratives offer a window into relationship dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a coding system for couple-created narratives ("We-Stories") to capture "We-ness."
• To identify the core thematic elements constituting "We-ness" in relationship narratives.
• To assess the relationship between coded "We-ness" elements and relationship satisfaction/mutuality.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-three self-identified "happy" couples co-constructed relationship narratives ("We-Stories").
• Couples completed measures of relationship satisfaction and mutuality.
• A novel coding manual was used to analyze the thematic elements within the We-Stories.

Main Results:

• Security (safety, support, commitment) was the most prevalent theme (58.5%).
• Pleasure (49.1%) and shared meaning/vision (37.7%) were also common elements.
• The quantity of "We-ness" elements predicted relationship mutuality scores, supporting the manual's validity.

Conclusions:

• The We-Stories coding manual effectively captures key elements of couple "We-ness."
• Security, pleasure, and shared meaning are foundational components of relationship "We-ness."
• This method offers a valuable tool for assessing and potentially enhancing couple resilience in therapy.