The Couples' Closeness-Distance Scale- Observation through joint-drawing: A pilot dyadic validation study

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Family Studies
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Assessing couple dynamics is crucial for understanding relational health.
• Observational tools can provide objective measures of interaction patterns.
• Existing methods may not fully capture the nuances of closeness and distance in relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Couples' Closeness-Distance Scale (CCDS) as an observational assessment.
• To explore the relationship between self-report measures (attachment, differentiation, satisfaction) and CCDS scores.
• To identify observable patterns in couple dynamics during a joint-drawing task.

Main Methods:

• Forty cohabiting Israeli couples participated.
• Couples completed a joint-drawing task.
• Trained observers assessed drawings using the CCDS (too distant, too close, autonomy, engagement).
• Self-report questionnaires on attachment, differentiation of self, and relationship satisfaction were administered.

Main Results:

• Differentiation of self and relationship satisfaction predicted CCDS scores.
• A "pursue-withdraw cycle" was identified: women perceived partners as too distant, men perceived partners as too close.
• Discomfort with partner distance correlated with reduced autonomy and engagement, particularly for women.

Conclusions:

• The CCDS effectively captures dyadic-systemic aspects of couple dynamics.
• The scale shows potential for enriching clinical evaluations of relationships.
• Understanding "pursue-withdraw" patterns can inform therapeutic interventions.