A hostility measure for use in family contexts

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Family Studies
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Standardized methods for eliciting speech samples are crucial for psychological research.
• Existing techniques may not adequately capture nuanced interpersonal dynamics within families.
• The Gottschalk-Gleser method provides a foundation for speech sample analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate the Wynne-Gift technique, a modification of the Gottschalk-Gleser instructions.
• To assess the technique's utility in differentiating attitudes based on marital status.
• To explore the application of this method in family relationship research.

Main Methods:

• The Wynne-Gift technique was developed to focus interviews on speaker relationships with family members.
• A comparative study involved 10 separated/divorced women and 11 married women.
• Attitudes toward the husband (or ex-spouse) were assessed using hostility scores.

Main Results:

• Significant differences were observed in hostility outward scores between the two groups.
• Hostility toward the spouse or ex-spouse also differed significantly between separated/divorced and married women.
• The findings support the validity of the Wynne-Gift technique in detecting attitudinal differences.

Conclusions:

• The Wynne-Gift technique is a useful and valid modification for eliciting speech samples in family studies.
• This method enhances the focus on interpersonal dynamics and attitudinal differences.
• The technique has broad applications in psychological and family relationship research.