An American study reported by Shuji G. Asai & David H. Olson (Spouse Abuse and Marital Dynamics based on ENRICH: A National Survey, Life Innovations, 2003) found that when couples are in an abusive relationship, other areas of the relationship are clearly affected.  The authors reported that…

• As described in the ENRICH couple types analysis, the presence of abuse also interfaced with the couple’s overall functioning. Many abusive couples belonged to problematic couple types (Conflicted and Devitalized couples) that are characterized as having very few strength as a couple. Non-abusive couples, on the other hand, tended to belong to couple types (Vitalized and Harmonious couple types) with many strengths. They also generally viewed their marriage as more satisfying.

• There was an obvious interconnection among the personality traits using the four personality subscales. Abused individuals, regardless of their gender, perceived their partners as dominating them (high on the Partner dominance scale), and had a tendency to avoid underlying issues (high on the Avoidance scale). As abused individuals used more avoidance, their partners became more dominant. In extreme cases, both spouses expressed being abused by their partners (volatile couples). Both partners created a negative cycle of high avoidance and partner dominance. Their negative cycle was further reinforced by their inability to be assertive and maintain self-confidence.

The personality cycle identified in ENRICH also were useful in discriminating abusing and non-abusing couples. The negative cycle of partner dominance and avoidance were very common in abusing couples but not in non-abusing couples. So the goal of intervention with abusing couples would be to increase their level of assertiveness and self-confidence, which can help them out of negative cycle of partner dominance and avoidance. Non-abused individuals and couples tended to engage in a positive cycle, where both spouses use assertiveness, which creates more self-confidence, thus further increasing their ability to problem-solve without engaging in a coercive or abusive behavior. 

 Past Hints  Last Month :  Couple-to-Couple Mentoring for Weak Marriages. 
 
News Update:  

The June 2006 issue of the Newsletter, the Prepare Diary, is available on this web site: To read, click on: June 2006 Diary    The next newsletter will be posted in mid-June. 

PROCESSING FEE WAS INCREASED FROM FEBRUARY 1st 2006  
As announced in the December 2005 Newsletter, we have reluctantly increased the cost of processing to $44 (including GST) from February 1st next year. This is the first increase in the base cost of processing since 1999.  The $35 processing charge was set then and the GST added to this in June 2000, taking the GST inclusive charge to $38.50. Between June 1999 and June 2005, our net costs have increased by almost 15% due to constant increases in the expenses associated largely with wages, printing and postage. Our aim is to maintain the new processing charge for a lengthy period of time (as we have done before). We always aimed to make the processing cost comparable to that of a modest meal for a couple – we feel sure that $44 (for a couple) is still well and truly within those limits. 

Skills development training seminars are listed at: Skills Development Opportunities