ABSTRACT
With almost 90% of the American population choosing to marry at least once in their lives, half of all marriages failing, and almost 75% of divorced individuals remarrying, understanding the impact of demand/withdraw communication is important. A frequently reported problem by distressed spouses is poor communication (Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, 1998). Unhappy spouses frequently report that partners make excessive demands whereas other partners complain that spouses are too quiet and withdrawn. In a study of communication patterns among couples, Rauer and Volling (2005) noted that problems with communication (also referred to as emotional expressivity) are the most common complaint of couples seeking therapy. While other reasons for marital distress and therapy exist (e.g., unrealistic expectations, lack of intimacy, finances, jealousy, etc.), it is the occurrence of negative and unhealthy communication patterns that ultimately drives almost 50% of first marriages to divorce (Rauer & Volling, 2005).
