ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the work on a set of scales developed for rating the affect of couples discussing a conflict issue. A discrete emotions approach was taken in developing the scales. It examines the association between expression of affect during conflict, relationship satisfaction, and violence. The Couple Communication Scales (CCS) was developed for a study of conflict interaction in violent and nonviolent couples. Like the Marital Interaction Rating System (MIRS), the CCS uses a cultural informants approach, which involves coders making 'interpretations of the social meaning of the interactants' behavior', and 'requires an integration of all available cues'. One have tested the validity of the CCS Affect scales in two ways: by comparing the frequency of the expression of these affects among the different types of couple relationships, and by exploring the temporal linkage of these affects to one another and to verbal behavior.
