Does partners’ differentiation of self predict dyadic adjustment?

Abstract

The present study expands on B owen's systemic multigenerational theory to analyse the role of individual trajectories of differentiation of self in perceived dyadic adjustment in a sample of 468 Italian participants. The research also explored which aspects of differentiation of self most strongly predicted dyadic adjustment in the total sample and in male and female subsamples. The various components of differentiation of self (emotional reactivity, emotional cut‐off, emotional fusion and I ‐position) and dyadic adjustment levels were investigated using the revised differentiation of self inventory — revised, and the dyadic adjustment scale ( DAS ). The analysis revealed that the emotional cut‐off dimension was the strongest negative predictor of dyadic adjustment. The research focused on the importance of differentiation of self processes to achieving an understanding of couple dynamics in research and clinical practice. Practitioners points Assessment of differentiation of self could be incorporated into the preliminary phase of couple therapy in order to screen for specific maladaptive patterns of differentiation. Information about the differentiation processes could be used during the therapy to increase the I‐position status, or decrease emotional reactivity and emotional cut‐off. Differentiation of self and dyadic adjustment scores can be used to monitor progress in systemic therapy.