THE primary goal of the project, "Evaluation of the Family Interaction Scales," was to determine whether and how the scale categories discriminated among different types of families. In a preceding paper, we described our theoretical framework and research design¹; here we will present our schema for data analysis and the major findings of the study.

Data AnalysisÌý To review briefly, the scales are composed of six main categories: (1) clarity: whether the family members speak clearly to one another; (2) topic continuity: whether family members stay on the same topic with one another and how they shift topics; (3) commitment: whether the family members take direct stands on issues and feelings with one another; (4) agreement and disagreement: whether family members explicitly agree or disagree with one another; (5) affective intensity: whether family members show variations in affect as they communicate with one another; and (6) relationship quality: