FITZPATRICK TYPOLOGY - AN AUSTRALIAN REPLICATION

Abstract

This paper describes an Australian replication of Fitzpatrick's marital typology. One hundred and ninety couples were administered the Relational Dimensions Instrument (RDI) (Fitzpatrick, 1977, 1984). Eight factors were found, six of which were highly similar to those found by Fitzpatrick — sharing, ideology of traditionalism, temporal regularity, spatial differentiation, autonomy and conflict avoidance. The factor previously labelled 'assertiveness', however, seemed more appropriately labelled 'coercion', while ideology of uncertainty and change was replaced by a factor labelled 'enthusiasm'. The three types were replicated and labelled connecteds, independents and separates. The three type..