Estimating Dyad Level Processes in MFT Research: General Overview of the Common Fate Model and Extensions Into Mediation, Moderation, Growth, and Hybrid Models

Abstract

Traditional statistical methods and models, such as linear regression, are commonly implemented in Couple/Marriage Family Therapy (C/MFT) research, yet these methods are intractable to answer dyadic and systemic questions. In the past 30 years, dyadic analysis has emerged to address such problems, and the actor–partner interdependence model (APIM) is seemingly the default analysis. The APIM answers research questions related to mutual influence, but the APIM cannot answer questions at the dyad level (e.g., characteristics of the relationship). The common fate model (CFM) is well-suited to answer such questions. Due to the underutilization of the CFM in C/MFT research, the purpose of this article is to discuss the CFM and extensions into mediation, moderation, multilevel CFM (i.e., individual and dyad level effects) models, growth models, and hybrid models that combine the APIM with the CFM are discussed. Syntax in Mplus is provided as link to video demonstrations of each model.