1. Running head: INDIVIDUAL QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS 1
Individual Quantitative Analysis
Gabrielle Ervie
COM 210

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Individual Quantitative Analysis
This study will apply the theory of Relational Dialectics to college long-distance
relationships. The most significant dialectical tension often experienced in long-distance
relationships is the contradiction between certainty and uncertainty. Specifically, this
study will attempt to discover commonalities in communication tactics among couples in
a long-distance relationship and the ways in which communication methods are used.
Through surveys and data collection, the research team will be able to better understand
the communication tactics used to manage this dialectical tension long-distance
relationships face. couples and allow for more couples to be helped. The research
question and hypotheses are as follows:
RQ 1: What communication methods ease the dialectical tension of certainty-uncertainty
in college long-distance relationships?
H1: The use of texting communication helps decrease the feelings of uncertainty in long-
distance relationships.
H2: Frequent communication, rather than a lack of communication, increases the sense of
certainty in long-distance relationships.
H3: Phone calls are preferred to texting communication when attempting to resolve issues
or talk about important matters.

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Methods
Sample
A total of 104 surveys were taken and of these surveys, we were able to collect
data from sixty-four. There are both male and female participants. Participants are
between the ages of eighteen to thirty and are currently or have previously been in a long-
distance heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual relationship. The majority of the sample
was between the ages of eighteen to twenty-one and twenty-one to twenty-five. The
sample included eighteen male and forty-one female participants. Sexual orientation of
the sixty-two participants that answered included fifty-six heterosexuals, one
homosexual, and five bisexuals. Fifty-four of the participants answered yes to being in a
long-distance relationship currently or previously (n=54).
Measures
The author of the survey used is Elizabeth E. Graham and measures relationship
uncertainty. The survey includes three parts: desire, goals, and evaluation. To make the
survey more research specific, questions were added by researchers regarding
communication channels and measured in likert scale. Questions added by researchers
include: texting is a good method of communication, phone calls are a good
communication channel, and communication channels have decreased tension. The
demographic questions were in multiple-choice format.
In the original survey done by Graham, Chrombach’s reliability scale was used to
determine the reliability and validity of each section in the study. The minimum score in

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order for a questionnaire to be reliable and valid: 0.7. Self-Uncertainty: .96, Partner
Uncertainty: .96, and Relationship Uncertainty: .94. When researchers reused Graham’s
survey for further research, reliability scores varied. Desire: .87, evaluation: .809, and
goals: .947. Questions added by researchers regarding communication channels received
a score of .453. These questions have never been used before, which is why there is no
reliability and validity. Further use of these questions will increase validity and
reliability.
Procedures
Using Survey Monkey, researchers were able to create an online survey for
participants to access and take. A post with an attached link was shared on Facebook to
draw attention to the survey. Participants were asked to consent to the survey and then
answer the following forty questions, including seven demographic questions concerning
age, sexual orientation, gender, etc. Using an online survey proved to be a good method.
Limitations included lack of control and guidance of participants taking the survey.
Results
There was an analysis of variance (ANOVA) that determined if there was
uncertainty in romantic long distance relationships. This test also analyzed if there were
any tension present that were eased or caused by the use of multiple different
communication channels. Specifically the research team used a regression tests to find
these results. The first regression report was done over the grouping of the desire,
evaluation, and goals questions from Graham’s survey. This regression was statistically
significant, F (2,51) = 28.981, p < .068, R = .736, adjusted R² = .523 in regards to the

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levels of certainty and uncertainty a couple faced over the course of the romantic long
distance relationship. In the second and final regression test, was done using the survey
data collected for he communication channels section of the survey. This regression was
statistically sound F (2,52) = 33.787, p < .671, R = .755, adjusted R² = .553 in regards to
the communication channels eased or aided in certainty in the relationship. These results
display that there are many uncertainties that lie within a romantic long distance
relationship.
The results of the surveys were reliable enough to conclude there is high
uncertainty within long distance relationships, but not enough reliability to show that
communication channels were able to ease tensions. Although there was significance in
both regression tests, the reliability and validity of the communication channels could not
solidify the results. In the future, this part of the survey would be more concentrated and
the questions would be designed in a way that is more specific to each communication
channel used in a long distance relationship. A better sample and sample size is necessary
as well to obtain more accurate results. With these further additions, research could be
pursued in another study for more reliable and valid results.