The multifaceted nature of collaborative learning environments necessitates theory to investigate the cognitive, motivational, and relational dimensions of collaboration. Several existing frameworks include aspects related to each of these three. This article explores the capability of multi-dimensional frameworks for analysis of collaborative processes to isolate and assess these separate dimensions of collaboration. Much successful work has contributed towards computational modelling for automated collaborative process analysis in the past decade. In this paper, we explore the extent to which evidence points to an intertwining between dimensions, raising important caveats for careful consideration when making assessments based on the observation of codes as they are applied to collaborative discourse. We conclude with a research agenda for future investigation to address this limitation.