Living with an In-Law and Marital Conflicts: A Family Therapy Case Study

Abstract

This qualitative study analyzed a family therapy case of a Korean husband and a Chinese wife who co-resided with the husband’s mother. The couple’s marital conflicts were influenced by latent factors and triggering factors. Latent factors consisted of family of origin experiences, dysfunctional communication, and family and sociocultural factors. Triggering factors that contributed to the marital conflicts included co-residence with the husband’s mother, financial difficulties due to medical bills, the husband’s gambling, the husband’s violence and wife’s loss of sexual desire. Based on the study findings, this study suggests that when working with clients of East Asian origin, couple and family therapists identify and address values embedded in East Asian cultures, such as relationships with in-laws, as well as explore family of origin experiences, communication patterns and family culture.