Marital Processes Research Articles

Treatment of depressed-maritally discordant individuals: Is there a psychological treatment of choice?

Since Coyne’s (1976) seminal paper on the interpersonal aspects of depression, the importance of marital processes in depression increasingly has moved to center stage in clinical conceptualization and theory. Marital discord and depression are clearly linked (Beach, Sandeen & O’Leary, 1990), and problematic relationships are often central to the development and course of depression (cf. Coyne & Downey, 1991). This central fact is being increasingly recognized by disparate groups with varying agendas, but a common interest in advancing the quality of mental health care. The final report of the American task force on women and depression highlighted the role of interpersonal processes, particularly transactions occurring within intimate relationships, in the pathogenesis of depression for women (McGrath, Keita, Strickland, & Russo, 1990). Unhappy marriages have been shown to pose a major risk for the development of unipolar depression (Weissman, 1987). It has been reported that simply being married is a predictor of slower recovery from a depressive episode (George, Blazer, Hughes, & Fowler, 1989), married persons do more poorly on antidepressant medication than do others (Keller et al., 1984), and being maritally discordant is a predictor of relapse following pharmacological treatment for depression (Hooley & Teasedale, 1989). A decade ago one might have asked if marital or family interventions had anything to add to the more commonly used individual and somatic approaches. Indeed, some centers specializing in the treatment of depression did not even systematically assess for the presence or severity of marital problems. However, one is now more likely to be confronted with the assertion that marital therapy for depressed-discordant individuals is “common sense.” Indeed, in discussions with clinical colleagues, some have expressed concern that when individual work or pharmacotherapy is done in the context of marital discord and depression it

The georgia marriage Q-Sort: An observational measure of marital functioning

Abstract The development of a new observational measure of marital interaction using a Q-sort methodology is described. The Q-sort is one way of obtaining observer measures of marriage which complements both microcoding and global ratings of marital processes. High interrater agreement was obtained in coding the marital interaction of couples participating in a 2-year study of families with a preschool child. Evidence of construct validity is presented in terms of how the Q-sort relates to CISS ratings, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and the Relationship Inventory.

Community size and the marital adjustment process

Recent research indicates that reward level is a better predictor of marital adjustment for urban than for rural women, while some specific reward areas are better predictors for urban men. Based upon questionnaire responses from 209 young, married subjects, the present study continues this line of inquiry by examining the impact of a variety of variables, in addition to reward levels, on adjustment. Findings indicate that more factors are significantly related to adjustment for urban than for rural subjects and that they are better predictors for the urban group. Rural/urban differences exist in the relative importance of the variables in predicting adjustment, with fairness issues being more important for rural respondents. The model explains 31.8% more of the variance in adjustment for urban than for rural subjects (75.1% vs. 43.3%). Results suggest that different social psychological process may be operating in the two groups. Implications for family scholars are discussed.

Relationship between behavioral marital therapy outcome and process variables.

This study was conducted to identify therapist and client behaviors associated with a positive response to social learning-based behavioral marital therapy. A sample of 32 couples receiving treatment was examined. Immediately after each therapy session, the therapist, husband, and wife independently completed process rating forms that measured therapist and client behaviors during the session. Composite scales, derived from these ratings, were entered into multiple regression equations to examine their relationship with posttherapy marital satisfaction. After controlling for pretherapy marital satisfaction and the other predictor variables, therapists', husbands', and wives' ratings of positive client behavior (i.e., collaboration, active participation, and homework compliance) were positively associated with therapy outcome. Implications for marital therapy and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Adlerian marriage therapy

Abstract This article describes the assumptions, processes, and techniques used in Adlerian (Adler, 1927) marriage therapy. Two modalities for influencing a marriage are therapy and education (Dinkmeyer&Carlson, 1984a). Adlerians use both in their treatment programs. Usually training or education is stressed before therapy, but often both are used. Effective mental health workers need to be prepared to provide what is needed and to be able to work in both areas. This is a relatively new area, as couples have often been bypassed or worked around in treatment. The concepts and marital processes presented are based upon the tenets of Adlerian Psychology, principles that are particularly useful in working with marriages and families (Dinkmeyer et al., 1987).

Sex Role Identity, Role Performance and Marital Satisfaction of Newly-Wed Couples

This research examined sex role identity as a mediator of marital role performance and satisfaction in early marriage. Sex role identity (indexed by the Bem Sex Role Inventory), performance of instrumental and expressive marital roles, and marital satisfaction were assessed among 110 newly married couples. Results confirmed hypothesized congruence of sex role identity and instrumental role performance among men, but not women. Similar effects emerged for perceived segregation of marital roles. Sex role identity predicted marital satisfaction of both spouses; in general, feminine men and masculine women expressed greater satisfaction. Men appeared more satisfied if married to masculine women; wives' satisfaction was, however, independent of their husbands' sex role identities. Marital satisfaction was also positively related to mutuality of expressive behaviour and negatively to perceived segregation of expressive roles. Results were discussed in terms of sex differences in marital values and process. Divergence from previous research findings is attributed to possible developmental trends within marital relationships.

The Developmental Course of Conflict in the Marital Dissolution Process

The purpose of this study was to examine the developmental trend of conflict from the initial recognition that the marriage may dissolve to its legal termination. One hundred and seven participants completed a retrospective interview concerning their divorces. Levels of conflict, trust, ambivalence, love, and maintenance were assessed across three time periods during the divorce process. Conflict increased significantly from initial recognition to discussion and decreased significantly once action to secure a legal dissolution was initiated. The strongest predictors of conflict during the marital dissolution process were trust, ambivalence, and maintenance behaviors. Discussion focuses on the changing role of conflict during the divorce process.

Sexuality in the puerperium: a review.

Pregnancy and the puerperium herald dramatic and complex physiological, psychological, interpersonal, and sexual changes in a woman and in the marital process. Pregnancy tends to have an increasingly negative effect on sexual desire, expression, and satisfaction as term approaches. Clinical variables discussed include anatomic and physiological changes, puerperal sexual response patterns, marital adjustment, body image, dyspareunia related to episiotomy, lactation, and traditional taboos and cautions regarding coitus for the new mother. Most research respondents reported gradual return to prepregnancy levels of sexual desire, enjoyment, and coital frequency, with a minority in most cited studies indicating sexual interest and coitus levels below prepregnancy levels up to 1 year after delivery. The most frequently listed reasons for poor postpartum sexual adjustment include episiotomy discomfort, fatigue, vaginal bleeding or discharge, dyspareunia, insufficient lubrication, fears of awakening the infant or not hearing him/her, fear of injury, and decreased sense of attractiveness. Postpartum counseling should be offered prior to hospital discharge.

Dimensions of Marital Quality

The dimensionality of five conceptually distinct components of marital quality was evaluated in a representative national sample of 1845 married people. Confirmatory factor analysis found two dimensions, one consisting of scales of marital happiness and interaction; the other, of marital disagreements, problems, and instability. Further examination of the two dimensions showed that they operate in distinctly different ways over forms of marital structure including wife's employment, marital duration, sex, and presence of children. It was concluded that scales of marital quality that combine measures from these two dimensions are likely to yield ambiguous findings and contribute little to an understanding of marital process.

Marital Quality and Power Processes among Black Couples

The primary purpose qf this study was to examine the association between spousal power structure and marital quality in black married couples. Two self-report and ffbur behavioral power measures were used to classify couples as husband-dominant, egalitarian, or wife-dominant. Marital quality was assessed by measures of global marital satisfaction, positive regard for the spouse, and reciprocity. A MANO VA with power structure as the independent variable and the marital quality indices as dependent variables was perfobrmed for each of the power measures. These analyses showed that the three powerpatterns were associated with dferent levels of marital quality, with husband-dominant couples frequently reporting the highest marital quality. In another analysis of these data, a stepwise regression with marital quality as the criterion and husband-wife differences on power measures as the predictor variables indicated that power balance or husband-wife difference in power was predictive of marital quality: similarity in self-reported power but dissimilarity in behavioral power was associated with higher marital quality. Results are discussed for their relevance to previous research on power processes in black couples and to measurement problems in the assessment qf spousal power distribution.

Mutuality in Marriage

A reexamination of the Ephesians 5 passage reveals that headship and submission are more related by Paul in this context to marital process than to marital structure. Moreover, headship and submission seem to be components of an underlying process of mutuality. Mutuality in turn, forms the dynamic capable of producing oneness, God's aim for marriage. Counselors can help troubled marriages focus on a process of mutuality and thus provide them with a healing approach to the marriage relationship.

A Systems Approach to Marital Process

An event of marital communication and negotiation is conceived as a cybernetic system composed of many parts and stages, following the framework of general systems theory. Couple communication is presented as a feedback loop based on the congruent transmission and effective reception of personal and interpersonal information. Couple negotiation is viewed as a system in development. Connections between component subsystems are mapped along with the pathways of progression from one stage to the next. No subsystem is taken as final but is constantly reworked in relation to the system as a whole. Implications for counseling, education, and research are suggested.

Communication Patterns in Engaged Couples

The communications of couples introduced to each other by the examiner were compared with the communications of engaged couples. The Family Interaction Scales were used to classify communications. Significant differences on 5 variables were found, indicating that engaged couples' communications were clearly different from the newly introduced couples. The results were related to other research on marital interaction and communication processes in small groups.

A Diagnostic Tool for Marital and Family Therapy: The SIMFAM Technique

Although marital and family therapists seek to treat the interactional pattern of a family rather than focus exclusively on personality dynamics, there are few diagnostic tools which provide objective data on marital and family interaction processes. If the family therapists have attempted to make a diagnosis using standardized tests, they probably have relied on traditional instrments such as the MMPI, the Rorschach, or the TAT. Thus, even though family therapists have generally shifted away from emphasizing individual personality as a locus of treatment to focusing on the family as a system, there has not been a corresponding shift in diagnostic evaluations, and this is mainly because appropriate diagnostic tools are not generally available. A more comprehensive discussion of the research, theory, and clinical practice of marital and family theiapy is contained in a recent review article. (Olson, 1970) In attempting to develop valid diagnostic measures for family therapists, one becomes aware of the inadequacy of relying on self-report measures of marital and family dynamics. There is presently considerable research (Bachove and Zubaly, 1959; Kenkel, 1963; Levinger, 1963; Olson, 1969b,

The Family as a Universal Culture Pattern

All family types and other cultural phenomena develop in the interaction of human nature and social structure. Sociological laws concerning the family have universal validity. A particular family form is studied as a type in a general class including all families and is also studied in relation to everything in the culture within which that form exists. The marital process in all cultures begins in one family and ends in another. Persons everywhere use the same universal potentialities of human nature and proceed in the marital process as social-organic-mental unities.