Marital Dysfunction
The institution of marriage is in a state of great evolution, changing in response to rapidly shifting social values and norms. Indeed, even the definition of marriage is the subject of much heated social and political debate; it is one of the ‘hot button
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William Fals-Stewart ∙ Wendy K.K. Lam
Abstract: The institution of marriage is in a state of great evolution, changing in response to rapidly shifting social values and norms. Indeed, even the definition of marriage is the subject of much heated social and political debate; it is one of the ‘hot button’ topics in both the scientific and lay press. In the context of such social transition, it is not at all surprising that there has been a rapid increase in relationship distress and dysfunction, evidenced by substantial increases in marital separations and divorce during the last century. Marital dysfunction manifests itself in a number of different ways and is very often marked by deficits in commitment to the relationship, low levels of mutual caring behaviors between the partners, problems with communication, and corrosive conflict resolutions skills. In turn, many dyads seek professional help to address the myriad of relationship problems in efforts to save their marriages in the context of multiple psychosocial pressures. In this chapter, a general description of marital dysfunction is provided. Additionally, a very commonly applied framework for understanding marital dysfunction, referred to as the ‘Seven Cs’, is described. Methods of relationship evaluation and assessment, including collection of communication samples, clinical interviewing, and use of self-report measures, are reviewed. An overview of empirically supported relationship intervention approaches is also provided, including a discussion of potential mechanisms of therapeutic action. Lastly, fundamental core and expert competencies for clinicians who provide relationship therapies are described, along with a brief description of the transition from basic competencies to expert.
13.1 Overview As well chronicled in both the scientific and lay press, the institution of marriage in the USA and throughout the world is in a state of swift evolution, dynamically changing in concert with, and in response to, very rapidly shifting social values and norms. The cultural shifts that have had the greatest impact on marriage are the more liberal attitudes about sexual relationships and physical intimacy, as well as the ever growing economic and political power of women in our society, not to mention the substantial reforms in divorce law (Gurman, 2008). The evolving state of marriage can best be understood when viewed through the lens of recent history. May (1980) provides a cogent analysis of the change in marriage from the late nineteenth century through much of the twentieth century. As the nineteenth century was drawing to a close, marriage was accepted by the adult population as a vehicle that facilitated procreation and helped ensure economic stability for the (growing) family. The primary expectation of husbands was to provide the basic necessities of life for wives and children via hard work and suppression of vice; chastity and duty were the primary expectations of wives. By today’s standards, those circumscribed expectations seem very low indeed. T
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