Compared couples with alcoholic husbands and maritally conflicted and nonconflicted couples without alcohol problems. The alcoholic and maritally conflicted couples showed greater relationship distress than nonconflicted couples of measures of marital stability, change desired, and positive communication behaviors. Alcoholic husbands reported less…

Addresses clinical and methodological issues in conducting the Marital Systems Study, a research project evaluating the efficacy of systems-oriented conjoint treatment with couples in which one spouse is abusing alcohol. These include standardizing and monitoring the intervention and developing an interactional perspective on the alcohol-related…