The case study illustrates the ways in which consultation with specialists can add strain to marriages involving disabled children. (CL)

In an interview, a marriage counselor answers questions concerning sex in marriage. He concludes that sex alone is too narrow a base for a marriage to rest upon and for a successful marriage, there is a need for a deeper basis of companionship. (Author/CG)

Excerpts from counseling sessions highlight the effects of a developmentally delayed, autistic-like child upon a marriage and family. The counselor points out the parents' continuing frustrations from not receiving clear guidelines and notes the importance of a case manager. (CL)

Compared personality characteristics of couples in alcoholic and nonalcoholic marriages. Couples in which one spouse was alcoholic showed fewer personality interrelationships than nonalcoholic couples, raising questions about the hypothesis that alcoholic marriage partners complement each other. Alcoholic and nonalcoholic males differed…

Nonpatient couples, couples seeking sex therapy, and couples seeking marital therapy, were asked to report on who they felt should and who actually does assume responsibility in marital role areas. Discrepancy between role ideals and behavior was examined. Marital therapy patients were found to experience the most role strain. (Author)

Discusses the pursuer-distancer relationship style so as to help counselors recognize this type of interaction and offers several treatment techniques to alleviate it. Demonstrates the relationship between the concepts of parentification and childlike behavior and the pursuer and the distancer. Uses an integrative model of marital therapy as a…

The authors present a model which follows the development of a male-female relationship through dating, marriage and divorce. They discuss the factors that cause friction between a husband and wife and offer procedures for coping with such friction. (SE)

This article proposes an access program to human services for the married student population that can be coordinated by the college student personnel worker. (PD)

Vaginismus includes both physical as well as psychological aspects that make vaginal penetration extremely painful if not altogether impossible. Aside from history, diagnosis rests on the physical examination. The most important considerations in therapy seem to be the patient's understanding of the problem and flexibility of approach. (Author)

Presents analyses of data from the National Comorbidity Survey to assess the extent to which problems within marriage spill over to produce work loss. Results indicate that marital distress is positively associated with work loss. Suggests family interventions targeted at prevention of marital problems may result in important psychosocial and…

For mysterious reasons only a small proportion of couples with relationship problems seek counseling. This qualitative study included 36 women and 16 men in structured small group discussions. Questions concerned attitudes to relationship counseling. Both groups expressed denial of the problems in the relationship, the seriousness of these…

Describes a cognitive-behavioral model for treating couples' negative reactions to infertility. After a discussion of why the cognitive-behavioral approach can competently address the goals of couples coping with infertility, three phases of treatment are outlined: assessment, therapy, and closure. Areas for assessment include spouses, marital…

Involved a 10-year review of the major marriage and family therapy related journals for articles involving racial and ethnic minorities. Despite an awareness of the importance of such scholarship, fewer than 5% of published articles focused on racial and ethnic minority populations and issues. Provides a benchmark against which future publication…

One of the major polarizations in marriages of workaholic husbands is their pursuit of the "Great American Dream" while their wives are left to pursue the "Petty Realities of Life." Couples must learn to negotiate realistic and functional objectives for themselves, without avoiding the issues. (JAC)

This article describes the reactions of a small sample of college students from a Northeastern, private nonsectarian university to a marriage contract that was designed by a couple on this campus. The major reasons for writing the contract included apprehension about the pre-marital socialization system in our society, concerns regarding marital…