How Do Couples Stay Together When They Have the Same Issues of Couples That Divorce?

Marital discord is well researched and has a significant amount of literature that addresses many areas of a relationship. These studies include the issues of parenting, finances, diversity issues and the acceptance of each other through clinical intervention. However, there is very little research on what makes a couple stay together when they have the same issues as couples that divorce. Using a phenomenological study, I addressed this question. The criteria for the study included couples needing to score above 60 on the Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI) Questionnaire,  a 16-item questionnaire that asked the couple members to report on different areas of their couple relationship such as needs, expectations, level of comfort, etc., in order to assess their satisfaction with their relationship (Funk & Rogge, 2007). The couples in the study had children and came from different walks of life and different ethnic and financial backgrounds. None of the couples had even been in psychotherapy for marital issues. All the couples had been married for over 16 years. At the end of the study no matter what their backgrounds were, there were similarities that kept their unions intact. The rules they all followed made their unions survive difficult times and helped them stay together and work towards harmony and a stronger relationship.  These 6 rules helped them work through the issues and ride the wave of discourse that every union has, but in addition helped them build a better r...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Marriage and Divorce Relationships Research Source Type: blogs