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Marital Conflict and Sexual Dysfunction in Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Couples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

John A. Chiles ,
Fred S. Stauss  and
Lorna S. Benjamin
John A. Chiles
Affiliation:
University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences RP–10, Seattle, WA 98195
Fred S. Stauss
Affiliation:
University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences RP–10, Seattle, WA 98195
Lorna S. Benjamin
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, Madison, WI 53792
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Summary

Marital interaction appears to be relevant to alcoholism. This study compares two groups of couples, each presenting with sexual dysfunction. One group has an alcoholic member in each couple, one group does not. Data are presented suggesting that alcoholic marriages can be distinguished, in a clinically useful way, from other troubled marriages. Alcoholic husbands feel submissive, but are not being forced by their wives to be so. This suggests a therapeutic approach different from the one that would be taken if the wives were actually dominating.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 137 , Issue 3 , September 1980 , pp. 266 - 273
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1980 

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