THE MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS OF DEPRESSED WOMEN.

Abstract

Recent investigations of clinical depression have stressed the role of interpersonal processes in the course of the disorder. In particular, the marital relationships of depressed individuals are thought to be important in the development and maintenance of depression. Several empirical studies have shown that the marriages of depressed individuals are characterized by impaired communication and high rates of interpersonal friction. The present study was a further attempt to assess the nature of the depressed person's marital relationship. Eleven depressed female psychiatric patients, elevel nondepressed female patients and eleven normal controls and their spouses completed several questionnaires and took part in a 10-minute problem solving interaction. Behavioral and self report measures revealed that the depressed women and their husbands were unhappy in their marriages. As predicted, the depressed women engaged in fewer enjoyable activities than did controls. The women and their husbands did not, however, avoid each other during recreational time nor did they verbally express increased levels of negativity. Their nonverbal behavior lacked positive behaviors, e.g., smiles, nods and affectionate touching. These results discussed in terms of behavioral, interpersonal and systems theories of depression and related to relevant empirical studies. Several suggestions for further research were presented.