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Here is an essay on the ‘Theories of Marital Therapy’ for class 11 and 12. Find paragraphs. long and short essays on the ‘Theories of Marital Therapy’ especially written for school and college students.
Theories of Marital Therapy
Essay Contents:
- Essay on Psychodynamic Theories
- Essay on Marital Contract Theory
- Essay on Intergenerational System Theory
- Essay on Systems Theory
Essay # 1. Psychodynamic Theories:
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Psychoanalytic theories emphasize the concepts of complementarity of needs, self, object, early identifications and introjections. The selection of a mate is strongly weighed toward choosing one who can provide gratification for such unconscious neurotic needs.
It is assumed that the relationship is profoundly shaped by mutual transference reactions between the spouses. Consequently the treatment should aim at the projections and introjections of the spouses, in addition to their reality-based differences.
The normal couples differ from dysfunctional couples by that firstly they share more similarities of needs and in the choice of objects (in normal couples, the object tends to be a dependent (anaclitic) type whereas in neurotic couples, the object choice is narcissistic (i.e., to enhance one’s self-esteem).
Marital neurosis (in which one or both spouses develop neurosis in connection with the marriage) should be distinguished from marriage of “interlocked neurotics” (in which both of whom exhibit neurotic traits giving room to neurotic interaction).
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The major deficiency in psychoanalytic marital therapy is its insufficient attention to the current issues in marital interactions.
Essay # 2. Marital Contract Theory (by Sager):
The word contract is used to describe a set of assumptions and expectations of self and partner with which each person approaches the marital relationship.
There are three types of contract:
1. Verbalized:
Verbalized the part of contract verbally stated to the other person.
2. Secret:
Secret he part of the contract not shared with the partner, due to the fear of consequences of the revelation.
3. Beyond awareness:
Beyond awareness preconscious or unconscious needs that are unknown to the person.
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Marital conflicts in this model evolve from incongruent or non-fulfillable contracts. Contracts may be unacceptable to the partners or the person may have internal conflict between conscious and the unconscious part of the contract.
Essay # 3. Intergenerational System Theory (Bowen Theory):
The central theoretical concept of this theory is differentiation of self or its opposite fusion. Undifferentiated people remain stuck to their families or origin and tend to fuse with other people in order to reduce anxiety. They seek spouses who operate on the same developmental level and repeat with their spouses the same style of relating that they had with their families of origin.
Bowen uses three essential intervention strategies-defining and clarifying the relationship between the spouses; the didactic teaching of the spouses and the functioning of emotional systems and clearly defining the marital parts in relationship.
Essay # 4. Systems Theory:
This theory utilizes the concepts such as wholeness, circular causality, homeostasis, positive and negative feedback and family interactional patterns. Contradictions between different levels of messages are the root to the symptomatic behaviour.
System theorists differ from each other in their conceptualization of marital problems. Some focus on the power struggle between the spouses in marital conflict while some focus on the cognitive sphere.
Therapeutic strategies include redefining the couples problem through the use of paradoxical tasks, relabelling or reframing in order to change the spouse’s outlook and therefore the subjective experience.