Discussions

Marriage is a relationship beteen two people. It is also an institution of major importance in our society. And it is an institution which is not only being widely criticized at present, but which is also undergoing revolutionary changes.

The traditional marriage is under such widespread challenge if for no other reason than because within ten years three out of every ten marriages end in divorce, and the over-all divorce rate is now rising above 40%. In some areas of the country, in parts of Northern California for example, seven out of every ten marriages fail. Add to these facts the unknown suffering and agonizing resignation in many of the remaining marriages, and one begins to have some appreciation of the timeliness and importance of clinical studies such as Dr” Symonds'. His is an attempt first to explore and define the disharmony in marriages, and second, to indicate some directions which may be taken to bring relief from the suffering and hope for greater satisfaction in at least some of the unhappy relationships.

At the close of his excellent paper Dr. Symonds reemphasized the complexity of the problem of marital disharmony by quoting Dr. Eisenstein: “The course and outcome of a marriage are determined not merely by the personality difficulties of each partner but by the way the two personalities interact.” The factors which are involved in the “way the two personalities interact” seem to me to be crucial in understanding the quality of a marriage. These factors include the personality or character structure of each individual, and in addition include other members of related systems, such as children and relatives. Furthermore, the specific goals and reasons for the contract in any specific marriage would also be very important in understanding the course of the relationship. The very nature, and indeed the changing nature of the actual institution of marriage in our society are of great importance in comprehending the outcome of a marriage. The magnitude o