INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL SERIES - THE PERSON AND MARRIAGE - ATTENDING TO INDIVIDUAL AND DYADIC CONCERNS

The purpose of this series is to explore the complex interaction betwe en individual and relationship functioning. Many individuals seeking p sychotherapy present with individual diagnosable conditions. Yet they live in larger social units, one of the most important of which for ma ny adults is marriage. Should these persons be treated in individual t herapy, or should the partner be included in some manner in order to t ake important contextual and environmental factors into account? On th e other hand, the majority of couples seeking marital therapy present to clinics with one or both persons having individual diagnosable diso rders as well. How are such couples to be assisted? Is some form of ma rital therapy the intervention of choice, is individual therapy most a ppropriate, or should the two be combined in some manner? Finally, if marital therapy is the treatment of choice in any of these or other ci rcumstances, what is the most effective way to promote change and/or a cceptance from the individual partners? These are the issues addressed in this special series. Four of the five papers deal with individual psychopathology within the context of marriage. Two focus on depressio n and marriage; one evaluates the role of marriage in anxiety disorder s; and another reviews the treatment of alcoholism within a marital co ntext. The final paper addresses new ways to promote involvement of th e individuals in marital interventions with the goal of increasing tre atment effectiveness and maintenance.