Christian psychology graduate school's impact on marriage: Nonstudent spouses speak

Although many empirical studies have investigated marital distress and mari tal satisfaction, no research has been conducted on the impact of graduate school on marriage for students-in-training, particularly from the viewpoin t of the nonstudent spouse. Using a qualitative research methodology, six m ale and six female spouses of third and fourth year graduate students at an APA-approved program in clinical psychology were subjects in the present s tudy. Three hypotheses investigated were: (a) graduate training would have a detrimental effect on student marriages, (b) nonstudent spouses would rep ort marital strain due to student spouses' emotional isolation and withdraw al, and (c) due to the process of acculturation into organized secular psyc hology, students' emphasis on personal religious faith would decrease. The first hypothesis was supported, the second was unsupported, and the third r eceived mixed support. Three recommendations to support student marriages w ithin graduate educational settings are offered in conclusion.