MARITAL INTIMACY NEEDS QUESTIONNAIRE - PRELIMINARY-REPORT

Satisfaction with the intimacy one experiences in marriage is thought to be an important aspect of a successful marriage. For many clinician s and family researchers, intimacy has been narrowly conceptualized as a unidimensional construct and unidirectional process. The author, ho wever, conceptualizes intimacy as a multifaceted construct. Furthermor e, intimacy is seen as a dynamic, bidirectional, interactive, and reci procal process that occurs between spouses. The author identifies nine dimensions of intimacy, each having four interrelated components. Cli nical assessments of these dimensions and components can be accomplish ed by use of the Marital Intimacy Needs Questionnaire. This article of fers the reader an introduction to the instrument.