Abstract
In light of accumulating evidence indicating that relationships are strongly affected by their environment, the purpose of this chapter is to review theory and research relevant to explaining how and why stress often impair couples’ relationship functioning. Particular attention is given to the role that cognitions, communication, problem solving, social support, and avoidance have in altering the impact that stressors have on relationship functioning. Following a brief review of this literature, research and theory are integrated with principles of cognitive behavioral therapy to provide treatment recommendations for individuals working with distressed couples. Emphasis is placed on educating couples on the effects of stress, minimizing environmental stressors as much as possible, and teaching individuals and partners to apply coping strategies that help increase positive and minimize negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The chapter concludes with a case study illustrating the application of the principles and treatment strategies presented throughout the chapter.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Arriaga, X. B. (2001). The ups and downs of dating: Fluctuations in satisfaction in newly-formed romantic relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 754–765.
Addis, J., & Bernard, M. E. (2002). Marital adjustment and irrational beliefs. Journal of Rational Emotive & Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 20, 3–13.
Bodenmann, G. (1997). Can divorce be prevented by enhancing coping skills in couples? Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 27, 177–194.
Bodenmann, G. (2000). Stress und coping bei paaren [Stress and coping in couples]. Göttingen: Hogrefe.
Bodenmann, G., Charvoz, L., Cina, A., & Windmere, K. (2001). Prevention of marital distress by enhancing the coping skills of couples: 1-year follow-up-study. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 60, 3–10.
Bodenmann, G. (2005). Dyadic coping and its significance for marital functioning. In T., Bodenmann, G., Charvoz, L., Cina, A., & Windmere, K. (Eds.), (2001). Prevention of marital distress by enhancing the coping skills of couples: 1-year follow-up-study. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 60, 3–10.
Bodenmann, G., & Shantinath, S. D. (2004). The couples coping enhancement training (CCET): A new approach to prevention of marital distress based on stress and coping. Family Relations, 53, 477–484.
Cannon, W. B. (1927). The James-Lange theory of emotions: A critical examination and an alternative theory. The American Journal of Psychology, 39, 106–124.
Carlson, N. R. (2010). Physiology of behavior. New York: Allyn & Bacon.
Cohan, C. L., & Bradbury, T. N. (1997). Negative life events, marital interaction, and the longitudinal course of newlywed marriage. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 114–128.
Conger, R. D., & Elder, M. A. (1999). Couple resilience to economic pressure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 54–71.
Conger, R. D., Reuter, M. A., & Elder, G. H. (1999). Couple resilience to economic pressure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 54–71.
Cox, M. J., Paley, B., Burchinal, M., & Payne, C. C. (1999). Marital perceptions and interactions across the transition to parenthood. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61, 611–625.
Cutrona, C. E., Hessling, R. M., & Suhr, J. A. (1997). The influence of husband and wife personality on marital social support interactions. Personal Relationships, 4, 379–393.
Cutrona, C. E., Russell, D. W., & Gardner, K. A. (2005). The relationship enhancement model of social support. In T. A. Revenson, K. Kayser, & G. Bodenmann (Eds.), Couples coping with stress: Emerging perspectives on dyadic coping (pp. 73–95). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Davila, J., Karney, B. R., Hall, T. W., & Bradbury, T. N. (2003). Depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction: Dynamic associations and the moderating effects of gender and neuroticism. Journal of Family Psychology, 17, 557–570.
Dehle, C., Larsen, D., & Landers, J. E. (2001). Social support in marriage. American Journal of Family Therapy, 29(4), 307–324.
Ellis, A. (2003). The nature of disturbed marital interaction. Journal of Rational Emotive & Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 21, 147–153.
Epstein, N., & Baucom, D. H. (2002). Enhanced cognitive-behavioral therapy for couples: A contextual approach. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Fincham, F. D., & Bradbury, T. N. (1992). Assessing attributions in marriage: The Relationship Attribution Measure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62, 457–468.
Gardner, K. A., & Cutrona, C. E. (2004). Social support communication in families. In A. Vangelisti (Ed.), Handbook of family communication (pp. 495–512). Mahway, NJ: Erlbaum.
Gottman, J. M. (1999). The sound marital house: A theory of marriage. In The marriage clinic (pp. 87–110). New York: Norton.
Graham, J. M., & Conoley, C. W. (2006). The role of marital attributions in the relationship between life stressors and marital quality. Personal Relationships, 13, 231–241.
Hammen, C., Adrian, C., Gordon, D., Burge, D., Jaenicke, C., & Hiroto, D. (1987). Children of depressed mothers: Maternal strain and symptom predictors of dysfunction. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 96, 190–198.
Harris, S., Davies, M. F., & Dryden, W. (2006). An experimental test of a core REBT hypothesis: Evidence that irrational beliefs lead to physiological as well as psychological arousal. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 24, 101–110.
Heavey, C. L., Christensen, A., & Malamuth, N. M. (1995). The longitudinal impact of demand and withdrawal during marital conflict. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63, 797–801.
Howe, G. W., Levy, M. L., & Caplan, R. D. (2004). Job loss and depressive symptoms in couples: Common stressors, stress transmission, or relationship disruption? Journal of Family Psychology, 18, 639–650.
Karney, B. R., & Bradbury, T. N. (1995). The longitudinal course of marital quality and stability: A review of theory, method, and research. Psychological Bulletin, 118, 3–34.
Karney, B. R., Story, L. B., & Bradbury, T. N. (2005). Marriages in context: Interactions between chronic and acute stress among newlyweds. In T. Revenson, K. Kayser, & G. Bodenmann (Eds.), Couples coping with stress: Emerging perspectives on dyadic coping (pp. 33–50). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Katz, J., Monnier, J., Libet, J., Shaw, D., & Beach, S. R. (2000). Individual and crossover effects of stress on marital adjustment in medical school marriages. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 26, 341–351.
Lazarus, R. S. (1966). Psychological stress and the coping process. New York: McGraw Hill.
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer.
Ledermann, T., Bodenmann, G., Rudaz, M., & Bradbury, T. N. (2009). Stress, communication, and marital quality in couples. Family Relations, 59, 195–206.
Lehman, D. R., Lang, E. L., Wortman, C. B., & Sorenson, S. (1989). Long-term effects of sudden bereavement: Marital and parent–child relationships and children’s reactions. Journal of Family Psychology, 2, 344–367.
Markman, H. J., Renick, M. J., Floyd, F. J., Stanley, S. M., & Clements, M. (1993). Preventing marital distress through communication and conflict management training: A four and five year follow-up. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62(1), 70–77.
McCubbin, H. I., Patterson, J., & Wilson, L. (1983). Family inventory of life events and changes (FILE). In H. I. McCubbin, A. I. Thompson, & M. McCubbin (Eds.), Family assessment: Resiliency, coping and adaptation-inventories for research and practice (pp. 103–178). Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin System.
McNulty, J. K., & Karney, B. R. (2001). Attributions in marriage: Integrating specific and global evaluations of close relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 943–955.
Moller, A. T., & de Beer, Z. C. (1998). Irrational beliefs and marital conflict. Psychological Reprint, 82, 155–160.
Neff, L. A., & Karney, B. R. (2004). The dynamic structure of relationship perceptions: Differential importance as a strategy of relationship maintenance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 1433–1446.
Neff, L. A., & Karney, B. R. (2009). Stress and reactivity to daily relationship experiences: How stress hinders adaptive processes in marriage. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97, 435–450.
Osgarby, S.M. (1998). Memory and positive exchange in marital satisfaction. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia.
Randall, A. K., & Bodenmann, G. (2009). The role of stress on close relationships and marital satisfaction. Clinical Psychology Review, 29, 105–115.
Repetti, R. L. (1989). Effects of daily workload on subsequent behavior during marital interaction: The roles of social withdrawal and spousal support. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 651–659.
Roberts, N. A., & Levinson, R. W. (2001). The remains of the workday: Impact of job stress and exhaustion on marital interaction in police couples. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 63, 1052–1067.
Sarason, I. G., Johnson, J. H., & Siegel, J. M. (1978). Assessing the impact of life changes: Development of the life experiences survey. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46, 932–946.
Schulz, M. S., Cowan, P. A., Cowan, C. P., & Brennan, R. T. (2004). Coming home upset: Gender, marital satisfaction, and the daily spillover of workday experience into couple interactions. Journal of Family Psychology, 18, 250–263.
Sehnert, K. W. (1981). Stress/unstress. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing.
Story, L. B., & Bradbury, T. N. (2004). Understanding marriage and stress: Essential questions and challenges. Clinical Psychology Review, 23, 1139–1162.
Story, L. B., & Repetti, R. (2006). Daily occupational stressors and marital behavior. Journal of Family Psychology, 20, 690–700.
Stokes, S. B., & Wampler, R. S. (2002). Remarried clients seeking marital therapy as compared to those seeking family therapy. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 38, 91–107.
Tesser, A., & Beach, S. R. H. (1998). Life events, relationship quality, and depression: An investigation of judgment discontinuity in vivo. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 36–52.
Thompson, A., & Bolger, N. (1999). Emotional transmission in couples under stress. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61, 38–48.
Wheaton, B. (1996). The domains and boundaries of stress concepts. In H. B. Kaplan (Ed.), Psychosocial stress: Perspectives on structure, theory, life-course, and methods (pp. 29–70). San Diego: Academic.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Russell, M., Slaby, A.E. (2012). Helping Couples Deal with Stress and Adversity. In: Vernon, A. (eds) Cognitive and Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy with Couples. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5137-2_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5137-2_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-5136-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-5137-2
eBook Packages: Behavioral ScienceBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)