Intimate relationships and psychopathology

Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev. 2012 Mar;15(1):4-13. doi: 10.1007/s10567-011-0107-2.

Abstract

Relationship functioning and individual mental health and well-being are strongly associated with one another. In this article, we first review the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between relationship discord and various types of psychopathology, We then review findings suggesting that relationship discord is associated with poorer outcome for individual-based treatments for psychopathology and that, generally, relationship discord does not improve following individual-based treatments for psychopathology. Finally, we present a model for conceptualizing work with couples in which one partner has a psychiatric disorder and review the efficacy of couple-based interventions in the treatment for psychiatric disorders, with a focus on substance-related, mood, and anxiety disorders.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Marital Therapy
  • Marriage / psychology
  • Mental Disorders / etiology
  • Mental Disorders / psychology*
  • Mental Disorders / therapy
  • Mental Health
  • Parent-Child Relations