New Strategies in Assessing, Treating, and Relapse Prevention of Extramarital Affairs

Abstract

Understanding, assessing, treating, and preventing relapse of extra-marital affairs has involved significant changes in the past 10 years. This conceptual/clinical article expands on the groundbreaking work of Snyder, Gordon, and Baucom (2007), and has a special focus placed on the process of sexual recovery from an extra-marital affair. Secondly, this article focuses on the importance of creating a relapse prevention agreement. Both traditional and non-traditional agreements with regard to monogamy are described. Recognizing individual, couple, cultural, and value differences in norms and expectations exhibits a particular challenge in the study and treatment of extra-marital affairs. The clinician honors these complexities and differences by designing a treatment program that meets the needs of each couple.