Rearranged marriages: marital relationships after head injury

Abstract

An in depth study of 18 heterosexual couples investigated the quality of the marital and sexual relationships 1-7 years after the male partner had suffered a severe head injury. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed and the focus was on the perspective of the uninjured female partner. The female partners reported both marital and sexual satisfaction as lower following injury. They rated their current marital satisfaction as significantly less than their brain injured partners. The quantitative part of the study revealed major role changes experienced by the women, with many comparing their new role to that of a parent with total decision-making responsibility. The incompatibility of this role with that of sexual partner was mentioned by many. A tendency for the males to express gratitude but not to communicate their feelings was described by many women. Most women were resigned to the expectation that there would be little change in the future and, for most, the only positive aspect of the relationship was a sense of commitment and continuing companionship. The implications of the findings for rehabilitation and couple therapy are discussed.