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ABSTRACT
Ideas about the nature of marital conflict and approaches to its treatment are conceived within existing clinical theories. As a result, marital conflict is defined in accord with the epistemological assumptions of the clinical framework rather than more far reaching assumptions about the nature of power and conflict. Without a formulation of marital conflict that is derived from a comprehensive theory of conflict, important aspects of marital conflict may be overlooked and vital linkages to other forms of conflict might be underestimated.
Both the systemic and postmodern paradigms have been criticized for their inability to deal with essential aspects of conflict as it applies to marriage and the family. However, for a comprehensive theory of conflict to be useful in addressing such limitations, its assumptions must also be congruent with the clinical paradigm to which it is applied. A linguistic theory of conflict is proposed for postmodern practice and its treatment of marital conflict. Implications for practice are discussed.