PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND MARITAL ROLE DISTURBANCE: A TEST OF THE THARP-OTIS DESCRIPTIVE HYPOTHESIS.

R. G. THARP AND G. D. OTIS (SEE 40:12) HAVE PROPOSED A THEORY AND TECHNIQUE FOR THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION IN FAMILIES WHICH ATTRIBUTES "PSYCHOPATHOLOGY" TO A SOCIAL SYSTEM DISORDER, CHARACTERIZED BY DISTURBANCES IN FAMILY ROLES. IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT INDIVIDUAL PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS AND THEIR SPOUSES EXPERIENCE MARITAL ROLE DISTURBANCE TO A GREATER DEGREE THAN THE AVERAGE NONCLINICAL POPULATION. KELLY-THARP MARRIAGE ROLE QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED TO 35 PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS, THEIR SPOUSES, AND TO NORMAL SS AND THEIR SPOUSES. DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN ROLE EXPECTATIONS AND ROLE ENACTMENTS OF THE GROUPS WERE SIGNIFICANT IN THE HYPOTHESIZED DIRECTION FOR 4 OF THE 5 AREAS OF ROLE FUNCTIONING. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)