Objective: To investigate the current state of marital conflicts in contemporary China from the perspectives of marriage counselors.
Methods: Based on the 2002 to 2020 Chinese research findings in psychology and sociology related to marital conflict, combined with theoretical perspectives from mainstream marital counseling and clinical experience of marriage counselors, a self-compiled questionnaire was developed. An online survey was conducted with 121 marriage counselors with regards to the characteristics of help-seekers, types of marital conflict, and coping styles observed in their clients.
Results: 73.6% of counselors believed that women were usually the ones who initiated marital counseling, and couples under the age of 45 accounted for the highest proportion of those seeking help (63.6%). The top three triggers prompting couples to seek professional marital counseling were extramarital affairs (76.9%), communication difficulties within the marriage (71.9%), and difficulties in raising children (52.1%). 87.6% of counselors had provided counseling to couples dealing with infidelity. The main reasons for extramarital affairs included marital conflict (83.5%), personal values (49.6%), sexual difficulties (46.3%), difficulties in early parent-child relationships (41.3%), and intergenerational trauma (41.3%). Factors affecting marital quality included serious relational breakdowns (e.g., infidelity and domestic violence); impaired cooperative functioning (e.g., communication difficulties, sexual difficulties, and parenting problems); poor spousal compatibility (e.g., conflicts in personality traits); and major stressors (e.g., one partner suffering from illness). Marriage counselors categorized common coping styles for marital conflict into two types: positive and negative. Positive coping included communication and negotiation, emotional expression, and problem-solving; while negative coping included violence, blame, and emotional distancing.
Conclusion: The survey results reflect, to some extent, the dilemmas faced by contemporary Chinese marriages. The causes of conflict are diverse and should be addressed through positive coping strategies. Marriage counselors were more likely to examine the causes, coping mechanisms, and consequences of marital conflicts from relational and systemic perspectives.
FANG Xin
,
GAO Jun
. Marital Conflicts in Contemporary China as Viewed by Marriage Counselors: A Survey Study[J]. Psychological Communications, 2025
, 8(2)
: 130
-136
.
DOI: 10.12100/j.issn.2096-5494.225019
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