[Marital dysfunction and personality characteristics of partners]

A number of studies indicate that an early trauma is of extreme importance (most often experienced in the family of origin) in developing personality disorders. Researches on correlations between family dysfunction and individual psychopathology have been rare and controversial. The reason for this stems from an attempt to establish links between traditional medical models and systemic family therapy. The aim of this research was to explore specific personality structures of married couples and the way they relate to the type of dysfunction within the partner relationship.

The sample consisted of 25 families in the middle of divorce. The examinees were aged 25-45. Specific interactional behavioral patterns were examined by Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), while personality profile data were obtained using Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI).

In both groups dependency and obsessivness were marked, while males also presented with marked narcissism. Related to structural personality disorders, we have found only a group of men with significantly increased paranoid dimension. Concerning clinical syndromes, the obtained results revealed anxiety and depressive disorder in both genders and a tendency towards alcohol abuse among men. Results indicated to correlation of communication-interactive family patterns on one hand, and certain personality traits on the other.