[Psychodynamic aspects of marriages of schizophrenics (author's transl)]

20 couples, each of which with one spouse suffering from schizophrenia, are investigated with clinical and psychological (individual and consensus Rorschach, Freiburg personality inventory) methods. Married schizophrenics seem to be less schizoid than passive dependent, infantile or stormy in their premorbid personality. Regarding our results their spouses don't differ in their mental health from the average population. Behaviour disorders of the non-schizophrenic spouses rather have to be seen as reactions caused secondarily by the patient's schizophrenic symptoms than as characteristics of their primary personality, because they only arise in the exploration of both spouses together. The schizophrenics appear less disturbed in the interaction with their spouses than in the situation of the single exploration. The "interacting personality" of the non-schizophrenic spouses, however, seems to be more disturbed than their "individual personality". Special factors, which are connected with premorbid personality of the later schizophrenic, are important in the mate selection. Very often first manifestation and the course of schizophrenic syndrome on the one hand and the marital dynamics on the other hand are closely related. Describing the attitude of the spouses to each other the non-schizophrenic shows three characteristic patterns, which are seen in the interaction of the couple: acceptation, emotional distance and ambivalence. Further the question of indication and prospect of marital therapy is discussed.