Depression : The differing Narratives of Couples in Couple Therapy

Abstract

How does the spouse of a person with depression take part in constructing narratives of depression in couple therapy? In this study we examined couples' ways of co-constructing narratives of depression in couple therapy. Three couple therapy processes were chosen for the study, one spouse in each couple having been referred to an outpatient clinic for treatment for his/her depression. Four sessions from each systemic couple therapy process (Jones & Asen, 2000) were analyzed using narrative analysis. According to our findings, couples co-constructed narratives of depression, each in their own way. It is crucial to focus not only on the patient's individual narrative of depression, but also on the depressed spouse's narrative as an interactive part of the non-depressed spouse's narrative, and a shared narrative created by the spouses about depression.