Relationships and embitterment

Abstract

Across all countries and cultures, most people are involved in intimate couple relationships at some point in their lives, whether it be marriage or cohabitation (Buss 1995). Intimate couple relationships continue to be viewed as the best forum for meeting individual needs for affection, companionship, loyalty, and emotional and sexual intimacy. As common as intimate relationships and marriage are, in industrialized western countries approximately 40-50% of marriages end in divorce. Many other couples, about 10 to 25% live in stable but unhappy relationships for various reasons, e. g., the financial implications of divorce, personal and cultural expectations about divorce, or because no alternative partner is available (Hahlweg et al. 2010). © 2011 Springer-Verlag Vienna.