Abstract
The aim of this research was to develop a psycho-educational program to
form a framework for educational psychologists to promote and facilitate the
mental health of women who are unhappy in their marriages. The assumption
is made that a mentally healthy and happy mother exercises a great influence
on the rest of her family.
The circumstances in unhappy long-term marriages appear to be a stressful
situation which is associated with much uncertainty and confusion. It seems
that women in such a situation tend to withdraw in order to attempt to address
their pain, confusion and uncertainty in isolation, without being effective in
solving their problems. Affluent women’s mental health in the situation of a
long-term, unhappy marriage seems to be characterized by a spectrum of
unpleasant emotions, an identity crisis, an unhealthy dynamic in their
relationship with their life partner and the use of a number of defence
mechanisms to ease the pain.
Lack of knowledge regarding the specific ways in which their marriage upsets
them leads to misperceptions in women. Long-term unhappiness and
uncertainty in isolation can also lead to mental disorders that may assume
alarming proportions. Clinical disorders are definitely not excluded.
Prof. C.P.H. Myburgh