The Social Construction of Marriage and a Narrative Approach to Treatment of Intra-Relationship Diversity

Abstract

Simultaneously with societal policies and values, marital arrangements have changed in terms of intrarelationship diversity and longevity. This occurrence leads to the ability to conceptualize marriage as a socially constructed entity. Cultural identification influences the expectations surrounding marriage, encompassing multiple dimensions: collectivism/individualism, race, gender, and religion, among others. Many relationship conflicts are related to an individual's dreams, which are likely to be influenced by internalized expectations stemming from one's cultural upbringing. The authors propose a narrative treatment model for a couple, which includes a variation of a cultural genogram, and utilizesexternalizing conversations, re-authoring conversations, and re-membering conversations.