Counselling works to save marriages, claims study

COUNSELLING saves at least half of troubled marriages a study has shown.

Of the 1,000 couples and 1,500 individuals questioned, there was a reduction in stress for 50% of men and 60% of women. The quality of the relationship improved for 40% of men and women.

The study is based on people who sought help from counselling group ACCORD between 2000 and 2002.

There was also an improvement in satisfaction in the share-out of housework and childcare. This was particularly so for women. The study was conducted by Dr Kieran McKeown, a social and economic research consultant, who found there was a dramatic and positive change in stress levels after counselling.

Before counselling, two out of five women and one out of five men said their marriage was close to or beyond breaking point. Most couples and individuals (85%) said they were stressed or very stressed before counselling.

When asked whether the use of force was part of the problem, the study found it was used at some level at least once in the lifetime of 53% of couples. The use of force was mutual in 46% of cases. It was female-perpetrated in 30% of cases and male-perpetrated in 24% of cases.

Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Coughlan, said the study, funded by her department under the Families Research Programme, clearly established that counselling worked equally well for men and women.

The Government has provided some 17.25m for The Family Support Agency in 2003 specifically to allow increases in family counselling services. There are now 120 organisations providing these services throughout the country.

ACCORD director Fr John Hannan said issues identified in the report as contributing to unhappiness in marriage included lack of affection and cohesion, trading criticism and insults, not listening and failing to deal with financial challenges.

ACCORD’s director of Counselling Margaret Chambers said the study showed that, on average, most couples who experience relationship difficulties were in their 30s and married for about 13 years.