Conradi Henk Jan, Noordhof Arjen, Kamphuis Jan H
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Fam Process. 2025 Mar;64(1):e13074. doi: 10.1111/famp.13074. Epub 2024 Oct 29.
Couples appear to frequently experience relationship problems, yet estimates of the prevalence and prediction of three distinct help-seeking steps, (1) recognition of serious relationship dissatisfaction, (2) considering help, and (3) receiving relationship help, are unknown for representative population samples. This is unfortunate as such knowledge may inform policy makers in the development of strategies to motivate couples to seek help. The prevalence of these steps along with reasons for not acquiring help was studied in a representative population sample of 1014 Dutch heterosexual couples. Multilevel Actor-Partner Interdependence Modeling (APIM) analyses estimated the extent to which static socio-demographic factors were predictive of help-seeking behaviors. Of all partners, 28.6% reported having ever been seriously dissatisfied with their relationship (step 1), of which 86.2% had told their partner they were dissatisfied, on average 1.5 years after onset of the dissatisfaction. Of the seriously dissatisfied partners 36.4% considered professional relationship help (step 2) and 19.5% eventually received help (step 3), on average 3.7 years after the onset of dissatisfaction. Of these, 88.5% consulted a (couple) therapist. Main reasons for not acquiring help were that "things got better" (48.8%) and "the partner did not want relationship help" (35.4%), whereas financial considerations and shame were rarely endorsed. Although serious relationship dissatisfaction was common (i.e., 40.1% of all couples consisted of at least one partner who was ever dissatified), few couples sought help and they did so rather late. Waxing and waning of dissatisfaction often guided the decision to not seek help. Women and younger partners were more proactive in help-seeking. Marital status, having children, and education were largely unrelated to help-seeking.
伴侣似乎经常会遇到关系问题，但对于具有代表性的人群样本而言，三种不同的寻求帮助步骤（1. 认识到严重的关系不满；2. 考虑寻求帮助；3. 接受关系帮助）的发生率和预测因素尚不清楚。这很遗憾，因为此类信息可能会为政策制定者制定激励伴侣寻求帮助的策略提供参考。我们在1014对荷兰异性恋伴侣的代表性人群样本中研究了这些步骤的发生率以及未寻求帮助的原因。多层次的行为者-伴侣相互依赖模型（APIM）分析估计了静态社会人口学因素对寻求帮助行为的预测程度。在所有伴侣中，28.6%的人报告曾对他们的关系感到严重不满（步骤1），其中86.2%的人在不满开始平均1.5年后告诉了伴侣他们的不满。在严重不满的伴侣中，36.4%的人考虑寻求专业的关系帮助（步骤2），19.5%的人最终接受了帮助（步骤3），平均在不满开始3.7年后。其中，88.5%的人咨询了（夫妻）治疗师。未寻求帮助的主要原因是“情况好转了”（48.8%）和“伴侣不希望寻求关系帮助”（35.4%），而经济考虑和羞耻感很少被提及。尽管严重的关系不满很常见（即40.1%的夫妻中至少有一方曾感到不满），但很少有夫妻寻求帮助，而且他们寻求帮助的时间相当晚。不满情绪的起伏往往影响了不寻求帮助的决定。女性和年轻伴侣在寻求帮助方面更积极主动。婚姻状况、是否有孩子和教育程度在很大程度上与寻求帮助无关。
