Coping with homosexual expression within heterosexual marriages: five case studies.

The general consensus of previous studies dealing with heterosexually married homosexuals is that the outcome is a rather poor and unhappy marriage, or divorce. The subjects in previous studies, for the most part, had not disclosed their sexual orientation to their marriage partner or were divorced at the time of the study. Presented are five case studies of heterosexual marriages where disclosure to the spouse is evident. Examined are the coping mechanisms involved when such marriages do not end in divorce. A three-phase heuristic model is offered for understanding and aiding individuals in such marriages.