The interface between sexual dysfunctional and marital conflict.

The author used a self-rating scale to assess marital happiness and sexual functioning in a sample of 20 couples referred to an outpatient family therapy unit. Evaluation of couples in structured interactions indicated important differences in the quality and intensity of relationship difficulties observed. Analysis of variance clearly showed that sexual dysfunction and marital distress may operate independently of one another. Thus effective treatment of marital discord may be neither a necessary nor sufficient condition for improvement in sexual functioning.