Strategies of Jealousy: Styles of Coping with Extramarital Involvement of the Spouse

This study addressed itself to the ways people cope with extramarital relationships of their spouses. The sample consisted of 50 men and 50 women who had all known of such relationships of their marital partners. A factor analysis of a questionnaire for assessing coping styles revealed three factors: (1) avoidance of the spouse, (2) reappraisal of the situation and (3) communication. Avoidance was significantly more common among women and especially among women with a low self-esteem. Both avoidance and reappraisal correlated positively with neuroticism. Communication occurred more often among people with high marital satisfaction. Some implications for counselors and therapists are discussed.