Intact Marriages in Which One Partner Dis-identifies with Experiences of Same-Sex Attraction

This study is of heterosexually married couples in which one partner reports having experienced same-sex attraction and both partners report satisfaction with their marriage despite facing such constraints. Thirty-two participants provided information on their experiences in marriage. Participants were identified through purposeful sampling and completed questionnaires utilizing primarily qualitative methodology to provide an in-depth look at a relatively unexplored research topic. Questionnaires were sent to the first 20 couples that were contacted to participate. The questionnaires contained open-ended questions about the participants’ experiences, motivations, coping behaviors, and so on. Analysis suggested a number of themes related to how spouses learned about their partners’ experiences of same-sex attraction, motivations for keeping the marriage intact, and coping activities. The couples’ religious faith and degree to which they share a similar worldview seems to also factor into commitment to and satisfaction with their marriage.