What makes a strong marriage anyway...? There are definite qualities that exist in healthy marriages, that is, a marriage that is defined by both partners to be "mostly" or "usually" very satisfying. This article explores these qualities and looks at what really works to make and keep marriages strong, healthy, and satisfying…

Trying to understand marriage laws for individuals with disabilities can be frustrating. People looking for a clear-cut answer may turn to the Constitution. Different states address marriage laws differently. Most states consider the nature and severity of the individual's disability and the role of his or her guardian in the decision to marry.…

The case study illustrates the ways in which consultation with specialists can add strain to marriages involving disabled children. (CL)

The case study analyzes the interactions of a family with a physically handicapped child during periods of change. It is pointed out that the child became the "scapegoat" over problems between husband and wife. (CL)

Excerpts from counseling sessions highlight the effects of a developmentally delayed, autistic-like child upon a marriage and family. The counselor points out the parents' continuing frustrations from not receiving clear guidelines and notes the importance of a case manager. (CL)

The article describes a family and marriage relationship deteriorating in part because of the father's difficulty in playing with his disabled son. (CL)

A case study is presented of a family whose 11-year-old son's aggressive behavior in school has triggered a crisis in the parents' marriage. (CL)

The mother of a 14-year-old mentally retarded boy comments on the viewpoints of Dr. Sol Gordon (a sex education columnist) regarding masturbation, questions on sex, marriage, and the parents' role. (SBH)

Excerpted and adapted from the book, "New Directions for Parents of Persons Who Are Retarded", the article focuses on changing attitudes toward sex and the retarded and the principles of sex education. (DB)

A case history of a marriage affected by the stress of a severely disabled child is presented. The situation is further complicated by the unhappiness of an adolescent sibling and the father's business anxieties. (CL)

This article, written from the perspective of a special educator who has a daughter with mental retardation, describes the marital stress that having a child with a disability brings about. The article also notes the importance of parents getting away by themselves and offers suggestions for accomplishing this. (JDD)

A case is discussed in which parents of a disabled child seek counseling for the strain placed on their relationship by child care demands. The importance of understanding each other's perspective on child care and home management is emphasized, along with sharing burdens and maintaining open communication through stressful years. (PB)