憂鬱症患者的婚姻權力關係：以傳統家務分工為例

Marital Power in Depression Patients:Divison of Labor in Domestic Affairs of Traditional Families

本研究以夫妻共同訪談法，進入研究場域，探究憂鬱症患者的婚姻權力關係。分別訪談女性及男性罹病的研究參與夫妻各一對，兩對夫妻都是傳統家務分工模式。研究結果發現：丈夫在婚姻關係中都居於主導地位，妻子權力皆低於丈夫。女性患者極力追求親密關係，丈夫則是關係疏離者，且站穩強勢位置，夫妻呈現「妻爭夫強」的權力關係。女性患者在經歷親密關係失落，且無權更動，在婚姻權力極為低落時罹患了憂鬱症；女性患者罹病之後，婚姻地位因病人角色更為低落，憂鬱症狀不穩定、再度復發。男性患者擁有較高的權力，配偶也順從其主導地位，夫妻呈現「夫導妻從」的權力關係。男性患者因工作挫敗罹患了憂鬱症，罹病之後仍維持其優勢地位，並且因是家庭經濟唯一的支柱，得努力控制病情，憂鬱症狀因而趨於穩定。本文最後建議未來研究者，運用夫妻共同訪談法探究婚姻權力議題，並同時納入不同性別及權力位階的研究患者。

The purpose of this preliminary study was to explore the marital power balance of clinically depressed patients through in-depth interviews with two couples, one in which the husband was clinically depressed, and one in which the wife was clinically depressed. These couples distributed their domestic responsibilities according to traditional gender roles; both wives' status was lower than their husbands' in the marriage before the depression arose. The cause of the depression for the female patient was her experience of loss in the marital relationship. She felt she worked hard to enhance the marriage despite her experience of emotional distance. From her perspective, while she worked to improve the relationship, her husband merely cared about the relationship without working to improve it. The male patient experienced work loss, which led to his depression. He believed that he should lead and his wife should obey. After becoming depressed, the marital status of the female patient was even lower than before, but the male patient maintained his dominant status. Suggestions and directions for future study are offered.