ABSTRACT
Psychoeducation is intended to help couples be aware and identify the influence external minor stressors can have on their lives and their functioning as a couple. Psychoeducation on external stress has two major goals: to increase couples’ awareness of how external minor chronic stress impacts their relationship and raises the likelihood for arguments, alienation, and dissatisfaction; and to increase mutual understanding and acceptance by explaining how partners may differentially react to stress based on individual factors. Stress reduces time that partners spend together in a harmonious context and leads to fewer shared experiences, fewer joint leisure activities, fewer opportunities for emotional self-disclosure, and fewer possibilities to cope together with adversities and daily hassles. External minor stressors trigger personal vulnerabilities and increase unpleasant partner behavior, such as rigidity, dominance, stubbornness, anxiety, or insecurity. As physical intimacy and sexuality are important indicators of couples’ functioning, the impact of stress on sexuality is considerable.
