精神科 入院患者에서 본 姑婦間의 葛藤

MOTHER-IN-LAW/DAUGHTER-IN-LAW CONFLICT AMONG THE PSYCH IATRIC INPATIENTS

Clinical characteristics of married female psychiatric patients whose trouble could be attributed to an undesirable mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relation have been analysed in this article for the purpose of understanding it’s psychopathological manifestation and the psychotherapeutic process. Materials were obtained from the clinical records of 113 married women (99 daughters-in-law and 14 mothers-in-law) who had been admitted to the psychiatric ward of Hanyang University Hospital during the past two years from August 1, 1975 to July 30，1977. Three cases of divorcee and widow and 29 cases of neurological diseases or brain syndromes were not included in this study. Three criteria were applied for sample selction: the cases selected were a) those whose mother-in-law/daughter- in-law conflict was a main theme or target of emotional discharge, b) those in whom the same conflict was related to the developement of mental symptoms and c) those in whom the conflict gave influence on symptom aggravation. Subject group consisted of 32 daughters-in-law and 6 mothers-in-law with overt mother-in-law/daughter-in-law conflict, whereas control group consisted of 67 daughtersin- law and 8 mothers-in-law without the conflict. Among 99 daughters-in-law and 14 mothers-inlaw, mental conflicts of 32 cases (34%) of daughterin- law and 6 cases(43%) of mother-in-law could be attributed to a frictional mother-in-law/daughter- in-law relation. The subject group of daugter- in-law was younger in age than the control, and the subject group of mother-in-law was older in age than the control. Educational level was higher in both subject groups than in both controls. No significant differences of social class, characteristics of early parental relations including early bereavement, and present family structure in terms of nuclear/large family could be found between the subjects and the controls. Neuroses and borderline cases were predominant and schizo phrenia and depression were rare in the subject groups. Their mother-in-law/danghter-in-law conflicts were mostly manifested by somatic symptoms rather than by acting outs. In psychotherapeutic process, the first stage was characterized by abreaction or ventilation by which symptomatic relief was successful. The second stage was to recognize the meaning of symptoms in terms of daughter-in-law/ mother-in-law conflict. The third was to recognize the conflict as her own personality problem. The fourth was to accept the traditional value of respecting the elder. In traditional patriarchal family, it is so hard to carry out women’s duties as a dughter-in-law, as a wife and as a mother. And the daughter-inlaw and mother-in-law easily become rivals against each other to win the stronger status in the family. Frustration of the daughter-in-law in the past, however, could be successfully suppressed by Confucianistic ethic of respecting the elders. Nowadays, this ethical pressure is so weak that their frustration is liable to manifest emotional conflict without much suppression. Furthermore, they are ambivalent between the traditional and modern values. In such a context, mother-in-law/daughterin- law relation inevitably becomes worse and provokes early individual conflicts resulting in a frequent family trouble. Understanding and acceptance of traditional value and way of life would be an easier access to solution of the confilct.