DISCONTINUE THE CONJUGAL BOND

A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR THE MALE SEX

Abstract

Many men, trying to reach a well-being not obtained in marital life, establish extramarital relations. Doing this appears to be more pleasant than starting a reflection process about the reasons that made them unhappy and consequently loosen their bond. ln order to identify variables that contribute to maintain an unsatisfactory marital relationship for various men, married individuals were interviewed - resident in the town of Governador Valadares - presenting problems in their marital relationship. We noted that there exists a tendency in man to accommodate to the benefits of marital life because of the following situations: expectations of improvements in the relationship, fear of loneliness, worry about the well-being of the children and fear of facing new situations. Thus, many men continue the marital relationship even when this generates suffering. One can conclude that even though the majority of men have financial autonomy, psychological variables prevent them from evaluating with clarity their marital situation, making assertive decisions not viable.