III. Fusion and Conflict in Lesbian Relationships?

The concept of fusion is used in the therapy/counselling literature to explain a wide diversity of problems experienced by couples. ‘Fusion’ is described as the blurring of boundaries between two people: ‘a psychological state in which there is a loss of a sense of oneself as an individual or separate’ (Bowen 1966, 1978; Perlman, 1989). Bowen (1966, 1976) suggests that fusion in couples indicates extreme emotional need, which under duress may flip into conflict. In their influential article, Krestan and Bepko (1980) identify fusion as a par ticular problem in lesbian couples presenting for therapy, suggesting that lesbians rigidify boundaries in their relationship in response to negative reactions from the larger system. This creates an increasingly enclosed system, with no differentia tion, inevitably leading to open conflict. The present study seeks to examine these issues. Participants in Krestan and Bepko’s study on fusion in lesbian couples had all presented for therapy and therefore may not be representative of lesbian couples generally. However, research recruiting community samples on other aspects of relationship satisfaction by Kurdek (1995, 1996 and 1997) suggests that lesbians do not vary greatly from gay and heterosexual couples in this respect. It also seems possible that lesbian couples may experience problems with some boundaries and not with others. For example, they may experience problems with their families of origin (Krestan and Bepko, 1980; McGoldrick, 1989; Slater, 1995) but may not experience problems within their wider community (Patterson, 1996). Larger towns and cities, with access to larger lesbian and gay communi ties, may be more tolerant and supportive than rural areas and small towns. The presence of children may influence fusion in a lesbian relationship, as it does in