Forty‐five individuals (22 couples and 1 widowed person) living in arranged marriages in India completed questionnaires measuring marital satisfaction and wellness. The data were compared with existing data on individuals in the United States living in marriages of choice. Differences were found in importance of marital characteristics, but no differences in satisfaction were found. Differences were also found in 9 of 19 wellness scales between the 2 groups. Implications for further research are considered.

To date, little research has been published related to cross-cultural differences in such marital factors as love, intimacy, happiness, and satisfaction. The present study compares factors contributing to marital satisfaction and examines correlations between the importance of these factors and the level of satisfaction for three groups: Asian Indians in arranged marriages living in India (n = 229), Asian Indians in arranged marriages living in the United States (n = 185), and Americans in marriages of choice (n = 173). Results indicated significant differences between the three groups on both total importance and total satisfaction mean scores. Implications for multicultural marriage counseling are discussed and recommendations for further cross-cultural research are presented.

Although Asian Indians and their families may be generally silent on the topic of infidelity, many of them experience it on a continuing basis. In this article, the authors will discuss several cultural and social factors that might cause or influence a person's experience of infidelity. Several culturally sensitive counseling strategies will be presented that may be used to address the issues relating to infidelity while working with Asian Indian couples and families. It is hoped that familiarity with cultural norms, as well as concerns related to confidentiality could improve a clinician's ability to assess and provide services in a culturally competent manner.