Summarizes outcome research from 1986 to 1995 relating to the efficacy of specific modalities of marriage and family therapy in treating certain disorders, and updates the chart originally introduced by Gurman, Kniskern, and Pinsof. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed. (Author/MKA)

This literature review examined the relationship between depression and marital interaction patterns in marriages where one spouse is depressed. The social exchange process between the depressed individual and the spouse is dysfunctional in comparison to the processes in non-depressed couples and may be responsible for the maintenance of…

Individual marital therapy (IMT) is therapy in which one or both spouses are treated separately by different therapists who do not communicate with each other about treatment. Gurman and Kniskern (1978) reported an improvement rate of 48% and a deterioration rate of 11.6% for nonbehavioral IMT. These outcome data and the conclusions drawn from…

Notes that marital therapists have contribution to make to treatment of depression. In attempt to keep marital therapists aware of recent developments in the field, this article provides overview of findings concerning biology of depression, relative merits of medication versus psychotherapy, and complex relationships between marriage and…

Presents a summary of ethical issues that have been identified previously in family life education and enrichment. Applies concerns in marriage and family therapy to the interventions of education and enrichment. Suggests a number of modifications and describes some ideas for a specific code of ethics. (Author/ABB)

Expanding the treatment system from the individual to the couple or family carries with it some unique challenges and fundamental clinical dilemmas for the marital and family therapist. Marital and couple therapy is explored with a focus on the dilemmas that dyadic relationships bring to the treatment context. The couples central relationship…

Describes the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy's entry into continuing education on a voluntary basis for its members, the organization's cooperation with other mental health professional groups, and mentions the strong role that consumer protection plays in encouraging continuing education for professional persons. (Author)

Presents a form of insight therapy based upon systems theory and suggests that this has much to offer in marital therapy. Categories of relationship problems with which a couples therapist must deal are described. (Author)

The dual-career commuter couple is an alternative family configuration that continues to grow in number. Reviews the literature on dual-career commuter couples that has been published since 1982. Addresses the counseling issues of marital and family characteristics, commuting characteristics, and decision-making styles. Counseling implications and…

Reports on a clinical trial (N = 43 couples) that compares a hope-focused marital enrichment with empathy-centered forgiveness-based marital enrichment Hope-focused marital enrichment produced clinically relevant changes in marital communication. The forgiveness-based marital enrichment psychoeducational group is one of the first studies of…

Describes investigation of ways in which combat decreases marital quality and stability. Results support three models: (1) factors propelling men into combat also make them poor marriage material; (2) combat causes problems that increase marital adversity; and (3) combat intensifies premilitary stress and antisocial behavior which then negatively…

Drawing on a literature review, considers the implications of a language systems perspective in relation to marriage and family counseling. Claims that the shift toward language systems might prove to be the most important theoretical advance in the behavior sciences since the cognitive revolution. (RJM)

Discusses feature films as an educational technique for the instruction and development of perceptual, conceptual, and executive counseling skills in marriage and family counselor education curricula. Outlines the advantages for using films in counselor education and presents various strategies for using them in the classroom. (Contains 18…

Compares two accredited marriage and family therapy programs: one includes a separate course on gender, and the other integrates gender through the curriculum. Results indicate that students from the integrated program view their peers as incorporating gender ideas in therapy to a significantly greater extent. Students from the program that has a…

Examines clients' perceptions of live supervision and their satisfaction with therapy in a university-based training clinic for marriage and family therapists. Results indicate that clients were generally satisfied with therapy and found the live-supervision process satisfactory as long as the perceived helpfulness of live supervision outweighed…