Compared combined 4-session communication skills training and 8-session Emotionally Focused couples therapy (EFT) to 12 sessions of EFT and to wait-list control. Both treatments achieved superior gains at posttest compared to control group on measures of marital adjustment and target complaint improvement (but not on intimacy and passionate love),…

Examined generalization of behavioral marital therapy (BMT) and enhanced behavioral marital therapy (EBMT), which added cognitive restructuring, affection exploration, and generalization training to BMT. Both techniques were effective in decreasing negative communication behaviors and cognitions across settings for couples (n=26), but there was…

Reviews enrichment research of the 1990s. Examines marriage preparation and premarital counseling; specific programs, such as Training in Marriage Enrichment; specific populations, such as children; and continuing research needs, particularly in the areas of measurement, participants, and program characteristics. Claims that marriage and family…

Explores multiple understandings of empathy: as affective resonance, as cognitive understanding and perspective taking, as action and cognizance, and as imagination. Offers definitions of, and obstacles to, empathy. Focuses on systemic empathy, gender empathy, and ethnic empathy. Discusses perspective taking in marriage and describes techniques…

Current research about violence in intimate relationships suggests that at least two qualitatively distinct types of violence exist. This new knowledge challenges the dominant conceptualization of intimate violence as solely a manifestation of patriarchal male dominance. Following a review of the research and analysis of illustrative clinical…

This book, written for counselors and other mental health professionals, outlines the stresses and challenges dual career couples face, as well as plans for helping dual career couples learn negotiation, communicaiton, and conflict resolution skills. The book's 12 chapters are organized in 3 parts. Part 1 (chapters 1 to 4), reviews the literature…

This monograph focuses on practical information and offers guidelines for professional counselors who practice marriage and family counseling. It discusses the importance of specialized training for professional counselors to ensure working ethically with couples and families, and it reviews divorce, child custody, and child abuse and neglect,…

Discusses coverage of relevant treatment areas for dual-career couples described in the literature. Includes a case example and analysis. Recommends an integrated multilevel approach because of the structural complexities and intricate psychological and interpersonal adaptations inherent in dual-career relationships. (ABL)

This review examines the impact of impairment on marital relationships of the elderly and barriers to therapeutic treatment. The training and skills needed to work with the elderly in a therapeutic setting and behavioral therapy approaches are also discussed. (Author/BL)

Compared the relative effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy (BMT) with two of its major components, behavior exchange (BE) and communication/problem-solving training (CPT), in married couples seeking therapy (N=36). Results showed that complete BMT was no more effective than either BE or CPT at posttest. (LLL)

Contrasted marriage and family therapy dropouts and completers on interventions they were exposed to over the course of therapy and during the initial session. Results showed families completing therapy were exposed to such interventions as firming up appropriate boundaries, escalating conflict, establishing individual boundaries, and advice…

Outlines a strategic approach to depression and gives reasons for initially working with each spouse separately. Three interrelated aspects of depressive marital situations are distinguished: (1) the unsatisfying marriage; (2) the distress of the depressed person; and (3) the spouse's response. A case example is provided. (JAC)

Describes structured marital separation, an intervention method designed to assist distressed marital couples during their critical period of decision making either to divorce or maintain the marriage. Presents a brief review of separation models and addresses separation counseling including: assessment, contracting, initial adjustment to…

Reviews contemporary literature which provides a theoretical base for female-male co-therapy teams as the most likely modality to mediate sex bias in couple counseling. An egalitarian co-therapy team can encourage change by modeling independent yet mutually supportive and facilitative roles. (JAC)

Evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy (BMT) in aiding distressed couples (N=30) and explored the relative effectiveness of cotherapists versus single therapist. Results affirmed the overall effectiveness of BMT. A cotherapy team and a single therapist were equally effective. No differences were found between immediate therapy…