Examined 32 couples receiving treatment to identify therapist and client behaviors associated with positive response to social learning-based behavioral marital therapy. After each session, therapist, husband and wife independently completed process rating forms measuring therapist and client behaviors during the session. Therapists', husbands',…

The parents of an eight-year-old with spina bifida turned to a family counselor for help with the stress caused by financial problems. Improved communication helped the husband and wife to better understand and appreciate each other and work together to deal with the continuing uncertainty of their daughter's medical problems. (JDD)

Examined negative affect among 349 adults. Indices of salient social support and salient interpersonal stress irrespective of source were related to level of negative affective symptoms. Marital relationship was most frequently named source of support, but coworkers were named equally often as source of interpersonal stress. Marital satisfaction…

Explores importance of rituals to a culture and more particularly the formation, development, and evolution of rituals in couples. Also explores ways in which values of the couple and counselor affect the development of new rituals and the reevaluation of existing rituals as a grounding mechanism for change. (Author/NB)

Through a national survey of marriage and family therapists, this study examines what therapists do when their HIV-positive clients disclose that they are engaging in high-risk sexual behavior. Participants (N=309) were more likely to break confidence when their clients were male, young, gay, or African American. Describes characteristic of…

Examines the effect of couple socioeconomic status (SES); pretherapy marital adjustment; and therapist, husband, and wife defensiveness with 22 therapists and 88 couples. Husbands' higher marital satisfaction before therapy was associated with higher adjustment at the end of therapy, and similar results were found for wives. Results suggest that…

A model of the effects of two types of stress in everyday marital interaction on change in depressive symptoms is investigated. Mediating variables are unfavorable reflected appraisals, low competency, self-efficacy, and self-esteem. Participants (N=98 couples) were interviewed twice. The data supported the model. (Author/EMK)

Drawing on earlier research, compares religion and spirituality. Defines spirituality and discusses spirituality research in relation to marital satisfaction, healthy marital and family functioning, assessment, and clinical practice. Findings indicate a significant positive relationship between satisfaction and spirituality in marriages and…

Provides a framework for addressing ethical violations by members of the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors. Emphasizes the coordination of complaints, complaint limitations, procedures for initiating an investigation, procedures for conducting an investigation, sanctions, the appeals process, and procedures for issues not…

Drawing on earlier research, presents the stages of counselors' cognitive flow (what counselors are thinking). Describes associated techniques that can be used by supervisors of any theoretical orientation to teach supervisees working with couples to be aware of and modify their thought processes in sessions. (RJM)

Assesses the theoretical perspectives of marriage and family counselors (N=204). Results show that 43.6% of participants primarily adhere to the systems paradigm; 42.2% practice from a combination of paradigms; while the social constructionism is used by 13.7%. Predictor variables included the current of most recent supervisor's preferred…

Explores marriage and family therapy student's inclusion of gender in conceptualization of a clinical case by viewing an intake interview conducted by a sex therapist to identify the couple's central issue. Results revealed that trained students who considered gender might have analyzed gender issues more extensively. Discusses how these biases…

Couples whose early wounds cause narcissistic and borderline defenses may benefit from treatment with a psychodynamically oriented couples therapist. This article presents a treatment method that helps partners become attuned to each other's underlying injuries and vulnerabilities. The goal is to rebuild damaged structures of the self and to…

Describes a multidimensional model for providing comprehensive mental health consultation to Head Start programs. Explores the skills necessary for marriage and family therapists to work effectively as systems consultants. Recommendations are made for applying the model in both university and private settings. (Author/MKA)

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a clinical technique may enhance treatment effectiveness when applied in couple therapy that is emotionally and experientially oriented. Clinical experience indicates EMDR-based interventions are useful for accessing and reprocessing intense emotions in couple interactions. EMDR can amplify…