Examines the development of standards for accreditation and licensure by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Presents a detailed description of the requirements for clinical membership. Suggests the American Personnel and Guidance Association might learn from AAMFT in designing accreditation programs. (Author/JAC)

One of the major polarizations in marriages of workaholic husbands is their pursuit of the "Great American Dream" while their wives are left to pursue the "Petty Realities of Life." Couples must learn to negotiate realistic and functional objectives for themselves, without avoiding the issues. (JAC)

The article considers the importance of the sexual dimension of marriage during middle age and beyond. "Traditional" and "New" norms concerning sexual behavior are examined. Implications for marriage counseling are discussed. (Author)

Loss through divorce, frequently involves a higher need for counseling than loss through death because the client frequntly receives a devalued self-concept when an active choice is made to terminate the relationship. The model presented has proven to be effective in assisting clients to reevaluate self-worth in a constructive manner. (Author)

Most marital difficulties are functions of childhood problems leading to childhood solutions. This paper emphasizes symbiotic aspects to marital problems in terms of the individual's existential position and his racket/racketeering behavior. The goal of treatment is to have the individual utilize resources for himself and negotiate resources for…

The 32-item Attitudes about Romance and Mate Selection Scale (ARMSS) was developed to measure constraining beliefs about mate selection. Results of factor analysis showed few gender differences in the degree to which constraining beliefs about mate selection are held by single young adults. However, significant differences were found when age,…

This study aimed to advance understanding of how doctoral students perceive postmodernism's influence in the field of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT). Focus group interviews were utilized to investigate perceptions of MFT doctoral students. Findings suggest participants are attracted to postmodern tenets but also feel liberation and confusion…

This article illustrates a teaching case in which a marriage and family therapy (MFT) trainee learned to develop cultural sensitivity toward same-sex couples despite religious beliefs that put her at risk of discriminating against that population. The case took place during a marriage and family therapy ethics course in the spring of 2003. From…

The future of the profession and practice of marriage and family therapy (MFT) rests with those who promote the integration of research and clinical practice. The Boulder scientist-practitioner model is useful in conceptualizing MFT training, but it is not the perfect solution. Four MFT programs (two master's and two doctoral) are featured in this…

Using Bowen Family Systems Theory as a theoretical underpinning, in this study, we investigated the hypothesis that clients with higher levels of differentiation would improve more quickly in therapy than clients with lower levels of differentiation. Hierarchical Linear Modeling was used to analyze the data over nine sessions of therapy in a…

This paper describes a psychoeducational procedure known as Covenant Contracting, which is used in the training of family psychologists at Georgia State University. The training framework for clinical experience is described, and the philosophical underpinning for this particular clinical sequence is summarized. The rationale for Covenant…

The study of causal attributions at the interpersonal level has been an integral part of attribution research. Unfortunately most attribution research has involved persons unfamiliar with each other. The marital relationship is an example of the need for understanding causal attributions among intimates. A striking feature of marital interaction…

American family life is being transformed by the trend toward two paycheck families, yet most people have not been socialized to live in this way, and social institutions have been slow to accommodate the needs of two paycheck families. Accordingly, this paper presents a package of therapeutic techniques designed to help members of two paycheck…

This paper describes a pilot project designed to provide a training and implementation program for volunteer, paraprofessional facilitators of a marriage and family intervention method known as Structured Enrichment. The intervention, which was designed to teach couples and families to negotiate specific problem issues in their relationships, is…

The interaction between post separation adjustment for reunited military families and the Women's Liberation Movement is a complex occurrence which is beginning to have a profound effect on some military families. Two forces are acting upon wives of servicemen that subject marriages to conflicts previously unheard of. One force is the critical…