With the increasing divorce rate, new, alternative therapeutic approaches to marital therapy are necessary. Instead of looking at the marital relationship as a closed system, it should be treated from an intergenerational point of view. This involves working on the interlocking between horizontal and linear relationships in the nuclear family.…

This article describes the use of a pre-marriage contract in working with teenage couples and their parents. The contract is an aid in focusing on the practical aspects of marriage preparation, allowing a more direct subsequent focus on the feelings of family members. (Author)

Data are presented concerning the experience of 429 men and women with a court-related marriage and divorce counseling service. Descriptions of how this agency is perceived by the clients as helpful or not helpful are examined as are the sociodemographic characteristics associated with client satisfaction. (Author)

Investigated relation between marital distress, therapeutic alliance formation, and treatment outcome in group marital skills training program in which 63 couples met for 9 weeks. Results indicated that levels of marital distress neither impaired nor facilitated alliance formation. Strength of alliance appeared to be more powerful predictor of…

Considers the problems arising from cultural and religious differences in Jewish-non-Jewish marriage. Treatment requires dealing with family systems dynamics while educating the couple about the role of cultural difference in their relationship. Treatment should help couple view their differences flexibly as they blend their cultures. (RJM)

Considers debate in field of marriage and family therapy regarding issues of control and noninstrumentality. Contends that therapists must be able to act unconstrictingly yet must take responsibility for their actions. Asserts that believing too strongly in either strategizing or nonintervening in therapeutic process can be constraining. Offers…

Discusses ways in which infidelity is viewed within the context of three ethnic minorities in the United States: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans. Provides an overview of infidelity according to religious traditions. Presents case studies to explore clinical treatment of infidelity from an ethnically sensitive…

A panel of American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy approved supervisors generated 771 variables thought to be fundamental to positive marriage and family therapy (MFT) outcome, and rated 217 of these variables as very important to the successful outcome of MFT. The variables were collapsed into five categories and further condensed…

Despite recent changes in role options available to many women, a strong link continues to be reinforced among the issues of sexuality, maternity, and womanhood. Paper explores the implications of this maternal imperative for sexual self-esteem of heterosexual women without children. Four recommendations are made for working with women who, for…

Reviews the gambling literature and the phases of the pathological gambler's career. Examines counseling approaches that have been used in the treatment of gambling, including psychotherapy, conjoint marital therapy, minimal interventions, behavioral counseling, and practical approaches to the treatment of adolescent problem gamblers. (Author/GCP)

The history of the National Marriage Guidance Council (Great Britain) from 1948 to 1988 is used as a case study to illustrate some of the basic organizational dilemmas and conflicts experienced in counseling agencies. Discusses three organizational dynamics: social and cultural environment, structure and ideology, and lifespan. (JPS)

Recounts supervisees best and worst experiences with training and supervision while participating in marriage and family therapy education training programs. Positive behaviors perceived to be enacted by supervisors can be categorized by the following dimensions: creating an open supervisory environment, providing encouragement and communication,…

Although increasing attention has been given to spirituality, to date, no published studies in marriage and family therapy journals have explored marriage and family therapists' beliefs about the appropriateness of addressing spirituality in therapy. This study fills this gap by examining the beliefs of a sample of clinical members of AAMFT about…

Describes the process of coaching individuals in their efforts to change themselves in the context of their family systems. Coaching begins by training clients to become observers of their role in family patterns of behavior. Coaching then moves to bring behavior more in line with their deepest beliefs, even if it means violating family norms. (BF)

Integrates the object relations concept of projective identification and the systemic concept of marital dances to develop a more powerful model for working with more difficult and distressed couples. Suggests how object relations techniques can be used to interrupt projective identifications and resolve conflict on intrapsychic level so the…