Marital research

Interactive Framing in Divorce Mediation

by Patrick Idzik

The purpose of this paper is to reexamine the Drake and Donohue (1996) study and propose an alternative strategy for... more The purpose of this paper is to reexamine the Drake and Donohue (1996) study and propose an alternative strategy for examining frame convergence or synchrony more in line with Relational Order Theory (Donohue & Roberto, 1993).  To accomplish this goal, this paper examined the conceptual issue of frame synchrony as articulated in this theory, then tested two hypotheses related to frame synchrony and outcome in fifteen divorce mediation transcripts.  The results revealed an overall correlation of .49 between synchrony and outcome.  The greater the level of synchrony, the more likely disputants were to settle their issues.  In addition, as the issues became more intense, synchrony played an even more significant role.  Specifically, when issues focused on the question of custody and visitation, the correlation was .66, but when the issues focused on money the correlation was .18.  The discussion section explored the extent to which other kinds of subtextual issue frames are also likely to serve as an important resource for disputants to constructively address their conflicts.   

Em busca da cara-metade: Motivações para a escolha do cônjuge

by Isabela Machado da Silva

Este estudo teve como objetivo compreender as motivações para a escolha do cônjuge, considerando a... more Este estudo teve como objetivo compreender as motivações para a escolha do cônjuge, considerando a transgeracionalidade e a busca por similaridades e complementaridades. Participaram da pesquisa cinco casais adultos que se encontravam no semestre anterior ao casamento e que ainda não moravam juntos. Os participantes responderam a entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas e os dados obtidos a partir das entrevistas foram submetidos a uma análise de conteúdo qualitativa. Nos casos estudados, constatou-se tanto a presença de motivações transgeracionais, baseadas nos modelos conjugais parentais, como uma maior busca, no outro, por similaridades do que por complementaridades. Destacou-se tanto a importância dos modelos aprendidos nas famílias de origem como referenciais a serem seguidos ou evitados como a importãncia das ideias e das características comuns em prol de uma convivência mais harmônica. É importante considerar, no entanto, que a escolha constitui um processo complexo no qual interagem diferentes fatores.

Unitermos: Comportamento de escolha. Padrões transgeracionais. Casamento.

Reprodução assistida e relação conjugal durante a gravidez e após o nascimento do bebê: uma revisão da literatura

by Isabela Machado da Silva

A chegada de um bebê inicia um período de desafios e mudanças para o casal. Quando a gravidez é alcançada a partir da... more A chegada de um bebê inicia um período de desafios e mudanças para o casal. Quando a gravidez é alcançada a partir da reprodução assistida, soma-se aos desafios já característicos desse período o impacto das experiências próprias a esse contexto. Neste trabalho, são revisadas e discutidas pesquisas que investigaram a relação de casais que recorreram à reprodução assistida, durante a gravidez e os dois primeiros anos do bebê. A revisão da literatura indica semelhanças entre esses casais e aqueles que conceberam naturalmente. No entanto, essas pesquisas tendem a basear-se na avaliação de variáveis específicas, como as relacionadas à satisfação conjugal e a características sociodemográficas, bem como pela ausência de um enfoque desenvolvimental que investigue a história prévia desse casal e suas famílias de origem. Esse enfoque, aliado a uma abordagem que privilegie a descrição das experiências desses casais, poderia contribuir para a compreensão desse contexto.

Palavras-chave: reprodução assistida; relação conjugal; gravidez; parentalidade.

Healing Childhood Sexual Abuse

by Daniel Keeran MSW

by Daniel Keeran, MSW, RMHC-S

The College of Mental Health Counseling presents a summary process for healing childhood sexual abuse that is... more The College of Mental Health Counseling presents a summary process for healing childhood sexual abuse that is sometimes an issue underlying mood and anxiety disorders, PTSD, marital problems, suicidality, addiction, eating disorders, borderline and histrionic personality disorders, other mental distress.

The experience of sexual abuse in childhood is one of the most sensitive kinds of trauma addressed in counseling. Those in the helping professions need clear and practical approaches to assist survivors of sexual abuse, recognizing that the healing process may be lengthy and that a single counselor may realistically only be able to help the individual partially heal the pain and effects of the abuse.

This report is adapted from the book “Effective Counseling Skills” by the author, in digital and hard copy at http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Counseling-Skills-therapeutic-statements/dp/1442177993

Healing the experience of childhood sexual abuse involves helping the client begin to disclose the experience, addressing the painful emotions associated with the abuse, understanding the affects and unhealthy decisions and beliefs related to the abuse, and then adopting healthy decisions and beliefs and caring self-talk.

Effective Counseling Skills: the practical wording of therapeutic statements and processes

by Daniel Keeran MSW

by Daniel Keeran, MSW, RMHC-S

Also used as a counselor training and examination manual, this book gives away the secrets of effective counselors and... more Also used as a counselor training and examination manual, this book gives away the secrets of effective counselors and therapists. The practical skills and concepts distilled in the present form, are the contributions of countless colleagues and clients who over the years have challenged the creative energies of the author. Effective Counseling Skills is designed to achieve the primary purpose of making counseling skills public knowledge in the belief that the health of society is improved when counseling is known to the most people. The style of the manual is conversational with numerous examples of the wording of therapeutic statements.

Major topic areas include an explanation of the client's personal history, suicide prevention, how to begin and deepen the counseling process, helping the client learn healthy ways of relating, moving the client from childhood to maturity, skills for healing grief, and working with couples facing issues of conflict, infidelity, addiction, and other common problems. Practical ways to build and manage a counseling practice are presented. A detailed index and table of contents make the volume easy to use as a guide for both the practitioner as well as people seeking help.

See this news release entitled "Mental Health News: Library Acquisitions Add Counseling Text To Collections" http://prlog.org/11741730

The title is also available through interlibrary loan in the US and Canada from major public and university libraries including : Howard University, University of Hawaii at Hilo, University of Manitoba, Vancouver Public Library (Canada), Dallas Theological Seminary, Bogazici Univ Library – Istanbul (Turkey), San Diego Public Library, Dixie State College of Utah, University of Louisville, University of Southern California, Texas A&M University, University of Missouri--Columbia, University of Wisconsin-Madison General Library System, Columbia University Libraries, University of Massachusetts at Boston, Hunter College Wexler Library – New York, NY, Trinity International University, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis.

View text at http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Counseling-Skills-therapeutic-statements/dp/1442177993

View article here http://ezinearticles.com/?Effective-Counseling-Skills---The-Practical-Wording-of-Therapeutic-Statements-and-Processes&id=4878216

Go here for a video presentation from the author http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aodrYDAo9xk

Semiotic Silence in Intimate Relationships

by Joseph Oduro-Frimpong

Journal of Pragmatics, 43(9), 2331-2336 (2011).

The theoretical and empirical research on the use of communicative silence in human interaction reveals sustained... more The theoretical and empirical research on the use of communicative silence in human interaction reveals sustained scholarly interest in the topic. Yet, very little research attention has focused on how married couples use this phenomenon in their relationships. Thus, we have a superficial understanding of, for example, the functional uses of silence as conflict management tactic in such relationships. This paper attempts to broaden further our understanding of how participants, in a previous study, used silence to negotiate some of the conflicts that arose in their relationships. From this perspective, the paper elaborates on prior identified themes as well as discusses an additional theme that was found in the interview data. The overall aim of the paper then, is to engender interest into this domain of silence usage.

Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction Among Heterosexual Men and Women: The Importance of Desired Frequency of Sex

by Anthony Lyons

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/sex-and-the-long-term-relationship/

Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy

Little is known of the extent to which heterosexual couples are satisfied with their current frequency of sex and the... more Little is known of the extent to which heterosexual couples are satisfied with their current frequency of sex and the degree to which this predicts overall sexual and relationship satisfaction. A population-based survey of 4,290 men and 4,366 women was conducted among Australians aged 16 to 64 years from a range of sociodemographic backgrounds, of whom 3,240 men and 3,304 women were in regular heterosexual relationships. Only 46% of men and 58% of women were satisfied with their current frequency of sex. Dissatisfied men were overwhelmingly likely to desire sex more frequently; among dissatisfied women, only two thirds wanted sex more frequently. Age was a significant factor but only for men, with those aged 35-44 years tending to be least satisfied. Men and women who were dissatisfied with their frequency of sex were also more likely to express overall lower sexual and relationship satisfaction. The authors' findings not only highlight desired frequency of sex as a major factor in satisfaction, but also reveal important gender and other sociodemographic differences that need to be taken into account by researchers and therapists seeking to understand and improve sexual and relationship satisfaction among heterosexual couples. Other issues such as length of time spent having sex and practices engaged in may also be relevant, particularly for women.

Attachment orientations and depression: A longitudinal study of new parents.

by Jamie Kohn

Rholes, W. S., Simpson, J. A., Kohn, J. L., Wilson, C. L., Martin, A. M., III, Tran, S., & Kashy, D. A. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 100(4), Apr 2011, 567-586. doi: 10.1037/a0022802

In this longitudinal study, we followed a large sample of first-time parents (both partners) across the first 2 years... more In this longitudinal study, we followed a large sample of first-time parents (both partners) across the first 2 years of the transition to parenthood. Guided by attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969), we tested several predictions about how attachment anxiety and avoidance are related to the incidence, maintenance, increase, and decline of depressive symptoms in both sexes across the first 2 years of the transition. We found that (a) the association between attachment anxiety and depressive symptoms was moderated by factors related to the marital and/or romantic relationship; (b) the association between avoidance and depressive symptoms was moderated by factors related to family responsibilities; (c) styles of caregiving provided by romantic partners affected depressive symptoms differently among anxious and avoidant persons; and (d) in certain predictable situations, depressive symptoms persisted at higher levels or increased to higher levels in anxious or avoidant persons across the 2-year transition period. Important implications of these results are discussed.