Reentry Experiences and Professional Developments of International Marriage and Family Therapy Graduates in Taiwan

Reentry research has received much less attention than research on cultural adjustment in a foreign country, especially in the marriage and family therapy (MFT) field in the United States. Lack of research on international students’ job experiences and professional developments during reentry does not provide further information to evaluate the quality of MFT education in the United States. This study was intended to extend the reentry literature and specifically to understand personal and professional reentry experiences and cross-cultural transformation of MFT returnees in Taiwan. Thirteen participants were interviewed, and the resulting data was analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. Analyses results demonstrated macro contextual factors that situated unique personal and professional reentry phenomena for international MFT graduate in Taiwan. The returnees strived to explore their MFT identity and interpret cross-cultural differences by developing four coping strategies (e.g., not wanting to fit in, doing what you were supposed to do or could do, processing with others, and therapists’ multicultural awareness) that were associated with three conditions, such as personal networks linking to professional networks, supervision, and training in MFT. Findings suggested that reentry adaption was varied and fitting into Taiwanese society might not be the final goal for the returnees. Training implications in the MFT field were provided based on the findings.     

Career Paths of Eminent Researchers in Marriage and Family Therapy

The mental health field of marriage and family therapy (MFT) needs more MFT researchers and more research to validate and verify the effectiveness and efficacy of MFT for the treatment of various mental health and relational problems. Knowing more about how successful researchers have developed their careers would be useful in both inspiring and guiding young MFT researchers toward success. Three eminent researchers whose careers have focused on MFT (James Alexander, John Gottman, and Howard Liddle) and their publications served as the research sample. Research questions addressing types of research, research samples, research questions, therapy model development, funding, and paths of the research careers were answered using content analysis. Results support guidelines that include having a focused research interest area, adhering to the scientist-practitioner model, obtaining funding, maximizing the utility of research samples, and generating publications.     

Alaskan Gay Males’ Couple Experiences of Societal Non-Support: Coping Through Families of Choice and Therapeutic Means

Trends in the marriage and family therapy (MFT) field show that gay men access therapy at a rate two to four times greater than their heterosexual counterparts. Thus, MFTs must be prepared to meet the needs of such clientele. Little research has been conducted on male–male couple experiences and less has been conducted in Alaska. In this qualitative study involving eleven participants we explored societal experiences and coping strategies of Alaskan male–male couples. Themes demonstrated more non-supportive than supportive experiences, the use of families of choice as the primary means of coping, and mixed therapeutic experiences.     

Values in Family Therapy Practice and Research: An Invitation for Reflection

Values have been shown to be a pervasive part of both marriage and family therapy (MFT) clinical practice and research. Yet, many therapists and researchers remain unclear about how values affect their work. This article examines the influence of Western philosophical assumptions and therapy traditions in light of current understandings of values in therapy. The influence of values in MFT research processes is similarly examined. Implications for how family therapy professionals can be more reflective and sophisticated in their understanding of values in clinical practice and scientific inquiry are discussed. Suggestions for addressing values in MFT training also are given.     

Examining the individual within marriage: Personal strengths and relationship satisfaction

The present investigation aims to identify individual strengths that may benefit efforts toward marital enhancement. Ninety‐two married couples from the Southeastern United States completed questionnaires measuring positive affectivity, optimism, coping skills, personal expansion, and marital satisfaction. Results indicate that perceptions of a spouse's positive affectivity, as well as one's own positive affectivity, are related to relationship satisfaction. In addition, positive affectivity contributed to satisfaction above and beyond negative affectivity. Finally, optimism, coping skills, and personal expansion appear to be important resources for marriage via their association with each partner's affectivity. The discussion considers these results in the context of marital enhancement and relationship flourishing.     

The Practice of Suicide Assessment and Management by Marriage and Family Therapists

Abstract

Over 90% of mental health providers encounter suicidal clients. However, the majority of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) are not exposed to suicide-specific trainings within their clinical coursework. Due to the lack of consistent training protocols for suicide assessment and management among MFTs, this qualitative study identified common MFT responses to suicidal clients, including assessment of risk severity and intervention modalities. Responses were then compared to best practices for suicidal clients. Participants inconsistently adhered to best practices identified in the larger field of mental health, revealing the need for increased MFT training on suicide to ensure appropriate and effective care.     

Maternal Depression and Adolescent Emotions: The Role of Family Functioning

Maternal depression may affect children through various mechanisms, including the stressful contexts of the children’s lives and maternal maladaptive affection, behaviors, and cognition, which affect the psychopathological development of children and contribute to disorders. The aims of the present study were to explore how family functioning mediates the relationship between maternal depression and the positive and negative emotions of adolescents. A total of 430 paired questionnaires were collected from junior high school students and their mothers. The mothers completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD), and the adolescents completed the CESD, Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire, and Family Function Scale. The results revealed significant correlations among maternal depression, family functioning, and positive and negative emotions in the adolescents. The family functioning subscales of conflict and emotional expression partially mediated the relationship between maternal depression and the positive and negative emotions of the adolescents. Furthermore, the family functioning subscales of cohesion, problem solving, and responsibility fully mediated the relationship between maternal depression and positive moods in the adolescents. Analysis of the results for maternal depression, family functioning, and the emotional adjustment of the adolescents indicated that family functioning is the mediator between maternal depression and the positive and negative emotions of the adolescents. The current results suggest that adequate family functioning can prevent depression being transmitted from mothers to their adolescent children.     

On Becoming a Profession: The Growth of Marriage and Family Therapy in India*

The practice of couple and family therapy has a long history in India. This article tracks some of the people, places, and contexts associated with the growth of marriage and family therapy (MFT) as a profession in the Indian context. Two of the authors outline their own introduction to MFT and work within this field in different cities in India in the last two decades. Based on their professional experiences and a pilot study conducted in Chennai, the authors document the needs of providers in the areas of systems-based therapy training and the practice of MFT. The role of the Indian Association for Family Therapy (IAFT) and suggestions for the future growth of the field are also highlighted. Mudita Rastogi, PhD, Professor, Illinois School of Professional Psychology, Argosy University, 1000 Plaza Drive Schaumburg, IL 60173 (MuditaRastogi@hotmail.com). Rajeswari Natrajan, PhD, Assistant Professor, Alliant International University, 2500 Michelson Drive, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92612-1548. Volker Thomas, PhD, Associate Professor, Purdue University, 1200 West State Street, Fowler Memorial House, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1269. *Portions of this paper are based on Rajeswari Natrajan’s dissertation at Purdue University. **Rastogi and Natrajan share first authorship for this paper.     

震区羌族初中生的家庭损失与应对方式:乐观的调节作用

目的考察5.12汶川地震后羌族青少年的家庭损失程度、乐观和应对方式之间的关系。方法采用生活定向测验问卷、特质应对方式问卷和家庭损失的自编测量题项对震区421名羌族初中学生进行了问卷调查。结果 (1)个体遭受的家庭损失程度较重,但其乐观水平较高,且积极应对水平亦显著高于消极应对。(2)家庭损失与乐观和积极应对方式呈显著负相关,与消极应对方式呈显著正相关。(3)乐观在家庭损失与应对方式的关系之间有着显著的调节作用。结论乐观能较好地缓解地震造成的家庭损失对羌族初中生应对方式的不良影响。     

Alliance Ratings as a Part of Trainee Evaluations Within Family Therapy Training

Client-reported therapeutic alliance scores were examined as a measure of improvement in therapeutic skills across master's-level marriage and family therapy (MFT) training. The results indicate significant correlations between alliance ratings and training variables, with the number of cumulative clinical hours identified as a significant predictor of alliance ratings according to a regression analysis. Trainees lacking the expected number of clinical contact hours in each level of training were found to be more likely to receive consistently marginal alliance ratings. Additionally, alliance ratings were especially useful in identifying trainees who were functioning at minimal levels of competency.     

Reconsidering the Term <Emphasis Type="Italic">Marriage</Emphasis> in Marriage and Family Therapy

This article presents a consideration of whether the term marriage in the title of the marriage and family therapy (MFT) profession continues to reflect the work that MFT professionals do. The authors describe relevant historical and professional identity issues, a rationale for revising the title of the profession (including demographic trends related to marriage and relationships, patterns of clinical practice, and the political context surrounding marriage), and a rationale for maintaining the current title of the profession (including administrative costs, value and ideological differences within the MFT profession, and the importance of a cohesive professional identity). The article concludes with recommended future directions for the profession’s decision makers, researchers, and practitioners.     

The role of optimism and pessimism in chronic pain patients adjustment

This study analyses the relationships between patients' dispositional optimism and pessimism and the coping strategies they use. In addition, the coping strategies repercussions on adjustment to chronic pain were studied. Ninety-eight patients with heterogeneous chronic pain participated. The assessment tools were as follows: Life Orientation Test (LOT), the Vanderbilt Pain Management Inventory (VPMI), the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Impairment and Functioning Inventory for Chronic Pain Patients (IFI). The hypothetical model establishes positive relationships between optimism and the use of active coping strategies, whereas pessimism is related to the use of passive coping. Active coping is associated with low levels of pain, anxiety, depression and impairment and high levels of functioning. However, passive coping is related to high levels of pain, anxiety, depression and impairment and low levels of functioning. The hypothetical model was empirically tested using the LISREL 8.20 software package and the unweighted least squares method. The results support the hypotheses formulated regarding the relations among optimism, pessimism, coping and adjust of chronic pain patients. By analysing optimism among chronic pain patients, clinicians could make better predictions regarding coping and adjustment.     

应对与积极情绪研究:意义应对、积极情绪应对、情绪表露和情绪粒度

研究者们发现了应激状态下积极情绪与消极情绪共生的现象,这对于缓解压力提高应对效能有重要意义,积极情绪的研究成为应激和应对领域一个新的方向。为进一步明晰应对过程中积极情绪发生的特点、机制以及它们之间的关系,以应对过程中积极情绪发生的不同阶段为基点,探讨意义指向应对(应对失败之后),积极情绪指向应对(应对初始阶段),以及积极情绪的拓展建构(应对行为之前,并进一步探讨了情绪表露和情绪粒度两个与积极情绪密切相关的因素)。以后研究的重点主要有以下几点:应激源类型的划分,意义指向应对、积极情绪指向应对以及情绪表露和情绪粒度的进一步研究,并积极关注临床实践。     

Family Coping During Hospitalization of Children with Chronic Illnesses

Information about family coping when a child with a chronic illness is hospitalized for procedures related to his or her illness is needed. The current research presents the results of two pilot studies designed to assess family resilience and coping, during a hospitalization for medical procedures for a child with a chronic condition. Sixty-one parents participated in the first study and reported on their child’s hospital experiences and completed a survey designed to assess family coping. Twelve mothers and one grandmother completed interviews examining their perceptions of their coping, siblings’ coping, and coping of the child with an illness for study two. Results of Study 1 indicated parents’ perceived the family as resilient. Cognitive strategies were used to see the hospital stay as positive for the child or to accept what had to occur as having the possibility of improving the child’s life. Some of the mothers mentioned financial stress as being difficult for the family. Results of Study 2 also supported resilient functioning for mothers, siblings, and children with illnesses. Mothers reported they stayed strong for their child. Siblings could serve as protectors, helpers, and companions and were described as adapting well. Children with illnesses used distraction (e.g., play, art, music) to facilitate their coping. Findings of this study indicated parents perceived the family as coping well and supporting the child with an illness. Future research will need to assess perceptions of siblings and fathers and assess family members’ perspectives at different times over the course of children’s illnesses.     

Family Functioning and Coping Behaviors in Parents of Children with Autism

We analyzed family dynamics and coping behaviors of parents with a child with an autistic spectrum disorder. Previous research suggests that moderate levels of cohesion and adaptability are associated with higher levels of positive coping, and that the more coping strategies a family implements, the greater their satisfaction with family functioning. Using a family systems approach, the relationships among the familial variables of cohesion, adaptability, and social support were evaluated for their contributions to coping in the family unit. We also compared the responses of mothers and fathers. Surprisingly, for these parents of children with autism, those who rated their family as enmeshed implemented more positive coping strategies than did those from other cohesion styles. This finding suggests that the enmeshed style may be more adaptive for a family that encounters extreme challenges. Notably, mothers and fathers agreed on all variables except for perception of social support from family and friends. Mothers perceived more social support from family and friends. The results lead to several interesting suggestions for future research.     

Beyond a single standard: levels of evidence approach for evaluating marriage and family therapy research and practice

Randomized clinical trial (RCT) research has come to dominate the research landscape of marriage and family therapy (MFT). Despite becoming the ‘gold standard’ for evaluating clinical research and clinical practices, there is a growing debate regarding the reliance on RCTs as the primary basis for evaluating clinical intervention in MFT. Given the natural diversity of clients, settings and clinical problems faced by practitioners and the relational and recursive interactional process of MFT, one of the major challenges for the field of MFT will be to come to grips with the research–practice gap by moving beyond a single methodological standard through adopting a ‘levels of evidence’ approach as a framework that promotes diverse research methods, different methodological criteria (depending on the method), and evaluation based on the accumulated type of evidence needed to answer a specific policy, clinical practice choice, or within a model clinical decision.     

Sharing a multicultural course design for a marriage and family therapy programme: one perspective

The marriage and family therapy (MFT) field has made tremendous progress in acknowledging the importance of multicultural training. Nevertheless, multiculturally committed MFT trainers still struggle with issues of multicultural course design and delivery. In a subject so controversial and which requires a great deal of experience and skills to teach, little has been done in terms of sharing different multicultural course designs and working towards their implementation in MFT programmes. This paper presents a prototype curriculum of an introductory course in multiculturism in counselling for marriage and family therapy students with the overall goal of making trainees more multiculturally aware. It includes a few examples of strategies designed to aid the continuing infusion of multiculturalism into MFT programmes.     

Family Functioning,Family Structure,and Differentiation of Self in Heterosexual Spanish Couples: An Actor–Partner Analysis

This study used an actor–partner interdependence model to assess the relationship between differentiation of self and family functioning in a sample of 118 heterosexual Spanish couples, with additional attention to family structural correlates, including age of the children, number of children in the household, and educational level. Results showed a significant actor effect, with greater differentiation of self levels predicting better family functioning within individuals. Implications for mental health professionals regarding differentiation are provided.     

The representation of emotions in groups: the relative impact of social norms,positive–negative asymmetry and familiarity on the perception of emotions

Research in several countries shows that people hold norms of emotion perception, so that socially desirable emotions are perceived as positive and moderate. Subjects also believe that positive and moderate emotions are dominant in their lives. Other research shows that increased familiarity with a social group allows a better differentiation among the members and the attributes of this group (e.g. wider variability of emotions). In the present study, we compare the relative impact of familiarity with pleasant and unpleasant groups and social norms on emotion perception. Subjects (N=150) were to rate imagined family groups, families that they did not know well, and families that they knew very well, on perceived differentiation and variability of emotional episodes, extremity of emotional events, and global family evaluations. Results indicated that familiarity is weakly associated with perceived emotional variability in target families, and that, regardless of their familiarity with the family, subjects viewed unpleasant families as more negative, as less familiar, and as having a larger range of emotions than pleasant families. Results are discussed in terms of the idea that perception of emotions in groups depends more strongly on social norms than either on positive–negative asymmetry or on direct experience with their members.