Adolescents' Contributions to Family Communication Patterns

Early explications of family communication patterns (FCP) suggested that a family's communication pattern arises as a result of interactions in which parents and adolescents influence each other. In contrast, empirical research usually treats FCP as parent‐imposed norms that influence socialization outcomes in adolescents, without testing whether adolescents' socialization influences FCP. This study revisits the assumption that adolescents influence FCP, using data from a longitudinal quasi‐experimental evaluation of a school‐based civics curriculum intervention (N = 313 parent‐adolescent pairs). Results show that the intervention‐stimulated adolescents to initiate discussion of politics at home and that these adolescent‐initiated discussions influenced adolescents' and parents' perceptions of FCP 6 months later.     

A Feminist Approach to Family Therapy

Although family therapy recognizes the importance of the social context as a determiner of behavior, family therapists have not examined the consequences of traditional socialization practices that primarily disadvantage women. The unquestioned reinforcement of stereotyped sex roles takes place in much of family therapy. A feminist therapy orientation that considers the consequences of stereotyped sex roles and the statuses prescribed by society for females and males should be part of family therapy practice. This paper describes the ways in which family therapists who are aware of their own biases and those of the family can change sexist patterns through applying feminist principles to such areas as the contract, shifting tasks in the family, communication, generational boundaries, relabeling deviance, modeling, and therapeutic alliances.     

A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach to Family Therapy

Although cognitive behavioral spectrum approaches with individual children are plentiful and demonstrate effectiveness, cognitive behaviorally oriented clinicians are frequently left to their own devices when it comes to treating families. Cognitive behavioral family therapy is a relatively recent development and there are precious few reports of its clinical use. This article presents a conceptual foundation and clinical rubrics for the practice of cognitive behavioral family therapy. Basic theoretical background information is presented and places the therapeutic processes and procedures in a proper context. Session structure in cognitive behavioral therapy is illustrated and the way it propels therapeutic momentum and adds focus to each session is explained. Rudimentary processes of self-monitoring, self-instruction, rational analysis, and behavioral enactment are described and augmented with case material. Finally, the conclusion offers directions for further theory building, research, and clinical practice.     

Editorial: The Future and the Cutting Edge of Family Therapy

Abstract

In this exploratory study, we examined psychophysiological arousal when partners engaged in the common practice of discussing romantic trials with one another and with friends. To capture stress, we measured Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and Respiration Rate (RSP). Paired t-tests from a dyadic sample of 71 heterosexual couples revealed talking about romantic problems, in general, was accompanied by elevated psychophysiological stress. GSR scores suggested partners were more stressed when speaking with friends than to one another about relationship challenges. Universally, males had higher GSR scores and females higher RSP. We discuss therapeutic implications and future directions.     

Contributions of Family Relationship Factors to the Identity Formation Process

This study tested the proposition that family relationship variables would be related in predictable ways to ego identity status. The authors administered measures of parental attachment, psychological separation, and ego identity status to 174 students from a large northeastern state university. The results indicated that women who experience greater parental attitudinal dependence and attachment and a modest degree of conflictual independence from mother tend to evidence more identity foreclosure and identity achievement and less diffusion. In addition, women who experience some degree of attachment to mother and attitudinal independence from mother are most likely to avoid diffusion, foreclosure, and moratorium. Men who experience parental attitudinal independence are likely to be in the diffusion or moratorium statuses and not in the identity-achieved and foreclosure statuses.