A Test of Bowen Theory: Emotional Reactivity and Psychological Distress in a Clinical Sample

Even if rarely discussed in the current systemic literature, “reframing” remains a key concept and technique in systemic family therapy. With reference to Baudelaire's poem entitled “The Frame,” we attempt to highlight and revisit reframing attitudes and interventions in clinical practice with families.     

Sex Differences in a Causal Model of Career Maturity

Existing theories of career development are based primarily on observations of White, middle-class men. This has prompted many writers to question the validity of these theories and to consider the development of a separate theory of career development for women. But before a separate theory can be justified, it must be established that sex differences in the career development process do exist. The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to determine if sex differences exist in the way six independent variables interact in a causal model of career maturity, and, second, to compare the relative strengths of each variable's effect on career maturity for boys and for girls. The results suggest that, although the basic causal patterns are similar for adolescent boys and girls, significant sex differences exist as well. The observed differences are consistent with Gilligan's hypothesized “relational component of identity.”     

Forgiveness and Reconciliation: The Importance of Understanding How They Differ

The concepts of forgiveness and reconciliation are clarified and discussed. The differences between forgiveness and reconciliation are illustrated, guidelines for how counselors can avoid confusing them are given, and a case study is used to illustrate the differences between forgiveness and reconciliation and when each is appropriate. Implications for the helping profession and the well-being of clients are discussed.     

Gender and friendship: Why are men's best same‐sex friendships less intimate and supportive?

Despite efforts to dismiss it, the finding that men's same‐sex friendships are less intimate and supportive than women's is robust and widely documented. We tested six possible explanations for this finding: lack of parental models for friendship, emotional restraint, homophobia, masculine self‐identity, competitive strivings, and role conflicts. Of these, emotional restraint and homophobia toward gay men provided the most explanatory power for gender effects on both intimacy and support in best friendships. Masculine self‐identity mediated the relationship between gender and intimate–but not supportive–friendship; and having a same‐sex parent with close friendships mediated the relationship between gender and supportive–but not intimate–friendship. Unexpected findings about the importance of a status orientation toward friendship suggest that researchers should abandon the male‐deficit model of friendship in favor of studying the reasons why some men and women seek close same‐sex friendships.