Is Kinship Always Already Reproductive?

Abstract

This article offers a critique of contemporary Christianity’s emphasis on family and gestures towards possible alternative visions. Juxtaposing early Christian narratives of kinship with Judith Butler’s analysis of the story of Antigone, this article argues that the sacrament of baptism enables and supports re-envisioning kinship in a ecclesiological, as opposed to reproductive, framework. This essay suggests that an ecclesiological and a poststructuralist account of kinship are mutually generative, with attendant ethical and political implications.     

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.     

Psychophysiologic effects of applied tension on the emotional fainting response to blood and injury

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to investigate the psychophysiologic effects of "Applied Tension" (AT) on the emotional fainting response to blood and injury in a controlled experiment. METHOD: Twenty-two persons reporting to generally feel faint or to have fainted at the sight of blood or injury and 22 participants classified as Non-Fainters were randomly allocated to a treatment or control condition. Psychophysiologic responses were continuously monitored while individuals watched a video depicting open-heart surgery and a control film. Prior to the surgery film, participants in the treatment condition were instructed in the use of AT. RESULTS: All participants classified as Fainters showed a diphasic response pattern while watching the surgery film. This response, however, was significantly attenuated in Fainters in the treatment condition. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that AT provides an effective treatment strategy for the prevention of fainting responses in persons with a fear of blood and injury.     

Wild (powerful) women: Restorying gender patterns

This paper addresses the use of the stories to help redefine gender expectations in relationships, creating a more active, powerful female voice. In particular, the popular bookWomen Who Run With the Wolves by Claudia Pinkola Estes is examined in context of other literature about women. Case examples demonstrating the application of such stories to marriage and family therapy are included.     

Long Lasting Marriages in Chile

Reports the Chilean segment of a multicultural, multicountry (Canada, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, South Africa, Sweden, USA) study on long-term marriages. This pilot study is seen as a starting point in research focusing on the childhood background and family history of long-term marital partners in Chile. No statistically significant association between marital satisfaction and economic or educational level was found. A positive correlation was found between marital satisfaction and happiness during childhood. Love, trust, and loyalty appear to be the main ingredients of satisfaction for both satisfied and unsatisfied couples. The findings across countries as to the essential ingredients reported here have been remarkably similar.