Understanding marital conflict 7 years later from prenatal representations of marriage

We examine how representations of marriage, assessed prenatally, predict different types of marital conflict (cooperation, avoidance/capitulation, stonewalling, and child involvement in parental conflict) at 7 years postpartum (N=132 individuals). We assessed representations of marriage prenatally by interviewing spouses about their own parents' marriage, and then rated the content and insightfulness of their memories. Results show that marital representations characterized by higher insight predict higher cooperation and lower child involvement in parental conflict, whereas content of marital representations was not a significant predictor of marital conflict. Further, individuals who remember negative memories from their parents' marriage with high insight were lowest on child involvement in parental conflict, whereas those who remember negative memories with low insight were highest on child involvement in parental conflict. Finally, women who remember negative content with high insight report the highest cooperation, whereas women who remember negative content with low insight report the lowest cooperation. For men, however, marital representations were less effective in predicting later cooperation. We conclude that marital representations, even when assessed prenatally, influence certain types of marital conflict 7 years later. Using such findings, therapists could help spouses gain insight into how the memories of their parents' marriage relate to the use of specific conflict strategies in their marriage.     

The effects of marital status on episodic and semantic memory in healthy middle-aged and old individuals

The present study examined the influences of marital status on different episodic and semantic memory tasks. A total of 1882 adult men and women participated in a longitudinal project (Betula) on memory, health and aging. The participants were grouped into two age cohorts, 35-60 and 65-85, and studied over a period of 5 years. Episodic memory tasks concerned recognition and recall, whereas semantic memory tasks concerned knowledge and fluency. The results showed, after controlling for education, some diseases, chronological age and leisure activity as covariates, that there were significant differences between married and single individuals in episodic memory, but not in semantic memory. Married people showed significantly better memory performances than singles in both subsystems of episodic memory, that is, recall and recognition. Also, the rate of decline in episodic memory was significantly larger for singles and widowed than other groups over the 5-year time period in both age groups. The findings demonstrate that the positive relation found between marriage and health can be extended to the relation between marriage and cognitive performance. This effect might be explained by the role played by cognitive stimulation in memory and cognition.     

Understanding and Responding to Victims of Interpersonal Sexual Violence and Sexual Assault within Committed Relationships

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to increase therapeutic discussion surrounding intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) by increasing understanding in how victims of IPSV perceive and respond to the assault. Although IPSV has received little research attention, sexual violence within relationships occurs at an alarmingly high rate. Theories of sexual assault, such as sex-role socialization, are discussed to aid clinicians in better identifying assaultive behaviors and common physical and emotional responses of victims. Additionally, the authors provide a framework for the assessment of IPSV and suggestions on “best practices” for creating conversations that promote hope and healing.     

Collaborative relationships and dialogic conversations: ideas for a relationally responsive practice

The author presents a set of philosophical assumptions that provide a different language for thinking about and responding to the persistent questions: “How can our therapy practices have relevance for people's everyday lives in our fast changing world, what is this relevance, and who determines it?” “Why do some shapes of relationships and forms of talk engage while others alienate? Why do some invite possibilities and ways forward not imagined before and others imprison us?” The author then translates the assumptions to inform a therapist's philosophical stance: a way of being. Next, she discusses the distinguishing features of the stance and how it facilitates collaborative relationships and dialogic conversations that offer fertile means to creative ends for therapists and their clients.     

The Brief Accessibility,Responsiveness, and Engagement (BARE) Scale: A Tool for Measuring Attachment Behavior in Couple Relationships

This article describes the purpose, reliability, validity, and potential clinical applications of the Brief Accessibility, Responsiveness, and Engagement (BARE) scale. In addition to focusing on the central attachment behaviors of accessibility and responsiveness, this instrument highlights the key role of engagement in couple bonding. The BARE is a short, systemic, self‐report measure of attachment behaviors in couple relationships. Both classical testing theory and Item Response Theory were used to test the psychometric properties of the instrument. The BARE demonstrated appropriate reliability and validity while maintaining its brevity and potential usefulness for clinicians and researchers. The BARE also accurately predicted the key relationship outcomes of stability and satisfaction. The data for this study were collected from the RELATE assessment (see www.relate-institute.org ).     

Evidence for perceptual learning with repeated stimulation after partial and total cortical blindness

Lesions of occipital cortex result in loss of sight in the corresponding regions of visual fields. The traditional view that, apart from some spontaneous recovery in the acute phase, field defects remain permanently and irreversibly blind, has been challenged. In patients with partial field loss, a range of residual visual abilities in the absence of conscious perception (blindsight) has been demonstrated (Weiskrantz, 1986). Recent findings (Sahraie et al., 2006, 2010) have also demonstrated increased visual sensitivity in the field defect following repeated stimulation. We aimed to extend these findings by systematically exploring whether repeated stimulation can also lead to increased visual sensitivity in two cases with total (bilateral) cortical blindness. In addition, for a case of partial blindness, we examined the extent of the recovery as a function of stimulated region of the visual field, over extended periods of visual training. Positive auditory feedback was provided during the training task for correct detection of a spatial grating pattern presented at specific retinotopic locations using a temporal two alternative forced-choice paradigm (Neuro-Eye Therapy). All three cases showed improved visual sensitivity with repeated stimulation. The findings indicate that perceptual learning can occur through systematic visual field stimulation even in cases of bilateral cortical blindness.     

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation improves word production in Conduction Aphasia: Electroencephalographic and behavioral evidences

A Conduction Aphasic patient, RH, with many difficulties at the level of phonological output, was subjected to Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) therapy six months after suffering a stroke. Fifteen daily sessions were administered (five days per week). The treatment led to a better intra-hemispheric electrical coherence and inter-hemispheric balance, as shown by the quantitative EEG analysis. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation therapy was shown to be effective in inhibiting irregular activation of the right hemisphere, offering the healthy areas of the left hemisphere the possibility of reassuming their linguistic processing abilities. Also, the number of errors in picture naming and repetition of words and pseudowords dropped considerably following treatment. The recovery was greater for long stimuli and was not affected by semantic or lexical variables such as familiarity. These results suggest that the Phonological Output Buffer, a mechanism dedicated to the maintenance, ordering and production of phoneme strings, was the processing stage modified by the treatment.     

Predicting adolescents' parent–child relationship quality from parental personality,marital conflict and adolescents' personality

Longitudinal influences on the relationships between parents and their adolescent children in 175 Austrian families were analysed with data from three measurement points over a time span of 18 years. We investigated the influences of parental personality, marital conflict and adolescents' personality on the father–child and mother–child relationships separately. Inconsistent with previous theories and empirical findings, we found almost no associations between parental personality and parent–child relationships. Marital conflict was associated with only the father–child relationship. Children's personality showed the most consistent associations with the parent–child relationship. Our data support the theory of dynamic interactionism, which postulates an interdependency of personality factors and social relationships.     

CBT for Children and Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders,edited by A. Scarpa,S. Williams White, & T. Attwood

ABSTRACT

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a manualized behavioral intervention originally developed by Eyberg (1988 Eyberg, S. (1988). Parent-child interaction therapy: Integration of traditional and behavioral concerns. Child &; Family Behavior Therapy, 10(1), 33–46. doi:10.1300/j019v10n01_04[Taylor &; Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) to address disruptive behaviors in young children. Although previous research findings support the contention that components of PCIT would positively impact communication, behavior, and adaptive skills (Howard, Sparkman, Cohen, Green, &; Stanislaw, 2005; Lovaas, 1987 Lovaas, O. I. (1987). Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(1), 3–9. doi:10.1037/0022-006x.55.1.3[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Remington et al., 2007 Remington, B., Hastings, R. P., Kovshoff, H., Degli Espinosa, F., Jahr, E., Brown, T., &; Ward, N. (2007). Early intensive behavioral intervention: Outcomes for children with autism and their parents after two years. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 112(6), 418–438. doi:10.1352/0895-8017(2007)112[418:eibiof]2.0.co;2[Crossref], [PubMed] , [Google Scholar]) in children with developmental disabilities, few studies are shown in the literature. In a modified version of PCIT, caregivers completed two phases of intervention with their child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). During the Child-Directed Interaction (CDI) phase, caregivers were taught to conduct mand training, follow-their child’s lead, provide attention for their child’s positive behaviors, and ignore their child’s negative behaviors. During the Parent-Directed Interaction (PDI) phase, caregivers were taught to give effective commands and follow through with demands. The goal of the current study was to determine whether children’s production of vocalizations increased after participation in a modified PCIT program. Data from two participants diagnosed with autism were included in the study. Outcomes of these two case studies show that both children displayed an increase in the total number of vocalizations emitted in the posttreatment observation relative to baseline. Additionally, caregivers of both participants displayed an increased number of positive behaviors in the posttreatment observation relative to baseline.