老年人夫妻冲突一般特点及其与依恋的关系

采用开放式与封闭式问卷相结合的方式对27对60～84岁(M=69.93±5.89)的老年夫妻测查了老年人夫妻依恋风格及夫妻冲突的特点。结果表明,老年人夫妻冲突具有低频率、低强度、较低的威胁性、较高的建设性及易解决的特点;不同依恋风格的老年人夫妻冲突的强度、频率、冲突解决程度均不存在显著差异;在冲突性质上,安全型依恋风格老年人感知到的冲突建设性显著高于不安全型依恋风格个体,但其感知到的冲突威胁性无显著差异;老年夫妻对冲突的感知存在冲突知觉一致性效应。     

Spousal understanding and marital satisfaction in pain patients and their spouses

The current study tested the hypotheses that knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients and spouses who report more spousal understanding of patient's pain would report greater marital satisfaction. A total of 124 couples completed interviews at three time points across 18 months. Results from dyadic analyses showed that patients who felt more understood by their spouse report, and have spouses who report, higher marital satisfaction concurrently. In addition, patients who felt more understood by their spouse reported higher marital satisfaction over time. Spouses' reports of understanding also had a significant influence on the patients' and their own marital satisfaction concurrently. Results highlight the importance of spouses understanding knee OA patients' pain for both dyad members' marital satisfaction.     

Adult attachment and spousal reactions to military deployment separations and reunions

We explored adult attachment and spousal perceptions of intrapersonal and relationship functioning during military deployments. In Study 1, spouses of military members experiencing a separation were assessed, and in Study Two, spouses of military members experiencing a reunion were assessed. Study 3 entailed a large‐scale survey of relationship perceptions of spouses of military members. In Studies One and Two, attachment dimensions were related to perceptions of intrapersonal and relationship functioning during the separation and reunion, with associations moderated by days separated/reunited. In Study 3, attachment dimensions were related to relationship perceptions, with associations moderated by deployment stages. This research not only contributes to the knowledge of attachment processes in military contexts but also has the potential to inform policies and services supporting military families.     

Family of Origin Predictors of Marital Outcomes Among Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian-American Couples

Despite the importance of family within the Coptic community, the extant literature on Coptic family relationships is remarkably limited. The purpose of this study was to explore parental marital quality and family of origin (FOO) quality as predictors of marital satisfaction and marital stability among Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian-American couples. Self-report survey data from 255 married Coptic couples living in the United States were analyzed using an actor-partner interdependence model. Results indicated husband FOO quality predicted both marital satisfaction (β =.51, SE?=?.18, p?=?.005) and marital stability (β?=?.51, SE?=?.22, p?=?.022) among Coptic husbands but not among Coptic wives. Results further indicated wife parental marital quality, wife FOO quality, and husband parental marital quality were not predictive of marital satisfaction or marital stability among Coptic husbands or wives. Clinical implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.     

父母婚姻质量、协同教养对青少年问题行为的影响:同时或者滞后溢出?

采用父母婚姻质量、协同教养和SDQ问卷,对416名初中生进行6个月的追踪测试,考察父母婚姻质量与协同教养之间的溢出效应及其对青少年问题行为的影响。结果发现：（1）父母婚姻质量与协同教养之间不仅存在同时溢出效应,而且存在滞后溢出效应;（2）在同一时间段内,父亲婚姻质量通过父亲团结性协同教养对青少年问题行为具有负向预测作用;（3）母亲婚姻质量不仅在同一时间段内,而且在不同时间段内通过母亲的冲突性、贬低性协同教养对青少年问题行为具有正向预测作用。因此,父母婚姻质量通过协同教养对青少年问题行为起着长期的、重要的影响。     

The Efficacy of Behavioral Couples Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couple Distress

Twenty treatment outcome studies, 13 of which evaluated behavioral couples therapy (BCT) and seven of which evaluated emotionally focused therapy (EFT) were reviewed, leading to the following conclusions. BCT leads to short and long-term gains for moderate to severe couple distress. In the long term BCT probably leads to no better outcomes than its constituent components—behavioral exchange training and communication and problem solving skills training. Addition of a cognitive therapy component to BCT or the use of a variety of treatment formats does not improve the efficacy of BCT. Integrative couples therapy and insight-oriented marital therapy may be more effective than BCT, but studies supporting this conclusion require replication. EFT leads to short and long-term gains for mild to moderate couple distress. Addition of a cognitive therapy component to EFT does not enhance its efficacy. EFT may be more effective than problem solving therapy and less effective than integrated systemic therapy, but the two studies supporting this conclusion require replication.Michael Byrne, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist, Midland Health Board, Ireland; Alan Carr, PhD, is Director of the Clinical Psychology Training Programme, Department of Psychology, Arts Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland (alan.carr@ucd.ie). Marie Clark, PhD, is Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, United Kingdom.     

Career And Relationship Satisfaction Among Female Faculty in Marriage and Family Therapy Programs

This study explored career and relationship satisfaction of women faculty in accredited marital and family therapy (MFT) programs. Faculty were more satisfied with teaching duties than research or service duties and more satisfied with service than research duties. A backwards multiple regression procedure showed that the combined variables of psychosocial mentoring functions, expanded service duties, and having received an award for research or service were associated with greater levels of career satisfaction while career mentoring functions were associated with reduced levels of career satisfaction. Implications and suggestions for improving the academic climate are presented for institutions, MFT programs, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE).     

Object Relations Theory and Technique Applied to Sex and Marital Therapy

This paper demonstrates integrating psychoanalysis and behavioral techniques in sexual and marital therapy. It particularly illustrates how Fairbairn's (1943) concept of the return of the repressed can help a couple reclaim lost unconscious parts of themselves, and extensive use of countertransference during sex and marital therapy.     

The Effects of Children's Exposure to Domestic Violence: A Meta-Analysis and Critique

A wide range of children's developmental outcomes are compromised by exposure to domestic violence, including social, emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and general health functioning. However, there are relatively few empirical studies with adequate control of confounding variables and a sound theoretical basis. We identified 41 studies that provided relevant and adequate data for inclusion in a meta-analysis. Forty of these studies indicated that children's exposure to domestic violence was related to emotional and behavioral problems, translating to a small overall effect (Z _r = .28). Age, sex, and type of outcome were not significant moderators, most likely due to considerable heterogeneity within each of these groups. Co-occurrence of child abuse increased the level of emotional and behavioral problems above and beyond exposure alone, based on 4 available studies. Future research needs are identified, including the need for large-scale longitudinal data and theoretically guided approaches that take into account relevant contextual factors.     

Barriers and Bridges to Intimacy and Mutuality: A Critical Review of Sexual Advice Found in Self-Help Bestsellers

Sexuality in a committed relationship is based ideally on both intimacy and mutuality. Gender socialization may limit women's and men's capacities in these two important areas of sexual relationships. This article describes the results of a content analysis of nine best-selling popular press books on the New York Times Bestseller List between 1988 and 1998 according to their advice related to sexual intimacy and mutuality. Books were analyzed to determine the degree to which they built barriers or bridges to the development of intimacy and mutuality. Results indicate that while most authors offered advice that built bridges to intimacy, several built barriers to the development of mutuality. Implications for therapists are discussed.