Clinical Supervision of Couple and Family Therapy during COVID-19

This paper addresses the need for a swift transition from in-person clinical supervision to telesupervision during the time of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Five specific areas will be discussed in the effort to enhance the quality of clinical supervision provided to couple and family therapists in training at this time including the following: (1) COVID-19 and the structural changes and technological adaptation of supervision; (2) culturally and contextually sensitive guidelines for clinical supervision during COVID-19; (3) the supervisee’s competence and the clinical supervisory process; (4) the new set of boundaries and the supervisory role; (5) and the supervisory alliance and supervisees’ vulnerabilities in the face of COVID-19.     

Psicologías para la evolución. Catálogo y crítica de los usos actuales de la Selección Orgánica

Resumen

Ofrecemos una clasificación y análisis crítico de los diversos enfoques que hoy reivindican y utilizan la teoría de la Selección Orgánica (o Efecto Baldwin). Desde una perspectiva constructivista denunciamos el uso generalizado de una interpretación reduccionista de la selección orgánica y de un completo olvido de la psicología ligada específicamente a ella, la psicología genética, destinada a explicar la construcción de innovaciones adaptativas. Esto nos permite un análisis de las limitaciones de las variadísimas interpretaciones que en la actualidad se hacen de la selección orgánica; por ejemplo, desde posiciones neodarwinistas—como la de Dennett—, biosemióticas—Deacon—, waddingtonianas—Matsuda—, de Sistemas Complejos—Depew y Weber—, o epigenéticas—Celia Moore—.     

Efectos de la música ansiogénica y ansiolítica sobre la actividad eléctrica cerebral de alfa en sujetos con ansiedad patológica

Resumen

Este artículo examina las repercusiones en el EEG (en el nivel de actividad de alfa) de distintos fragmentos musicales, ansiogénicos y ansiolíticos, escuchados biauralmente (denominados estados B y C, respectivamen te) en dos grupos: sujetos portadores de ansiedad patológica y sujetos normales. Treinta y dos sujetos (20 mujeres y 12 hombres) fueron utilizados para estudiar el comportamiento de la actividad de alfa y su relación con la disminución de la ansiedad. Distintas pruebas psicológicas (IDARE P, IDARE E y EAP) y el registro del bio-trainer, o bio-feedback, (conectado durante todo el experimento) fueron empleados para cotejar los resultados bioeléctricos obtenidos. Un novedoso software fue usado para el «mapeo» cerebral de los datos neurométricos que cuantitativamente apoyó las variaciones constatadas subjetivamente.

Los resultados mostraron que los cambios cualitativos dentro de las pruebas psicológicas utilizadas se correspondieron con las variaciones del EEG (aumento del nivel de la actividad de alfa), lo cual apoya el efecto beneficioso de las selecciones musicales escogidas. Esto subraya las posibilidades terapéuticas de la inducción musical para reducir el tratamiento psicofarmacol ógico (en aquellos casos en que éste fuera necesario), como una manera complementaria de afrontar los síntomas de la ansiedad patológica.     

Therapeutic Utility of Discussing Therapist/Client Intersectionality in Treatment: When and How?

The impact of the therapeutic alliance on positive clinical outcomes has been established in the literature; however, literature is lacking on how the intersection of therapist and client identities influences this process. We propose that the relational intersectionality resulting from similarities or differences in therapist and client identities has the potential to impact the bonds, tasks, and goals of treatment (key components of the therapeutic alliance; Bordin, 1979) depending on how it is addressed or avoided in therapy. In this paper, we present a model containing pragmatic steps therapists can follow to navigate these conversations with clients in a way that is therapeutically beneficial and culturally sensitive and attuned. Additionally, we provide suggestions for using the proposed model to train new student therapists (or expose experienced therapists) to ideas of intersectionality and social justice by reflecting on the intersection of their own identities, acknowledging dynamics of power and oppression, and understanding how this could shape their relationship with clients.     

Symptoms of Meares-Irlen/Visual Stress Syndrome in subjects diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Several diagnostic symptoms of the visual-processing deficit Meares-Irlen/Visual Stress Syndrome are remarkably similar to symptom manifestations reported by individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). We surveyed the specific incidences of nine widely-recognised symptoms of visual stress (VS) in a group of subjects (n = 20) previously diagnosed with CFS. The presence of each symptom of VS in the CFS group was compared to its respective presence in both an age and sex matched healthy comparison group (n = 46), and an age and sex matched group comprised of individuals (n = 14) diagnosed with VS. Results showed the frequencies of all nine VS symptoms in the CFS-diagnosed group to be significantly higher (p = .032 – p < .0005) than in the comparison group, with only two symptoms being statistically less frequent in the CFS group than in the VS-diagnosed group. The average number of VS symptoms reported by the CFS group was also significantly higher than the comparison group, yet not significantly different from the VS group. Thus, the occurrence of VS symptoms in subjects diagnosed with CFS appears to be far greater than previously reported, which in turn may indicate the interplay of some yet to be identified underlying factor(s) common to both conditions.     

Couple and Family Treatments: Study Quality and Level of Evidence

This paper examines the application of the guidelines for evidence‐based treatments in family therapy developed by Sexton and collaborators to a set of treatment models. These guidelines classify the models using criteria that take into account the distinctive features of couple and family treatments. A two‐step approach was taken: (1) The quality of each of the studies supporting the treatment models was assessed according to a list of ad hoc core criteria; (2) the level of evidence of each treatment model was determined using the guidelines. To reflect the stages of empirical validation present in the literature, nine models were selected: three models each with high, moderate, and low levels of empirical validation, determined by the number of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The quality ratings highlighted the strengths and limitations of each of the studies that provided evidence backing the treatment models. The classification by level of evidence indicated that four of the models were level III, “evidence‐based” treatments; one was a level II, “evidence‐informed treatment with promising preliminary evidence‐based results”; and four were level I, “evidence‐informed” treatments. Using the guidelines helped identify treatments that are solid in terms of not only the number of RCTs but also the quality of the evidence supporting the efficacy of a given treatment. From a research perspective, this analysis highlighted areas to be addressed before some models can move up to a higher level of evidence. From a clinical perspective, the guidelines can help identify the models whose studies have produced clinically relevant results.     

Constructing We‐ness: A Communal Coping Intervention for Couples Facing Chronic Illness

Communal coping occurs when relationship partners view a stressful health problem as “ours,” rather than yours or mine, and take collaborative action to deal with it. Although research employing linguistic (we‐talk) and other measures of communal coping demonstrates relevance to a variety of chronic illnesses, the literature offers little about how clinicians can actively promote we‐ness and teamwork to help patients and their partners achieve the health benefits this appears to confer. This paper highlights clinical and supporting scientific features of a narrative intervention designed to foster communal coping by couples in which one partner has a chronic illness. The illustrative illness is diabetes, but with modification the protocol is suitable for other chronic conditions as well. Grounded in systemic and narrative models of problem maintenance and change, the communal coping intervention represents a distillation of research and clinical experience with family consultation over several decades. In contrast to more directive and educational approaches, the intervention consists entirely of questions, with no direct suggestions or instruction about how patients, partners, or couples should change. These questions comprise 8 sequential modules (Coping Challenges, Trajectory and Focus, Illness as External Invader, You as a Couple, Past Teamwork in Overcoming Adversity, Present and Future Teamwork, Obstacles to Teamwork, and Wrap‐Up), described here in manual‐like detail.     

La psicología de los constructos personales: historia,presupuestos y alcance de una teoría

RESUMEN

La psicología de los constructos personales ha venido siendo casi una cita obligada en múltiples áreas del discurso psicológico, y la idea del “constructo personal” se ha convertido en una repetida alusión. El actual “constructivismo psicológico” ha podido contribuir a esta presencia. Este es un artículo de introducción al tema que intenta rescatar la historia de la psicología de los constructos personales, su definición, presupuestos, y el alcance que ha tenido y tiene, así como su ámbito de investigación.