{"title":"Constructive Interparental Conflict and Children's Outcomes: A Systematic Research Synthesis.","authors":"Xinyun Zhang, Qiong Wu","doi":"10.1111/jmft.70135","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.70135","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Interparental conflict (IPC) is a common challenge for many parents. While previous research has examined destructive IPCs and their links to maladaptive child outcomes, less is known about how constructive IPCs relate to adaptive outcomes. This study used a systematic research synthesis (SRS) to review 23 peer-reviewed quantitative studies that were published in the past decade (2015-2025) that measured constructive IPCs and children's outcomes. Studies varied in design and location. Findings indicated that constructive IPCs were associated with less negative child outcomes, such as fewer internalizing and externalizing problems, and positive outcomes, including greater emotional security and better social problem-solving skills. Many associations were influenced by other factors. Common theoretical frameworks were examined, as well as the incorporation of mediators and moderators among selected studies. These results can guide clinicians in developing interventions for families navigating IPCs.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":"52 2","pages":"e70135"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13409171/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147690532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Family Systems Intelligence in Couple and Family Therapy-And Beyond.","authors":"William J Doherty, Adam R Fisher, Nathan R Hardy","doi":"10.1111/jmft.70136","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.70136","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper introduces family systems intelligence as a capacity that extends beyond emotional intelligence to how individuals understand and respond effectively to family challenges in ways that foster personal and relational health. After defining the general concept of systems intelligence, we define family systems intelligence and distinguish between dyadic and multilateral levels. We argue that couple therapy models are sometimes insufficient when couples face issues involving broader family systems. We illustrate these ideas in three domains where third-party dynamics are central: stepfamilies, families facing medical illness, and ideological differences. We describe initial work on a performance-based measure of family systems intelligence, with the goal of a scalable assessment to support research and training. We conclude with implications for strengthening training in systemic competence among therapists and for influencing the broader culture.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":"52 2","pages":"e70136"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13100459/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147773823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Allison L. Tidwell, Catherine W. O'Neal, Emily Hanson, Nick Frye-Cox, Mallory Lucier-Greer
{"title":"Qualitative Examination of Participants' Reactions to an App-Based Military Cultural Competence Training for Helping Professionals","authors":"Allison L. Tidwell, Catherine W. O'Neal, Emily Hanson, Nick Frye-Cox, Mallory Lucier-Greer","doi":"10.1111/jmft.70130","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.70130","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>There is a need to bolster military cultural competence among human service helping professionals by equipping them with foundational knowledge and evidence-based tools to serve military families. On the basis of this need, a mobile application was designed to provide military cultural competence training by delivering brief summaries of recent scholarly publications on military culture and family life. This qualitative study utilized semistructured interviews to examine 36 helping professionals' reactions to the 8-week app-based training. Guided by the Kirkpatrick Training Evaluation Model, a directed qualitative content analysis identified five themes: intentional and active engagement in the training, satisfaction with the military cultural competence training app, enhanced access and accessibility to research, relevance of the content, and affirmation of existing knowledge and established priorities. Results suggest that mobile apps may be an acceptable modality for delivering continuing education and are well-suited for helping professionals with limited time for continuing education.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":"52 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147574350","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Relationship Stress and Suicidal Ideation: A Daily Diary Study","authors":"Heather A. Love, Chuong Bui, Preston Morgan","doi":"10.1111/jmft.70131","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.70131","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Prior research on relationship stress and suicidal ideation has relied primarily on cross-sectional designs, limiting understanding of daily fluctuations and within-person processes. This study examined associations between relationship stress and suicidal ideation through the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide using a 10-day daily diary design. Participants (<i>N</i> = 84) were adults in romantic relationships reporting depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. Multilevel modeling revealed that individuals with higher average relationship stress reported higher levels of perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belonging, and suicidal ideation. Within-person analyses showed that on days with elevated relationship stress, participants experienced same-day increases in burdensomeness, thwarted belonging, and suicidal ideation, but no next-day effects. Mediation analyses demonstrated that perceived burdensomeness mediated the same-day association between daily relationship stress and suicidal ideation. Findings suggest that relationship stress contributes to suicidal ideation by intensifying feelings of being a burden. Results support couple-focused interventions addressing relationship stress and perceived burdensomeness to reduce suicide risk.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":"52 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147529888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emma Allen, Alyssa Banford Witting, Angela Bradford
{"title":"Depression Symptoms and Trauma Coping Self-Efficacy: A Longitudinal Examination of Couples During COVID-19 Pandemic","authors":"Emma Allen, Alyssa Banford Witting, Angela Bradford","doi":"10.1111/jmft.70128","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.70128","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The COVID-19 pandemic intensified stress for many couples and families, leading to increased depression symptoms and challenges with coping. This longitudinal study examined on actor- and partner-level dyadic associations between depressive symptoms and trauma coping self-efficacy (TCSE) among 535 heterosexual cisgender couples. Data were collected online across April (<i>N</i> = 535), July (<i>N</i> = 363), and November 2020 (<i>N</i> = 238). Results indicated significant temporal stability and longitudinal associations for both depression and TCSE within partners across time. Higher depression symptoms in one partner were linked to higher symptoms in the other, while greater TCSE was associated with lower depression symptoms in both male and female partners. Notably, lower depression symptoms were also linked with higher TCSE across all time points. Findings highlight the bidirectional nature of mental health and coping in couples during crisis and suggest early interventions may strengthen TCSE may help buffer against depressive symptoms over time.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":"52 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147463435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Role of Communication in Romantic Attachment and Relationship Satisfaction: A Dyadic Longitudinal Study","authors":"Audrey-Ann Lefebvre, Audrey Brassard, Mireille Jean, Marie-Ève Daspe, Marie-France Lafontaine, Katherine Péloquin","doi":"10.1111/jmft.70127","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.70127","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Researchers and clinicians note that romantic attachment insecurities, negative communication, and stressors interact in ways that gradually undermine relationship satisfaction over time. Grounding clinical models in empirical findings is crucial. This longitudinal study examined the mediating role of communication patterns in associations between romantic attachment insecurities and relationship satisfaction, while accounting for stressful life events. Path analyses conducted with 263 couples over a year revealed that attachment insecurities were indirectly associated with lower relationship satisfaction in both partners via greater use of demand/withdraw and demand/demand communication patterns. Attachment avoidance was indirectly associated with lower satisfaction in both partners via the withdraw/withdraw communication pattern. Results indicated differences according to dyad gender and revealed that stressful life events played a moderating role in the associations between attachment insecurities and communication patterns. The findings provide support for the theoretical underpinnings of both attachment-based and communication-based couple interventions, highlighting their clinical value.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":"52 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12983993/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147443799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"“We Don't Stay Where We Feel Weak”: Experiences of Men Discontinuing Mental Health Services in Türkiye","authors":"Sinan Akçay, Bilge Akar, Özlem Köse","doi":"10.1111/jmft.70126","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.70126","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Men continue to underutilize and disengage from mental health services, highlighting the need to understand this pattern. This study explored Turkish men's experiences of discontinuing mental health treatment using a descriptive qualitative design. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 men who had ended therapy. Thematic analysis revealed three themes: <i>the process of initiating treatment, experiences in the treatment process, and reasons for discontinuing treatment</i>. Findings showed that hegemonic masculinity shaped men's engagement with care, as masculine norms often conflicted with recognizing mental illness, seeking help, and engaging in emotional disclosure during treatment. Even when symptoms were acknowledged, doubts about treatment effectiveness, cost, stigma, difficulty accepting mental illness, fear of failure, and concerns about being negatively evaluated by clinicians contributed to disengagement. The study calls for gender-sensitive, accessible services, clinician training in relational and cultural responsiveness, and structured approaches that align with men's values and support sustained engagement.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":"52 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147443817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Artificial Intelligence in Couple and Family Therapy: Introduction of the AI Competencies","authors":"Katherine M. Hertlein, Paul Springer","doi":"10.1111/jmft.70121","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.70121","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly altered the practice of couple/marital and family therapy (CMFT). While much has been written in other disciplines about competencies to be developed in integrating AI into one's work, to date no competencies have been presented for use in CMFT. In this article, we present the first competencies for AI in CMFT. These new competencies cross six domains and were informed by three other competency frameworks: the condensed core competencies for CMFT, interdisciplinary competencies for telebehavioral health, and AI competencies for medicine. Emphasis is placed on the development of AI-specific competencies that align with relational ethics and person-centered care.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":"52 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12947613/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147307058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Dialog of Two on the Dance of Three: Interparental Conflicts and Children Psychopathology in Chinese Families","authors":"Timothy Sim, Wai Yung Lee","doi":"10.1111/jmft.70124","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.70124","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The opening article of this special issue presents a dialog between Dr Wai Yung Lee, an internationally acclaimed veteran family therapist currently working in Asia, and Professor Sim, this Special Edition's Associate Editor. The dialog focuses on unraveling the intricate processes of interparental conflict and child psychopathology in therapy, based on Dr Lee's work for close to three decades with nearly 100 Chinese families in Shanghai. The main themes are: interparental conflicts affects children like a “dance of three”; children's psychopathology is frequently linked to anxiety stemming from prolonged interparental conflict; children become expressive and lively when discussing their parents in therapy; when one parent blames the other, the blamed parent turns to the child; when parents begin to address their conflicts, children's psychopathology improves; and behind the psychopathology of children, there often lies an unhappy couple. Through nuanced analyses of three Chinese cases where there is suicide ideation, eating disorder, and tic, this article critically examines the possible ways of uncovering the intricate dynamics, therapeutic movements used to address them, and salient issues, such as culture, gender, and power.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":"52 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147306987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correction to “Work–Family Conflict and Enrichment, Family Routines and Rituals Meaning, and Parental Burnout in UK and Vietnamese Families”","authors":"","doi":"10.1111/jmft.70123","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.70123","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Nguyen, T.-M., Mikolajczak, M., Wang, W., Le, H.T.H. and Roskam, I. (2025), Work–Family Conflict and Enrichment, Family Routines and Rituals Meaning, and Parental Burnout in UK and Vietnamese Families. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 51: e70056. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.70056</p><p>After publication, the authors identified a typographical error in Table 1. Specifically, the Mean and Standard Deviation values for Work-Family Conflict and Work-Family Enrichment were inadvertently transposed. This error is confined to Table 1 only. All analyses, results, interpretations, and conclusions reported in the manuscript are correct and unaffected. The correct table is given below.</p><p>We apologize for this error.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":"52 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jmft.70123","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147284060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}