Carlos Perez PhD, Stephen T. Fife PhD, Dane Eggleston PhD, Jason B. Whiting PhD
{"title":"Justifying by degrees: A grounded theory of men's decision-making process in infidelity","authors":"Carlos Perez PhD, Stephen T. Fife PhD, Dane Eggleston PhD, Jason B. Whiting PhD","doi":"10.1111/jmft.12663","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.12663","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Infidelity is a common reason couples seek therapeutic help as betrayed partners are often hurt and dismayed by their partners' decision to engage in an extradyadic relationship. Despite its common occurrence, there are very few empirical studies of the decision-making process behind infidelity. To address this gap, the current study used grounded theory, a qualitative approach commonly used to develop theories from participants' experiences, to explore men's processes in deciding to engage in infidelity. Analysis of interviews with participants (<i>n</i> = 13) resulted in a grounded theory of decision-making by cisgender men who participated in infidelity while in a committed, heterosexual relationship. The results suggest that the decision involves a continuous process of justification and rationalization. Major categories of the theory include the preaffair context, snowballing, motivated reasoning, and postaffair decisions. Clinical implications are also included.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10113738","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}
Rebecca J. Gammage DClinPsy, Lizette Nolte DSystPsy
{"title":"Talking and making meaning about parental mental health problems: The role of children's family caregivers","authors":"Rebecca J. Gammage DClinPsy, Lizette Nolte DSystPsy","doi":"10.1111/jmft.12664","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.12664","url":null,"abstract":"<p>When a parent is less able to meet their children's needs due to a severe and enduring mental health problem (MHP), other adult family members often help with childcare. We present a Grounded Theory of how children's family caregivers construct meaning about the parental MHP and communicate about it with children. Nineteen caregivers participated in qualitative interviews. Each supported at least one related child aged 4–17 years with a parent with MHPs. We found that caregivers engaged in a Core Social Process of providing protection in uncertainty. This comprised three categories as follows: shaping the interactional space, communicating through the developmental process, and engendering a sense of safety. Caregivers appeared to act from a Key Social Positioning of developing a caregiver identity. The findings implicate family-focused provision of mental health and social care. Clinical recommendations are made for whole-family interventions and the role of marital and family therapists.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10166613","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}
Benjamin Jones PhD, Jared Durtschi PhD, Brooke Keilholtz PhD
{"title":"Maternal engagement, relational closeness, and adolescent internalizing symptoms: The association of engaged mothering with adolescent depression and anxiety","authors":"Benjamin Jones PhD, Jared Durtschi PhD, Brooke Keilholtz PhD","doi":"10.1111/jmft.12662","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.12662","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Prevalence rates of anxiety and depression have increased among adolescents in recent years. The etiology of these internalizing symptoms is complex, but mothers can play a role in the mental health of their adolescent children. Using data from Year 15 of the fragile families and child well-being study, we analyzed associations between adolescent-reported maternal engagement, mother–adolescent relationship closeness, and adolescent depression and anxiety in a sample of 3146 mother–adolescent dyads. Using structural equation modeling, the four areas of engagement, closeness, anxiety, and depression were all modeled as latent variables to test the associations between these constructs. Higher levels of maternal engagement were significantly associated with higher levels of closeness between mother and adolescent, and higher levels of closeness were significantly associated with adolescents' lower levels of both depression and anxiety. Bootstrapped indirect effects were identified. Implications and future directions are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9997252","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}
Noratthiah Nordin PhD, William Kim Halford PhD, Fiona K. Barlow PhD, Khairul A. Mastor PhD
{"title":"Relationship standards and Malay Muslim couples' marital satisfaction","authors":"Noratthiah Nordin PhD, William Kim Halford PhD, Fiona K. Barlow PhD, Khairul A. Mastor PhD","doi":"10.1111/jmft.12659","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.12659","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Relationship standards are beliefs about what is important in high-quality couple relationships. Clarifying standards cross-culturally informs theory about relationship quality and goals for culturally appropriate couple therapy. The current study assessed four standards (Couple Bond, Family Responsibility, Relationship Effort, and Religion) in <i>n</i> = 113 Malay Muslim couples, and the association of those standards with marital satisfaction. All four standards were strongly endorsed, Religion was the most strongly endorsed, and there were minimal sex differences. Separate actor–partner interdependence models showed actor effects of all four standards on own satisfaction for husbands and wives, partner effects of three of the four husbands' standards (not Relationship Effort) on wives' satisfaction, but no partner effects of female standards on male satisfaction. The findings underscore the importance of all four standards in Malay Muslim marriages and that attention to all these standards might need to be part of couple therapy with Malay couples.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jmft.12659","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9946778","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}
Bernadetta Janusz, Joanna Pawelczyk, Barbara Józefik
{"title":"How therapists respond to “uneven” alliances in couple and family therapy: A conversation-analytic study","authors":"Bernadetta Janusz, Joanna Pawelczyk, Barbara Józefik","doi":"10.1111/jmft.12661","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.12661","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This article examines how family and couple therapists respond to uneven alliances with their clients at the micro-level of therapeutic exchanges in the context of Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) interviews. We operationalize uneven alliance with the interactional concept of asymmetry of affiliation. To this end, first, using conversation analysis (CA), we identify episodes of asymmetry of affiliation in the moment-by-moment conversation between the therapist and the client in therapy consultation. Second, applying CA to the IPR interview data, we examine how therapists orient to the episodes of the session in which the asymmetry of affiliation was identified. The findings demonstrate therapists' two key practices of orienting to the episodes of asymmetry of affiliation: (1) therapists' exclusive identification with one participant by typically invoking gender roles and (2) therapists' investigation of their agency in the emergence of asymmetry.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9888789","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":"Integrative couple therapy in action: A practical guide for handling common relationship problems and crises By Arthur C. Nielsen, New York, NY: Routledge. 2022. pp. 284. $42.95","authors":"","doi":"10.1111/jmft.12660","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.12660","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80305415","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}
J. Scott Crapo PhD, Kay Bradford PhD, Olena Kopystynska PhD, Bryan K. Spuhler PhD, Brian J. Higginbotham PhD
{"title":"“No, It's You:” Dyadic perceived need for change predicts relationship education outcomes","authors":"J. Scott Crapo PhD, Kay Bradford PhD, Olena Kopystynska PhD, Bryan K. Spuhler PhD, Brian J. Higginbotham PhD","doi":"10.1111/jmft.12658","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.12658","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Relationship education (RE) efforts have been shown to help couples and individuals with a variety of family relationships. However, much still needs to be identified in terms of what factors are salient to outcomes. Drawing on therapeutic models of change, we have identified perceived need for change as one such potential factor. Using data from a couple RE course (<i>n</i> = 447 couples), we assessed how dyadic congruence and average ratings of each partner's need for change were associated with change in three RE outcomes: knowledge, communication, and commitment. In general, the more partners perceived that their partner needed to change, above and beyond what their partner thought, the less change occurred. Implications for RE programming and implementation are discussed, as well as the potential role of therapeutic models and techniques in RE.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9768570","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":"Affection preference, enactment, and relationship satisfaction: A dyadic analysis of love languages","authors":"Anthony E. Coy PhD, Lindsey M. Rodriguez PhD","doi":"10.1111/jmft.12655","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.12655","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Despite its popularity, <i>The Five Love Languages</i> relationship self-help book has received little empirical investigation. This may result in a disconnect between clinicians and clients with preconceived notions based on the book. The current research sought to evaluate love languages through the lens of responsiveness by examining if an accurate or biased understanding of partner preferences for different modes of affection were associated with enacted affectionate behavior, the perception of partner behavior, and relationship satisfaction. The results from a sample of 84 couples indicated that individuals tend to have a biased understanding of partner preferences and these biases influenced expressions of affection. In addition, accurately understanding partner preferences was associated with greater relationship satisfaction. The findings suggest that helping clients understand both their own and their partner's preferences for expressions of affection, may reduce bias and lead to more partner-preferred expressions of affection and, ultimately, greater relationship satisfaction.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9766854","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":"“How did you stay together so long?” Relationship longevity, a cross-generational qualitative study","authors":"Christian Heim PhD, MD, Caroline Heim PhD","doi":"10.1111/jmft.12656","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.12656","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This global qualitative study adopted a cross-generational approach considering key factors contributing to relationship longevity. Relatively few studies consider factors leading to relationship longevity as articulated by couples themselves, and there is a paucity of research considering young couples' questions regarding relationship longevity. This study has two sample groups. In sample one (<i>n</i> = 137) we asked individuals in relationship of 3–15 years questions they would ask couples in marriages of 40+ years. We then asked our second sample of coupled individuals married 40+ years (<i>n</i> = 180) these questions. The primary question from the younger couples to couples in long-term marriages regarded their “secret” to relationship longevity. This study focuses on this one question and coupled individuals' self-articulation of their “secrets” to relationship longevity. The top seven were (1) commitment, (2) altruism, (3) shared values, (4) good communication, (5) compromise: give and take, (6) love, and (7) never give up. The clinical implications for couple therapists are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9755847","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":"“Bringing and Removing Self from the Table”: Therapists’ use and management of eating disorder lived experience in the treatment of clients with eating disorders","authors":"Ashley A. King PhD, Jody M. Russon PhD","doi":"10.1111/jmft.12646","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jmft.12646","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Therapists report significant countertransference reactions when treating clients with eating disorders (EDs). Countertransference may be pronounced among therapists with eating disorder lived experience (EDLE). Minimal research examines how therapists with EDLE negotiate their experiences while treating ED clients. Informed by the person-of-the-therapist philosophy, this study sought to understand how therapists use and manage their EDLE when working with ED clients. Using constructivist grounded theory methodology, semistructured interviews (<i>M</i><sub>time</sub> = 89 min) were conducted with 22 therapists with EDLE. Results revealed that therapists engaged in two interconnected systems. The Central System helps therapists transform their lived experiences into clinical guidance. The Checks and Balances System allows therapists to find a balance between connecting with the client and allowing for differences in experiences to emerge. Lastly, three personal processes existing outside of these systems were found to impact therapists’ use of self. Findings provide novel ways that therapists can use their EDLE.</p>","PeriodicalId":16320,"journal":{"name":"Journal of marital and family therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2023-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9801008","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}