Family ProcessPub Date : 2025-01-23DOI: 10.1111/famp.13101
Gift Nleko, Nicole Sabatini Gutierrez
{"title":"Rejunctive Moves Toward Systemic Healing: A Contextual Family Therapy Approach to Father’s Absence","authors":"Gift Nleko, Nicole Sabatini Gutierrez","doi":"10.1111/famp.13101","DOIUrl":"10.1111/famp.13101","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The phenomena of father’s absence and the disruption of a family unit due to social justice issues like incarceration and mental health/substance misuse challenges are widely documented, and their effects on the whole family are well established in the literature. This paper specifically examines how systemic inequities like racism contribute to destructive entitlements that can occur transgenerationally within families affected by father’s absence. The consideration of racial trauma is crucial, as father’s absence and family disruption are not limited to any one racial or ethnic group, but the effects are often exacerbated for families of color due to the intersecting impacts of systemic racism. This paper highlights contextual family therapy (CFT) concepts, such as multidirected partiality, destructive entitlements, and exoneration, as they apply to these families within the context of racial trauma. Family therapists using a CFT approach with families impacted by incarceration, mental health, and/or substance misuse should address racial trauma as a key component influencing each family member as well as the family dynamics. A clinical case example is used to demonstrate the application of CFT in supporting rejunctive moves toward healing parent– and adult–child relationships within these resilient families.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":51396,"journal":{"name":"Family Process","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143034815","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}
Family ProcessPub Date : 2025-01-22DOI: 10.1111/famp.13097
Shannon M. Savell, Lauren V. Breeden, Robert E. Emery
{"title":"Partners Now Parents: Supporting Couples During the Journey to Parenthood","authors":"Shannon M. Savell, Lauren V. Breeden, Robert E. Emery","doi":"10.1111/famp.13097","DOIUrl":"10.1111/famp.13097","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Becoming a parent is a highly anticipated milestone for many couples, yet previous research suggests that most couples experience a sharp decline in romantic satisfaction. However, there are few virtual, group-based couples prevention programs for first-time parents. The present study examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a newly developed prevention program for the journey to parenthood, the <i>Partners Now Parents</i> program. Sixty-six racially and socioeconomically diverse expecting parents (33 couples) participated in this small, pilot examination. Seventeen couples were assigned to receive five teletherapy prevention program sessions over the course of the perinatal period, and 16 couples were assigned to an active control group receiving psychoeducation via email. We found a less steep decline in romantic satisfaction for those in the prevention program as compared to the active control group. The findings suggest that the prevention program is feasible, effective, and favorably received by participants. Prevention programs for expecting parents offer entry into mental health support with reduced mental health stigma when couples may be most open to change as they prepare for parenthood.</p>","PeriodicalId":51396,"journal":{"name":"Family Process","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11753894/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143025127","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}
Family ProcessPub Date : 2025-01-21DOI: 10.1111/famp.13100
Jacky C. P. Choy, Terry Y. S. Lum, Doris S. F. Yu, Gloria H. Y. Wong
{"title":"Application of Family Stress Theory: Predicting Wellbeing by Demands, Resources and Perceptions Among Caregivers of Older Adults","authors":"Jacky C. P. Choy, Terry Y. S. Lum, Doris S. F. Yu, Gloria H. Y. Wong","doi":"10.1111/famp.13100","DOIUrl":"10.1111/famp.13100","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Family caregivers of older adults are at risk of high care burden and reduced quality of life. Existing research and practices had primarily focused on the caregiving dyad. However, it is often observed that multiple family members are involved in caregiving for older adults. We applied family stress theory to understand family caregiving and examined how care demands, resources, and perceptions are associated with and predict caregiver well-being. Participants in this study were low-income family caregivers who received caregiver allowance and provided care for an older adult with care needs in the community in Hong Kong. Two waves of data, including baseline data from 358 caregivers and 2-year follow-up data from a subsample of 93 caregivers, were collected. We used hierarchical regression to predict care burden and quality of life at baseline and follow-up, respectively, by care demands, resources, and perceptions after controlling for the context of care. Results show that additional caregiving roles, quality of relationship with the older adult, and satisfaction with family support were associated with care burden and quality of life at baseline. Predictors of lower care burden at 2-year follow-up were discontinuation of additional caregiving roles, increase in size of caregiving family, and the use of domestic helper. Applying family stress theory to understand the caregiving process reveals the significance of additional caregiving roles, the involvement of multiple caregivers, and caregivers' perceptions about family support in enhancing caregiver well-being, underscoring the need to focus on these factors when designing and implementing caregiver support services.</p>","PeriodicalId":51396,"journal":{"name":"Family Process","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11750315/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143015911","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}
Family ProcessPub Date : 2025-01-09DOI: 10.1111/famp.13096
Tai-Young Park, Yangjin Park, Yanghyun Park
{"title":"The Korean integrative family therapy model","authors":"Tai-Young Park, Yangjin Park, Yanghyun Park","doi":"10.1111/famp.13096","DOIUrl":"10.1111/famp.13096","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Family therapy was introduced in South Korea in the 1970s and has been extensively applied in clinical and academic settings. However, despite the efficacy of using family therapy models from the United States for Korean families, existing models are unable to fully capture the nuances of the Korean family culture, limiting their full potential to help families in crises. Based on observations and counseling of over 1500 families in Korea, this paper presents a theoretical and clinical foundation, namely, the Korean Integrative Family Therapy Model. After briefly introducing the historical development of family therapy in Korea, this paper offers a conceptual background for the Korean Integrative Family Therapy Model and two examples of the treatment process of the Korean Integrative Family Therapy Model. Models of family therapy developed in one cultural context can provide a strong foundation to guide family therapists around the globe, however local knowledge and expertise can be utilized to ensure optimal relevance and effectiveness.</p>","PeriodicalId":51396,"journal":{"name":"Family Process","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142958542","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}
Family ProcessPub Date : 2025-01-08DOI: 10.1111/famp.13094
Jane M. Stephenson, Angela Turkelson, Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt
{"title":"I love you no matter what: Negative relationship quality and daily encounters in the parent–child tie and their implications for daily mood across the lifespan","authors":"Jane M. Stephenson, Angela Turkelson, Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt","doi":"10.1111/famp.13094","DOIUrl":"10.1111/famp.13094","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Parent–child relationship quality has critical implications for parental emotional well-being across the lifespan. The present study assessed how relationship quality is related to daily encounters between parents and children, how those encounters are linked with parents' mood, and how these associations vary by age. Participants (<i>N</i> = 129, ages 33–91) reported baseline relationship quality with a total of 337 children (ages 1–69). In ecological momentary assessments, participants reported encounters with their children and their mood every 3 h for 4 days (<i>N</i> = 2220). Analyses revealed that relationship quality was not associated with whether parents had contact with their children. More negative relationship quality was positively associated with unpleasant encounters and negatively associated with pleasant encounters with children. Pleasant encounters with a child were associated with a more positive mood regardless of relationship quality. Unpleasant encounters were associated with a more negative mood, particularly when parents had a more negative relationship with their children. These associations varied significantly by age. Parents were more likely to have contact with more irritating adolescent children than less irritating adolescents and were less likely to have unpleasant encounters with children in emerging adulthood compared to childhood. Older parents' moods were not as strongly associated with unpleasant encounters, though the likelihood of experiencing unpleasant encounters was more closely tied to relationship quality for older parents than younger parents. These findings have important implications for understanding the relationship between family conflict and emotional well-being across the life course.</p>","PeriodicalId":51396,"journal":{"name":"Family Process","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11711072/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142958540","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}
Family ProcessPub Date : 2025-01-08DOI: 10.1111/famp.13093
Casey J. Totenhagen, Melissa A. Curran, Ashley K. Randall
{"title":"Benefits and burdens of daily sacrifices and commitment in same- and different-gender couples: Explorations of proximity and direction of effects","authors":"Casey J. Totenhagen, Melissa A. Curran, Ashley K. Randall","doi":"10.1111/famp.13093","DOIUrl":"10.1111/famp.13093","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Research and theory document links between sacrifices and commitment in couples, yet the direction of effects remains unclear. Whereas interdependence theorists suggest that sacrifices help couples to build commitment, other scholars have suggested that being committed leads partners to sacrifice for each other. Nearly all research in this area has focused on men and women in different-gender relationships with each other. We contribute to this literature by using dyadic daily diary data to examine associations between sacrifices and commitment as they unfold in a sample of same- (<i>n</i> = 85 couples; 170 individuals) and different-gender (<i>n</i> = 100 couples; 200 individuals) couples. We use concurrent and lagged models to examine (a) proximity of effects (same day vs. carrying over to next day) and (b) direction of effects (i.e., do sacrifices predict changes in commitment, and/or vice versa). Results showed that effects were largely proximal—only one significant lagged effect emerged—and these were specific to actor effects. Furthermore, effects were bidirectional, and different patterns emerged for same- and different-gender couples. For same-gender couples, sacrifices and commitment were negatively associated. For different-gender couples, on days they reported performing more sacrifices they reported higher commitment, but when they reported higher commitment, they reported doing fewer sacrifices the following day. Results highlight the importance of examining diverse couples specific to questions of proximity and direction of effects for sacrifices and commitment.</p>","PeriodicalId":51396,"journal":{"name":"Family Process","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142958538","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}
Family ProcessPub Date : 2024-12-08DOI: 10.1111/famp.13092
Elizabeth A. Miller, Camille R. Elder
{"title":"Balanced parenting: Proposing a differentiation-based parenting approach informed by Bowen family systems theory","authors":"Elizabeth A. Miller, Camille R. Elder","doi":"10.1111/famp.13092","DOIUrl":"10.1111/famp.13092","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The purpose of this article is to introduce Balanced Parenting, a differentiation-based parenting approach informed by Bowen family systems theory. It is aimed at countering today's anxious, child-focused parenting culture and deconstructing attachment theory, which has been identified as contributing to this culture. The approach includes four main pillars: (a) deconstructing attachment theory, (b) the five principles of balanced parenting, (c) shifting the paradigm, and (d) steps toward change. Pillar one explains how attachment theory feeds anxious, child-focused parenting by ignoring parent autonomy and codependency between parent and child and underestimating children's ability to self-soothe. It also explains that attachment theory's claims are problematic due to lacking systemic thinking and not aligning with empirical research. Pillar two seeks to communicate Bowen theory's parenting perspective through five principles: mutual respect for autonomy, focus on self, child's self-reliance, improving couple relationships, and letting go of blame. Pillar three can help guide individuals shift their thinking from the attachment paradigm toward the Bowen theory paradigm. Pillar four communicates the steps reset, refocus, and redefine, which can help parents apply a Bowen theory perspective. This approach is expected to relieve parent guilt and burnout, foster children's well-being and healthy development, and promote genuine, lasting connection between parents and children.</p>","PeriodicalId":51396,"journal":{"name":"Family Process","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142796427","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}
Family ProcessPub Date : 2024-12-05DOI: 10.1111/famp.13091
Jenny Zhen-Duan, Mario Cruz-Gonzalez, Jasmine Diaz, Marisabel Sánchez, Irene Park, Kiara Alvarez, Tiffany Yip, Lijuan Wang, Kristin Valentino, Margarita Alegría
{"title":"Intergenerational continuity of adverse childhood experiences among Mexican-origin families: Examination of intra and extra-familial adversities","authors":"Jenny Zhen-Duan, Mario Cruz-Gonzalez, Jasmine Diaz, Marisabel Sánchez, Irene Park, Kiara Alvarez, Tiffany Yip, Lijuan Wang, Kristin Valentino, Margarita Alegría","doi":"10.1111/famp.13091","DOIUrl":"10.1111/famp.13091","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The effects of the intergenerational continuity of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on youth outcomes have been documented, particularly among mother–child dyads. Most literature has focused on the continuity of family-level ACEs (Traditional ACEs [T-ACEs]) and not community-level ACEs (Expanded ACEs [E-ACEs]) that disproportionately impact minoritized individuals. We aimed to (a) examine the effect of mothers' and fathers' T-ACEs and E-ACEs on youth's T-ACEs and E-ACEs, respectively, and on youth's depressive and anxiety symptoms; (b) examine whether youth's own ACE exposure explains the link between parental ACEs and youth depressive and anxiety symptoms; and (c) explore differential risks by mothers versus fathers. We collected cross-sectional data from a community sample of Mexican-origin youth (<i>M</i><sub>age</sub>, 13.5 years; 51.7% males; 93.0% US-born), mothers (<i>M</i><sub>age</sub>, 41.4 years; 7.2% US-born), and fathers (<i>M</i><sub>age</sub>, 44.0 years; 5.1% US-born) from the <i>Seguimos Avanzando</i> project (167 youth-mother–father triads, 177 youth-mother/father dyads). Results showed that (a) fathers', but not mothers', T-ACEs and E-ACEs were associated with youth's T-ACES and E-ACEs, respectively, (b) youth's T-ACEs explained the association between fathers' T-ACEs and youth's depressive symptoms, and (c) only youth's E-ACEs were associated with anxiety symptoms. These findings highlight the greater need to understand how fathers' childhood experiences may impact outcomes across generations and that targeting youth's ACEs can reduce the pervasive effects of intergenerational continuity of ACEs.</p>","PeriodicalId":51396,"journal":{"name":"Family Process","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142787703","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}
Family ProcessPub Date : 2024-12-03DOI: 10.1111/famp.13089
Verónica Guillén, Isabel Fernández-Felipe, José Helio Marco, Antoni Grau, Cristina Botella, Azucena García-Palacios
{"title":"“Family Connections”, a program for relatives of people with borderline personality disorder: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Verónica Guillén, Isabel Fernández-Felipe, José Helio Marco, Antoni Grau, Cristina Botella, Azucena García-Palacios","doi":"10.1111/famp.13089","DOIUrl":"10.1111/famp.13089","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Family members of people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) often experience high levels of psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, or burden. Family Connections (FC) is a pioneer program designed for relatives of people with BPD, and it is the most empirically supported treatment thus far. The aim of this study was to carry out a randomized clinical trial to confirm the differential efficacy of FC versus an active treatment as usual (TAU) in relatives of people with BPD in a Spanish population sample. The sample consisted of 121 family members (82 family units) and a total of 82 patients who participated in a two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT). The primary outcome was burden of illness. Secondary outcomes were depression, anxiety, stress, family empowerment, and quality of life. This is the first study to evaluate relatives and patients in an RCT design comparing two active treatment conditions of similar durations. Although no statistically significant differences were found between conditions. However, the adjusted posttest means for FC were systematically better than for TAU, and the effect sizes were larger in burden, stress, depression, family functioning, and quality of life in the FC intervention. Patients of caregivers who received the FC condition showed statistically significant improvements in stress, depression, and anxiety. Results indicated that FC helped both patients and relatives pointing to the importance of involving families of patients with severe psychological disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":51396,"journal":{"name":"Family Process","volume":"63 4","pages":"2195-2214"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/famp.13089","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142774658","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}
Family ProcessPub Date : 2024-12-01Epub Date: 2024-05-16DOI: 10.1111/famp.13008
Bonnie Young, Ryan B Seedall
{"title":"Power dynamics in couple relationships: A review and applications for systemic family therapists.","authors":"Bonnie Young, Ryan B Seedall","doi":"10.1111/famp.13008","DOIUrl":"10.1111/famp.13008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Power dynamics, generally defined as the patterns of partners enacting or resisting influence, are inherent in all relationships. Power structures and processes play a role in people's perceptions of themselves and others, their feelings and emotions, and both their implicit and explicit behaviors. As such, understanding power dynamics is crucial for fully conceptualizing and intervening within relationships. Although power was not always given high priority in many of the early systemic family therapy models, that has changed over the years, with scholars working to address how power is manifested in relationships, how power imbalances affect relationships, and how power can be addressed more explicitly in treatment. Nonetheless, there is much additional work needed to ensure that systemic therapists have an appropriate depth of understanding regarding power dynamics to fully recognize their manifestations in relationships and then intervene appropriately. To help in these efforts, this paper aims to synthesize relational power research into a more complete description of what power is and how it is enacted in couple relationships. To do this, we introduce relevant perspectives of power not fully integrated with family therapy theories. Overall, we provide a brief history of power-oriented research in the fields of family therapy, outline couple research regarding the sources of power that can inform therapeutic case conceptualizations and interventions, describe how power is addressed in specific couple therapy models, and highlight some important clinical applications that can help systemic therapists more fully address power.</p>","PeriodicalId":51396,"journal":{"name":"Family Process","volume":" ","pages":"1703-1720"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140960670","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}