Videotape replay in marital therapy.

24 couples seeking outpatient treatment for marital problems were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment conditions and to 1 of 4 therapists. Two of the treatment formats involved the use of videotape feedback as part of the marital therapy procedure. To measure the expected additive effects of videotherapy techniques, comparisons between couples were made of marital adjustment, self-concept, and satisfaction with therapy (e.g., Marital Adjustment Scale, Pre-Counseling Inventory). At the conclusion of therapy, both marital adjustment reports and self-perception scores had significantly increased from the pretreatment data obtained for all groups. There was a significant therapist effect and a significant overall therapist-by-treatment format interaction, but the expected main effect for treatment format was not obtained. The interpretable patterns found in the significant therapist-by-treatment interactions suggest that there is an enhancement effect for at least some forms of psychotherapy in which some clinicians employ video techniques. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Separation–individuation and marital therapy.

Summarizes the substages of separation-individuation with their attendant traumas. Developmental arrests and fixations may occur that will affect adult development and behavior. When adults marry they bring their personalities with them, and when 2 mates have developmental problems relating to early separation-individuation, there may be chronic conflict in their relationship. The author describes those types of conflicts and attempts to make specific technical recommendations for therapeutic interventions that will help the couple mature and develop in an appropriate fashion. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitude similarity, topic importance, and psychotherapeutic attraction.

Studied the effect of attitude similarity and topic importance on attraction in a natural setting by exposing 75 prison inmates, incarcerated for public intoxication, to varying attitudes of a psychotherapist prior to hearing him in a taped therapy session. The therapist's attitudes were either similar or dissimilar to the S's and pertained to either alcoholism (important) or general (unimportant) issues. Attraction was assessed using the Client's Personal Reaction Questionnaire developed by J. D. Ashby et al. A group of control Ss received no attitudinal information. Ss were more attracted to the therapist after receiving alcohol items regardless of degree of similarity expressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Change in marital adjustment following marital therapy: A comparison of two outcome measures.

Comparability of treatment outcome as measured by the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Global Distress Scale (GDS) was examined for 49 couples who completed a behavioral marital therapy program. The GDS provided a more conservative estimate of treatment efficacy, as assessed by (1) computed effect sizes based on couple, husband, and wife scores and (2) clinical significance statistics based on couple and husband scores. This difference was hypothesized to be due in part to items on the GDS that assess historical dissatisfaction with marriage that are not affected by treatment. The GDS, however, continued to provide a more conservative estimate of treatment outcome even after controlling for the historical items. Implications of gender differences and suggestions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Meta-analytic review of marital therapy outcome research.

This meta-analytic review examines the findings of 15 methodologically rigorous marital therapy outcome studies reported in 19 journal articles. These findings were used to assess the efficacy of three treatment approaches in fostering change in spouses' relationship-related behavior, cognitions, affect, and general assessment of their relationship. Behavioral marital therapy (BMT), cognitive-behavioral marital therapy (CBMT), and insight-oriented marital therapy (IOMT) were all found to be more effective than no treatment in bringing change in spouses' behavior and in the general assessment of their relationship. IOMT was more effective than BMT or CBMT in bringing change in spouses' general relationship assessment, while CBMT was the only approach that induced significant change in spouses' posttherapy relationship-related cognitions. The role of meta-analytic reviews of marital therapy approaches is also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The future of marital and family therapy.

Discusses developments and trends in marital and family therapy. Marital and family therapy is now firmly established but will continue to evolve. Practice will be shaped more by insurance reimbursement policies than in the past and will be characterized by less purity of treatment formats and clinical methods. A major goal for the profession will be the enhancement of interaction and cooperation between clinicians and researchers. The technique and theory of family therapy will become a standard part of psychology and psychiatry clinical training, but family therapy will be increasingly perceived as a separate and distinct profession. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex role identity, marital satisfaction, and response to behavioral marital therapy.

Explored the relationships among masculinity, femininity, marital satisfaction, and response to behavioral marital therapy (BMT) using 44 married nonclinic couples (mean ages of males and females 33.7 and 31 yrs, respectively), 54 maritally distressed clinic couples receiving BMT, and 18 maritally distressed clinic couples placed on a waiting list; the mean ages of males and females in both distressed clinic groups were 32.1 and 29.9 yrs, respectively. Ss completed the Marital Adjustment Scale and masculinity and femininity scales derived from the California Psychological Inventory. Results indicate that for each sex, both femininity and masculinity were significantly correlated with self-reported marital satisfaction; the magnitude of the correlations between femininity and marital satisfaction was higher than the correlations between masculinity and marital satisfaction. Among clinic couples, androgyny was the least frequent sex-role identity for either husbands or wives; conversely, among nonclinic couples, there were more androgynous husbands and wives than there was any other sex-role type. In the clinic group, both husbands and wives showed statistically significant but small increases in masculinity after receiving 10 wks of BMT. Masculinity and femininity level prior to treatment also significantly predicted response to BMT. The potential importance of both masculinity and femininity in successful marriages is highlighted, and treatment implications are discussed. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predictive validity of therapeutic alliance in group marital therapy.

The relation between marital distress, therapeutic alliance formation, and treatment outcome was investigated in a group marital skills training program in which 63 couples met for 9 weekly 3-hr sessions. Treatment outcome was assessed before and after completion of treatment through a series of self-report measures. The quality of the therapeutic alliance as viewed by the couples and the therapists was monitored at the 3rd session. Results indicate that levels of marital distress neither impaired nor facilitated alliance formation. In addition, it was demonstrated that patients' and therapists' ratings of the strength of the therapeutic alliance constitute a determinant of successful treatment. It appears, however, that the strength of the alliance is a more powerful predictor of therapeutic success among men than among women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical and legal considerations in marital and family therapy.

Notes insufficiencies in the American Psychological Association's ethical standards for marriage and family therapy. Guidelines regarding therapist responsibility, confidentiality, and informed consent sometimes become ambiguous with individual clients, but they are even more complicated when multiple family members are seen together in therapy. Questions about confidentiality, refusal of treatment, and value of conflicts between the family members and the therapist may arise. Consideration of these questions in terms of their ethical implications is complex and controversial. Yet answers to these questions must also take into account clinical and legal considerations, which sometimes run a collision course with what is desirable from a strictly ethical standpoint. Examples and preliminary recommendations with respect to these issues are examined; further clarification of professional conduct in marital and family therapy is urged. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The marital repercussions of behavior therapy for agoraphobia.

Examined the effects of intensive behavior therapy on the husbands and marriages (mean length of 12.7 yrs) of 32 females with long-standing agoraphobia (mean length 9.5 yrs). Pre- and posttreatment assessments were made of Ss and their husbands to measure fear, hostility, experience, and husband's attitude. Further assessments were made at 3-, 6-, and 12-mo follow-up. In one pattern of marital interaction, couples had increased marital conflict and exposed problems relating to sex roles and wives' autonomy following rapid improvement in wives' phobias, assertiveness, and social confidence. 12 husbands developed psychological symptoms in relation to these problems, which also impeded wives' progress in the 1st 6 mo of follow-up. One year after treatment, marital systems had largely adapted, and both partners were more autonomous within the marriage. In the 2nd pattern of interaction, partners were protected from personal conflict in the 1st 6 mo followed by a mutual adherence to sex-role stereotypes. Husbands reported a marked decrease in psychological symptoms. In the last 6 mo of follow-up, conflict over sex-role stereotypes emerged, and the extent of the patient's continuing symptomatic improvement was determined mainly by the couples' success in resolving these conflicts. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of the generalization of behavioral marital therapy and enhanced behavioral marital therapy

The pharmacological effects of verapamil and GS 283, 1-(4'-methoxybenzyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydroxyisoquinoline, were investigated using isolated rat and guinea pig trachealis. Both verapamil and GS 283 inhibited carbachol-, histamine (only guinea pig)-, and high-K(+)-induced contraction in a dose-dependent manner. GS 283 acted as a weak histamine H1 and muscarinic receptor antagonist in guinea pig and rat trachealis with respective pKB values in the range of 5.60 approximately 6.12 and 5.17 approximately 5.83. On the other hand, pyrilamine and atropine showed a typical competitive antagonism on histamine (guinea pig) and on muscarinic receptors (rat trachea) with pKB values of 9.25 +/- 0.21 and 9.37 +/- 0.32, respectively. GS 283 inhibited Ca(2+)-induced contraction on guinea pig trachealis in Ca(2+)-free media. Furthermore, very high concentrations of GS 283 and verapamil completely abolished a phasic contraction induced by carbachol in Ca(2+)-free media, suggesting that verapamil and GS 283 can enter into the cytoplasm, where they may exert secondary actions on internal sites of the muscle, such as the sarcoplasmic reticulum. It is concluded that GS 283 has a Ca2+ antagonistic action along with weak histamine and muscarinic receptor blocking activity in isolated rat and guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle and its mode of action is likely inhibition of Ca2+ influx from plasma membrane and also release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.     

Cognitive marital therapy: The process of change.

Responds to comments made by N. Epstein and D. H. Baucom (see record 1989-16434-001) concerning the present authors' (see record 1989-16433-001) study of communication skills training and cognitive therapy for distressed couples. The reliable assessment of cognitions in outcome studies is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Resistance in existential-strategic marital therapy: A four-stage conceptual framework.

Discusses how the integration of the strategic and existential approaches to family therapy can provide a maximum positive use of resistance. A 4-stage intervention model is outlined that uses strategic techniques within an existential framework. The stages include (1) recognizing the halo effect and cynical disbelief in clients, (2) allying oneself emotionally with an individual client or client system, (3) respecting the importance of despair, and (4) recognizing the moment in therapy when the decision is made to change. The case of a multiproblem couple illustrates the concepts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact and possible casualty from videotape feedback in marital therapy.

Describes a controlled study involving group selection of content material to be role played, videotape feedback of the role-playing situation, and effects on the self-image of disturbed marital couples. Ss were 2 groups of 3 married couples with 2 separate therapists. Follow-up concerning marital disruption and suicide, when added to results obtained in the laboratory setting, gave evidence that such a procedure may produce a high "casualty" rate in disturbed married couples, as contrasted to noninterdependent dyads of disturbed patients used as control Ss. The widespread use of such powerful techniques without evaluation of their potential effects is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Curative principles in marital therapy: A response to Wile.

Responds to comments made by D. B. Wile (see record 1989-19866-001) on the present authors' (see record 1989-19843-001) exploration of a curative principle for couples therapy. It is contended that experience of self and other, in a new way, is a far more vital reported change process than understanding or reduction of blame. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy: Empirical status of behavioral techniques in preventing and alleviating marital distress.

This article uses meta-analyses to determine the effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy (BMT) and premarital intervention (BPI) studies. The effect size for the 17 BMT studies was .95 and for the 7 BPI studies was .79, and these gains were generally maintained over time. Cross-cultural comparisons of BMT indicated equal benefits for couples in Europe and the United States. For BMT, effect sizes were higher for comparisons with no treatment versus placebo control groups, whereas the reverse was true for BPI. For BMT, effect sizes were similar for observational and self-report measures, whereas for BPI, effect sizes were larger for observational versus self-report measures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship between behavioral marital therapy outcome and process variables.

This study was conducted to identify therapist and client behaviors with a positive response to social learning-based behavioral marital therapy. A sample of 32 couples receiving treatment was examined. Immediately after each therapy session, the therapist, husband, and wife independently completed process ratings forms that measured therapist and client behaviors during the session. Composite scales, derived from these ratings, were entered into multiple regression equations to examine their relationship with posttherapy marital satisfaction. After controlling for pretherapy marital satisfaction and the other predictor variables, therapists', husbands', and wives' ratings of positive client behavior (i.e., collaboration, active participation, and homework compliance) were positively associated with therapy outcome. Implications for marital therapy and suggestions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)