Describes four interventions in brief family therapy, illustrated by case examples. Interventions are aimed at helping clients solve problems, and three assumptions about the nature of change are described. Results of these interventions suggest there is no clinical distinction between clients' perceived change and observed change. (JAC)

Presents Carl Rogers' views on facilitating groups, as expressed in a telephone dialogue seminar with graduate students in counselor education at North Texas State University. Discusses extended group marathons, cocounseling, nonverbal group exercises and the future of group work. (JAC)

Reviews contemporary literature which provides a theoretical base for female-male co-therapy teams as the most likely modality to mediate sex bias in couple counseling. An egalitarian co-therapy team can encourage change by modeling independent yet mutually supportive and facilitative roles. (JAC)

Evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy (BMT) in aiding distressed couples (N=30) and explored the relative effectiveness of cotherapists versus single therapist. Results affirmed the overall effectiveness of BMT. A cotherapy team and a single therapist were equally effective. No differences were found between immediate therapy…

Proposes a model for the understanding of the development of the cotherapy relationship. Discusses both developmental fixations and modes for enhancement of this relationship with particular reference to family therapy. (Author)

Distressed couples (N=15) were randomly assigned to group, conjoint, or waiting list conditions. Behavioral communication treatment package administered over eight sessions and was evaluated via multidimensional assessments was found to be highly effective modality for resolution of marital dysfunction. Both group and conjoint treatments were…

Proposes a full-system therapeutic approach which widens the lens of assessment and intervention beyond the family to include the interactive patterns of the family's immediate community and service systems. Describes four common dysfunctional models: the blind, or dispersed system; the conflicted interagency system; the rejecting system, and the…

Presents Virginia Satir's Family Reconstruction, a group therapy experience that blends and extends her 1982 process therapy and 1983 conjoint family therapy approaches. Describes the family reconstruction process, the review of family reconstruction data in the pregroup interview, the family reconstruction process in the counseling group, and the…

Investigated the effectiveness of communication training in treating marital discord for conjoint and conjoint group modalities. Results showed that conjoint couples (N=16) improved on five of seven outcome variables, while conjoint group couples (N=13) improved on two. One-year follow-up showed substantial reduction in treatment gains. (WAS)

Discusses a pilot study in which joint consultations with a family therapist and a matrimonial attorney were offered to 10 couples and one woman contemplating divorce. Videotaped sessions. Suggests joint consultations can be useful in helping couples understand the psychological and legal implications of conflicts expressed during separation.…

Presents an approach to family therapy where a group of observers becomes part of a therapeutic team by introducing strategic messages into the sessions. Messages are described in terms of five components: function, target, timing, content, and delivery. Suggests guidelines for effective team functioning and discusses implications for training.…

Treated a sample of 77 distressed middle- and lower-class couples using conjoint therapy. Couple and therapist therapy behavior were assessed. A variety of sex and social class differences were found, suggesting that no one marital therapy technique will be appropriate for both sexes and different SES backgrounds. (JAC)

Studied the effects of sex, experience, and professional affiliation on status of cotherapists leading psychotherapy groups. Results showed gender was the dominant status-conferring characteristic. The relative influence of experience and professional affiliation depended on the interactional component under investigation. (JAC)

Addresses clinical and methodological issues in conducting the Marital Systems Study, a research project evaluating the efficacy of systems-oriented conjoint treatment with couples in which one spouse is abusing alcohol. These include standardizing and monitoring the intervention and developing an interactional perspective on the alcohol-related…

Reviews current forms of treatment for the symptomatic child including individual child psychotherapy, conjoint parent-child psychotherapy and counseling, parent therapy and counseling, and conjoint family therapy. Suggests each approach has certain strengths, but alone is an incomplete treatment mode. Recommends an integration of child and family…