Investigated effects of cognitive restructuring efforts to modify unrealistic beliefs of marital partners in 17 couples. Treatment program sought to impact proactively upon positive therapeutic expectations and relationship goals and enhanced base level of marital satisfaction. On all outcome measures, treatment group (N=9 couples) showed…

Counselors working with couples who are planning to marry come from a broad array of interdisciplinary backgrounds. The largest portion of this type of counseling is currently provided by clergy. This one volume handbook and training manual for professionals presents a coherent approach for the practice of counseling prior to marriage that draws…

Evaluated self-esteem of 20 abusive husbands and made comparisons to two groups of nonviolent husbands: maritally discordant group; and satisfactorily married group. Results suggested association between wife abuse and low self-esteem in abusive husband. Abusive husbands were more likely to perceive their wives' behavior as threatening to…

Information from 51 middle-aged wives revealed a strong correlation between length of time spent dating their current spouses and current marital satisfaction, while correlations between marital satisfaction and age at marriage and number of break-ups during the dating period were not significant. (Author/NRB)

Assessed Emotionally Focused Marital Therapy at initial contact, after an eight-week waiting period, after eight therapy sessions, and at eight-week follow-up. Couples reported no significant changes on measures of dyadic adjustment, intimacy, target complaint reduction or goal attainment after the waiting period, but they reported significant…

In this study of parental emotional and marital adjustment, parents of 74 hearing-impaired youths reported less symptomatology than did 57 parents of hearing youths. There were no differences in the marital satisfaction of parents in intact families. Parental adjustment was not associated with the duration of time since diagnosis. (Author/JDD)

A model for counseling dual career families depicts the interaction of four factors: the central life interests of the couple, their gender role orientation, the stresses experienced in balancing work and family roles, and the coping mechanisms used. Counselors can help devise strategies to achieve career advancement as well as career, family, and…

Spouses (N=6 couples) participating in an Association of Couples for Marriage Enrichment-type discussion group increased their level of marital adjustment and improved their communication more than spouses (N=10 couples) in an assessment-only control group. Coding of sessions revealed that therapists' statements and participants' responses were…

Seven functional families with handicapped children were studied using a case study approach. Through the qualitative paradigm, the development of successful coping mechanisms was examined. The parents completed an instrument called "CHIP, Coping Health Inventory for Parents," and all family members were interviewed. Subject families were…

The study of causal attributions at the interpersonal level has been an integral part of attribution research. Unfortunately most attribution research has involved persons unfamiliar with each other. The marital relationship is an example of the need for understanding causal attributions among intimates. A striking feature of marital interaction…

Over the past decade parent education programs, following either a democratic or behavior modification model, have gained in recognition and support. To investigate the effectiveness of Jean Illsley Clarke's parent education program, Self Esteem: A Family Affair, on self-esteem, conflict resolution, and family togetherness and flexibility, 27…