Couples' dilemmas revolve around vantage points in their relationships. The purposes of this article are to discuss direct ways of assisting students to integrate theory into practice, to provide an integrated picture of how varying empirical findings dealing with couples could be pieced together to train beginning therapists, and to better assess…

Describes how a family therapy perspective can be integrated into group as a treatment modality. Concepts from family therapy are illustrated through a description of a specific women's group and case study. Techniques from family therapy applied in group are derived from multigenerational, experiential/humanistic, and cognitive-behavioral…

The authors have created the Illness Relationship Impact Inventory as one concrete way of examining each person's personal relationship with illness during their formative years. These early experiences texture the impact on one's experience of illness as an adult. Discussion questions and "next steps" commitment for positive improvement in that…

Twenty-one college textbooks and 16 readers in the sociology of the family and marriage and the family were examined for their treatment of adoption. A content analysis showed that little attention was devoted to adoption and that the coverage provided was predominantly negative, stressing the potential problems of adoption about twice as often as…

This case presentation describes a Narrative- Constructivist Therapy approach for working with couples. The figure-ground metaphor is introduced as a way to understand how certain negative experiences and interpretations can become the predominant focus for couples. When couples become trapped in the troublesome same-old story of their…

Adapts reflecting team concept, a practical application of constructivist ideas, for use in group supervision. Evolving model includes a focus on the unique "fly on the wall" perspective of the reflecting team. Trainees are introduced to a multiverse of new ideas and perspectives in a context which integrates some of the most challenging…

Discusses why marriage typically has positive effects on well-being. View presented is compatible with, and provides interpretation of, literature on family violence. Considers whether particularly competent individuals tend to be selected into marriage, thereby accounting for relationship between marital status and well-being. Examines evidence…

Examined changes in marital adjustment following birth of first child in longitudinal study of 97 couples. Couples completed questionnaires during pregnancy and at 1 and 6 months postpartum. Both husbands and wives peaked in reported marital adjustment at 1 month postpartum; both showed significant decline in marital adjustment at 6 months…

Examined relationship of marital adjustment and level of disability of persons with multiple sclerosis (n=104) to emotional adjustment. Found emotional adjustment significantly related to perceived level of marital adjustment, but no relationship found for level of disability. Results suggest, although marital adjustment is important for emotional…

Describes interactional approach to using standardized self-report instruments as part of assessment of couples entering marital therapy or enrichment. Presents most prominent and well-researched measures of marital satisfaction, instability, and intimacy, and evaluates how well these measures can fulfill necessary assessment functions. (Author/NB)

Addresses issues pertinent to training Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) students to develop the skills needed to become Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) professionals. Describes qualifications for becoming EAP professional. Suggests how skills may be taught within the framework of an academically based MFT training program. (Author/ABL)

Uses metaphor of the wedding in an arranged marriage to describe the process of using a network meeting to overcome resistance and engage a hostile adolescent and her family in a residential treatment program. Review of the literature is followed by description of a clinical case. Practical and theoretical issues are discussed. (Author/NB)

Defines sexual addiction and describes its effects on individual and his/her primary relationship. Addresses problems of recognizing sexual compulsivity and offers suggestions for treatment which include use of both dyadic and group therapy. Recommends attendance at self-help groups based on Alcoholics Anonymous model. (Author/CM)

Reviewed 25 introductory marriage and family textbooks for content about Black families. Coverage ranged from under one page to entire chapters. Determined author perspectives with 9 texts written from Black families as culturally deviant perspective, 13 from cultural equivalent model, 3 from mixed perspectives, and none using Black family as…

Examined effects of age on distribution of life events experienced during past year by adults (N=3,798). Percentage of respondents reporting each of 19 events ranged from 0.5 percent for death of spouse to 19.1 percent for death of loved one. Age was important predictor in controlled analysis for 13 life events examined. (Author/NB)