Investigated relationship between locus of control and marital stability of young men. Factors derived from locus of control measures included leadership, personal, and fate scales. Results indicated the only significant difference was on the leadership scale between men remaining married and those who did not. (RC)

Research indicating that couples' social support skills predict marital outcomes two years later, above and beyond conflict-management skills, is reported. Successful prevention and treatment programs may need to incorporate support-skills training as well as conflict-management training. Specific techniques are recommended for teaching…

For mysterious reasons only a small proportion of couples with relationship problems seek counseling. This qualitative study included 36 women and 16 men in structured small group discussions. Questions concerned attitudes to relationship counseling. Both groups expressed denial of the problems in the relationship, the seriousness of these…

For religious couples, Deity's influence in their marriage is often experienced through prayer, and Deity may more significantly influence religious couples' interaction than anyone else. As a preliminary test of this hypothesis, spouses completed a Likert-scaled questionnaire pertaining to prayer and marital conflict. Issues surrounding clinical…

A major component of Adlerian psychology concerns the belief in responsibility to self and others. In both incest perpetrator and spouse the basic underlying assumption of responsibility to self and others is often not present. Activities and behaviors occur in a social context and as such need to be regarded within a social context that may serve…

Presents several strategic techniques for unblocking marital therapy when an impasse has been reached. For each technique, the goals and applicability of the intervention are presented, as well as potential problems and modifications. All of these techniques employ the acceptance and amplification of the status quo. (Author/JAC)

Discusses those couples in which each has reached a plateau in individual therapy and is referred for concurrent marital therapy to break the impasse. States that projective identification is the major defense used by these couples. Suggests a time-limited, issue-focused approach lasting two-six months. (Author/BH)

Suggests that by walking out of the consulting room, the therapist can stimulate enactment that would have been inhibited otherwise. Uses three case examples to illustrate the technique. Considers specific points of procedure and notes the technique's limitations and risks. (Author/BH)

Presents summaries from marital status life tables for Swiss men and women born between 1888 and 1945. Results show the Swiss have followed a general Western trend toward more and earlier marriages and higher levels of divorce. However, in Switzerland, changes were largely ones of degree. (JAC)

Discusses shadow realities, which include unacceptable and threatening information and interpretations that could undermine negotiated relationship reality. Offers theoretical discussion of shadow realities, reasons people avoid them, gains and risks for exploring them, and the therapeutic applications of therapy within a framework that includes…

Presents a case example of contextual marital therapy in the treatment of a couple who presented for therapy because of an extramarital affair. The focus of this case centers on how the idea of forgiveness might be utilized to facilitate reconciliation in conflicted relationships. (GCP)

An integration of Adlerian and social constructionist ideas, the reflecting "as if" technique asks clients to take a reflective step backward to consider perceptual and behavioral alternatives as a prelude to their acting as if they were the couple they desire to be. This article describes the reflecting as if technique and provides a…

Asserts that marital assessment instruments can be used to enhance effects of marital counseling. Examines some of more popular marital instruments available, including Stuart's Couples Precounseling Inventory, Russell and Madsen's Marriage Counseling Report, Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis, Snyder's Marital Satisfaction Inventory, and…

Used data from mothers and fathers to examine patterns and levels of functioning in families of 106 first-married and 108 remarried couples. Compared with first-married group, remarried families scored significantly lower on 9 of 15 standard measures of family functioning. Patterns of functioning as assessed by relationships among 15 measures were…