Les couples satisfaits sur le plan conjugal vivent plus longtemps, ont une meilleure santé psychologique et physique et sont moins à risque de vivre une rupture que les couples insatisfaits (Robles et al., 2014; Williamson & Lavner, 2020). Or, la façon dont deux partenaires amoureux communiquent entre eux a longtemps été conceptualisée comme un élément clé pour comprendre leur satisfaction conjugale (Bélanger, Marcaurelle et al., 2017). Plus récemment, la possibilité que ce soit la satisfaction conjugale qui puisse contribuer aux difficultés de communication dans le couple a été évoquée (Johnson et al., 2018; Lavner et al., 2016). Cette thèse comporte deux études longitudinales qui contribuent de manière novatrice à ce domaine d’étude en examinant les associations bidirectionnelles entre la satisfaction conjugale et la communication des partenaires amoureux, de même qu’en explorant les trajectoires individuelles et jointes de ces deux construits. Il s’agit d’une thèse par article divisée en quatre grandes sections : Introduction générale, Étude 1, Étude 2 et Discussion générale. La thèse a été rédigée selon les normes APA anglophone (7e édition) et/ou les normes de la revue dans laquelle les études ont été soumises. La première étude avait pour objectif d’examiner les associations bidirectionnelles longitudinales entre la satisfaction conjugale et la communication positive et négative auprès de 311 couples de sexe opposé en cohabitation. Chaque partenaire a rempli deux fois les questionnaires à un an d’intervalle, soit le Communication Pattern Questionnaire - Short Form, qui évalue la communication positive et négative, et le Dyadic Adjustment Scale-4 items, qui évalue la satisfaction de la relation. Un modèle d’interdépendance acteur-partenaire à décalage croisé (actor-partner interdependence cross-lagged model) a été utilisé afin d’évaluer les associations entre les deux construits. Parmi toutes les associations possibles, seule la communication négative plus élevée chez les femmes et les hommes au Temps 1 était associée à une diminution de leur propre satisfaction conjugale au Temps 2. Les résultats ont souligné l’importance de diminuer les patrons de communication négative entre le partenaire afin d’améliorer leur bien-être conjugal. La deuxième étude complète la première en examinant les trajectoires individuelles et jointes de la satisfaction conjugale et de la communication négative, cette fois auprès de 1566 adultes émergents de 17 à 24 ans en relation de couple. Des analyses de modélisation de trajectoires doubles par groupe (group-based dual trajectory modeling) ont été effectuées. En tout, huit trajectoires ont été trouvées, soit quatre pour la satisfaction conjugale et quatre pour la communication négative. La grande majorité de notre échantillon suivait une trajectoire de satisfaction conjugale élevée et stable à mesure qu’ils vieillissaient, tandis qu'environ un peu moins de la moitié des adultes émergents rapportaient une communication faible et stable entre les âges de 17 et 24 ans. Malgré cette apparente stabilité, plusieurs des adultes émergents ont également rapporté des fluctuations dans leur satisfaction conjugale (8.9%) et dans leur communication négative (41.5%). De plus, il est ressorti que ces deux construits peuvent évoluer ensemble de multiples façons. La trajectoire jointe la plus commune (38% de l’échantillon) comportait les adultes émergents qui suivaient à la fois la trajectoire de satisfaction conjugale élevée et stable ainsi que la trajectoire de communication négative faible et stable. Les résultats ont fait ressortir que la satisfaction conjugale et la communication négative n'évoluent pas de la même manière pour tous les adultes émergents et ont fourni des indications utiles pour les interventions cliniques existantes. Via deux études longitudinales à la fois complémentaires et indépendantes, cette thèse offre deux éclairages différents sur un même phénomène, soit le changement et l'évolution de la satisfaction conjugale et la communication à travers le temps, chez deux échantillons différents. L'utilisation d'analyses statistiques sophistiquées pour les deux études ainsi que l'utilisation des deux partenaires dans la première étude et de plusieurs temps de mesure dans la deuxième étude sont des forces méthodologiques importantes. Par ailleurs, les résultats de ces deux études ont permis de mettre en lumière la temporalité de la satisfaction conjugale et de la communication ainsi l'hétérogénéité des trajectoires de ces deux dimensions lors de la transition vers l'âge adulte. Ces résultats novateurs peuvent être utiles pour les cliniciens qui tentent de conceptualiser les difficultés conjugales de couples bien établis, en plus d'informer les programmes de prévention de difficultés conjugales qui ciblent les jeunes adultes.

A precise prediction of the heat loads in metal materials in contact with the hot gas is an increasingly demanding problem in the design phase of the complex cooling schemes in the modern turbine engines. The coupled calculation of the fluid flow and the heat transfer is a promising approach as heat transfer coefficients are not necessary in the calculation and the heat transfer itself is part of the calculation and can be derived from local heat fluxes. Therefore, it is useful to incorporate an appropriate scheme for directly coupled heat transfer computations (conjugate heat transfer), capable of handling complex geometries into the existing Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes. The intent of the present work is to add the conjugate heat transfer solving capability to an existing flow solver. The coupled approach is achieved by maintaining a continuous local heat flux and a common temperature at the points along the fluid-solid interface. At every iteration, the temperature which is directly calculated via the equality of the local heat fluxes passing the fluid-solid contacting cell faces serves as the thermal boundary condition on the interfaces, instead of traditional isothermal/adiabatic thermal boundary conditions. In the solid domain, simplified energy equation is solved using the discretization and computational methods which have been used in the flow by introducing an effective equation of state. The connectivity is built for the points at the fluid-solid interfaces in order to communicate the thermal conditions with each other. Validation of the developed conjugate capability has been investigated. Computed results have been compared with theoretical or experimental results for laminar flat plate, high pressure guide vane, cooled plate, and effusion-cooled plate. All results obtained thus far compare rather favorably with theoretical or experimental results.

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Yes / ‘Living apart together’ – that is being in an intimate relationship with a partner who lives somewhere else – is increasingly recognised and accepted as a specific way of being in a couple. On the face of it, this is a far cry from the ‘traditional’ version of couple relationships, where co-residence in marriage was placed at the centre and where living apart from one's partner would be regarded as abnormal, and understandable only as a reaction to severe external constraints. Some commentators regard living apart together as a historically new family form where LATs can pursue a ‘both/and’ solution to partnership – they can experience both the intimacy of being in a couple, and at the same time continue with pre-existing commitments. LATs may even de-prioritize couple relationships and place more importance on friendship. Alternatively, others see LAT as just a ‘stage’ on the way to cohabitation and marriage, where LATs are not radical pioneers moving beyond the family, but are cautious and conservative, and simply show a lack of commitment. Behind these rival interpretations lies the increasingly tarnished spectre of individualisation theory. Is LAT some sort of index for a developing individualisation in practice? In this paper we take this debate further by using information from the 2006 British Social Attitudes Survey. We find that LATs have quite diverse origins and motivations, and while as a category LATs are often among the more liberal in family matters, as a whole they do not show any marked ‘pioneer’ attitudinal position in the sense of leading a radical new way, especially if age is taken into account. / ESRC

This research explored how Arab American couples found the strength and resilience that empowered them to overcome the terrorist attacks of September 11th and the aftereffects that followed. Utilizing a family resiliency model grounded in systems theory and social constructionism, I interviewed 18 Arab American couples from the New York and New Jersey areas. I applied a phenomenological method of inquiry to gather the experiences of Arab American couples in order to understand the protective processes of resilience. Couples reported fear and caution because of incidents of threats and violence against Arabs in the United States. Some couples described incidents against them. Couples accessed a variety of resources to survive the aftereffect. These included coping skills developed during previous experiences of terror, American community support, determination, and religion. There were four major conclusions: resilient marriages, larger systems, process of identity, and religion: unify and identity. I discussed these conclusions in the context of the conceptual framework and made clinical and theoretical implications. / Ph. D.

In recent decades there has been an increase in literature regarding sexual addiction as well as a growing number of clients presenting in therapy with problems related to their sexual behaviors (including internet sexual addiction). More recently, the impact of sexual addiction on couples has been noted, but little is known regarding how couples can be assisted in the recovery process. In this qualitative study, I explored in depth the critical change processes in couple therapy for sexual addiction from the therapist's perspective, including the therapist's role in that process. The findings suggest that couple recovery from sexual addiction includes (a) individual responsibility in recovery (which includes themes of trauma, family-of-origin, emotional reactivity, depersonalizing, and utilizing other resources), (b) couple recovery (which includes the themes of family-of-origin, communication, empathy, intimacy, trust, and sexual intimacy), (c) balancing individual recovery with couple recovery in the process of healing (which includes the themes of education, accountability, and couple perspective) and (d) distinguishing affairs from sexual addiction. I discuss the implications of study findings, offering a sequential outline of the process of therapy with couples who are struggling to recover from sexual addiction, including therapist interventions that may assist in that process. Limitations to the study and implications for future research in sexual addiction generally and MFT specifically are presented. / Ph. D.

This research explored how transgender people and their partners experience the process of disclosing their gender identity, experiences of mental health, and how couple and family therapists can be helpful to relationships involving transgender people. The purpose of this study was to better understand transgender relationships to prepare couple and family therapists to work with this population. Participants were seven self-identified transgender people and three of their partners. In-depth interviews were used to explore experiences of transgender people's relationships. Nine themes were identified: decision to disclose, the road to acceptance, perceptions of sexual orientation, change, delineating between purposes for seeking mental health services, belief that therapists are not well-informed about transgender issues, value of well-informed therapists, couple and family therapists should be well-informed, and loved ones understanding of gender identity. This study provides insight into transgender people's relational issues relevant to couple and family therapy. Phenomenological, narrative and feminist lenses provide frameworks to view these findings. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed. / Ph. D.

At least one-quarter of service members who have returned from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan meet the criteria for a mental health diagnosis, of which Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the most common. Social support provided by close relationships has been shown to be a buffer against PTSD symptoms. However, PTSD can also have devastating effects on couple relationships, hampering this form of social support. One promising intervention for PTSD has been the use of service dogs specially trained to perform tasks related to PTSD symptoms. Anecdotally, there are promising individual outcomes for veterans with PTSD who are partnered with service dogs; however, the effects of these service dogs on the couple relationship for veterans who are married or in long-term relationships has yet to be explored. Seven couples participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews related to their experiences of their relationship before, during, and after acquiring a service dog trained to respond to PTSD symptoms. Responses were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Themes derived were loss of self, living with the enemy, to hope or not to hope, running the gauntlet, pawsitive reinforcements, and turning the tide. Results are weighed against existing literature in the field, clinical and public policy considerations are offered, and directions for future research are proposed. / Master of Science