In Oman and Arab Gulf countries, rising rates of divorce and family breakdown have increased public concern about the severity of marital and family problems. According to the ministry of justice (2002-2009), the rates of divorce increased from 1661 in 2002 to 2698 in 2009. The ministry of social development reported that the number of divorce cases provided by the Ministry according to 2003 was 7822 while in 2009 the number increased to 8199 cases, the money spent on these cases reached 4461,414 Omani Rials (Ministry of Social Development, 2003-2009). Some researchers from Gulf countries reported that the average length of some gulf countries marriage is only five to seven years (Al qashan, 2007). The main purpose of the present study was to develop, deliver and evaluate an Arabic version of the marriage enrichment programme in Omani context. In order to determine whether this programme could effectively improve the marital relationship and marital satisfaction of Omani couples. In addition, the majority of previous studies which focused on marriage enrichment, have been conducted in predominantly white, Western population (Yelsma, 1988). The current study will contribute insight into the ways couples from other cultural backgrounds interact with each other in achieving marital satisfaction, specially couples from Muslim countries. In this study, 83 newly married couples participated; 46 couples completed the six-week Marriage Enhancement Programme (MEP), completing assessments directly before, on completion and at six-months follow-up. There were 37 couples as a comparison group for measuring the impact of the programme on the experimental group. The results show that couples who completed the programme reported higher levels of satisfaction, in the form of a broad and significant improvement in their relationship on the six dimensions, than those of comparison group, all increases remained significant at six-month follow-up. These positive findings suggest the potential effectiveness of the MEP and the importance of future longitudinal outcome studies to validate its enhancement utility. It seems to warrant other culturally tailored studies to test the worth of this programme with different samples.

The emancipation of women and the transformation of family life was a part. If a minor one, of the West European socialist tradition, and in the wake of the Russian Revolution visions of a new communist culture which would transform private as well as public life were current amongst sections of the Bolshevik party. However, efforts-to radically change the status of women In society by Improving their position in the work-force. relieving them of housework and childcare, opening up greater choice in personal relations through legalisation of `abortion' and provision of contraception and the espousal of a liberal morality brought little success. One reason for this was that the reformers were few In number and received little backing from the party and government. The poverty of the country. the lack of resources for providing alternatives to traditional family patterns was another constraint. Thirdly the plans for total reconstruction of everyday life could have no great attraction for an urban, population still deeply committed to tradition. Finally the visions themselves were shot through with the prejudices of the time, the persisting view that, gender was in some part biologically determined, and a tendency to condone the regulation of everyday life by centralised agencies. Although the more radical plans for family reform were unrealised. patterns of living In the urban areas were slowly changing and the party was establishing, Its right to control the private sphere through Its command of economic planning and the political process, and also of the legal system and the welfare services.

This thesis examines the stories of young people who have experienced domestic violence. A hermeneutical methodology was adopted which culminated in an in-depth analysis and interpretation of their stories. Seeking to understand their stories, the chosen method of analysis revealed a multi-layered and complex view of experience which specifically drew attention to the emotional journeys of each young person through ; suffering. Their 'feeling' voices emerged and were recorded, demonstrating a commitment to recognising and raising the voices of those who have been silenced, neglected or disempowered. The aim was also to uncover those aspects of the young people's lives which showed their means of coping with their experiences of domestic violence and this resulted in the exposure of convergent aspects of coping competence and emotionality. The themes of 'voice', 'view' and 'vision' which emerged from layers of interpretative analysis express the complexity and depth of personal experience. Each identifies the unique identity, the significant relationships and the spiritual and emotional fortitude of each of the young people. Their stories reflect 'waves of resilience' which wash away the adverse effects of domestic violence and abuse. It is acknowledged thatthis study is subjective and reflexive in nature, and that the author has a personal, emotional connection to the overarching subject of the research, domestic violence, and to those who have contributed to the research. The 'baggage' of the author is openly admitted and viewed in the context of postmodernist, feminist theory and practice.

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This thesis uses a post-structuralist approach to critically examine the use of Parenting Orders as a court sanction on the parents of young people who are involved in offending. It ;s the current youth justice policy and practice of Parenting Orders and analyses the 'psy' discourses which uphold them. In contrast to previous research which has sought to gamine whether such measures 'work' within a positivist framework, this thesis explores the material and discursive contexts of parents' lives to understand the ways in which Parenting Orders shape parental subjectivities through practices of regulation and resistance.

Evaluation in small community-based (SCB) services is often hampered by inadequate outcomes data and inadequate resources to collect it. However, there are many such services, with the potential to do both good and harm to their clients. Improved evaluation methods are therefore desirable.

Research on intimate partner violence and abuse in same-sex couple’s relationships is still a relatively new area of interest. Given the silence surrounding this form of abuse within the field, there is much to be learned by research focusing on its meaning. This research study examined violence and abuse in the couple’s relationships of gay men from a British perspective. The study is located within a phenomenological approach, designed to capture the essence of the individual’s experience. The choice of a grounded theory approach for the analysis of the data rested on it being particularly helpful in generating theory in areas where this is lacking. However, the challenge of recruiting participants to the study limited the utility of the method, highlighting the ongoing difficulty of gaining access to sexual minority participants for studies involving sensitive issues. Eight participants, all gay men, were recruited and semi-structured interviews administered as a basis for generating data. A focus group discussion also formed part of the study and considered the question of whether same-sex partner abuse is the same or different from that seen in heterosexual couple’s relationships. Findings suggest that love for one’s partner, hope for change and quality of sex, accounted for the ongoing investment made by these men in their violent and abusive relationships. The emphasis on physical abuse diminished the importance of other forms of abuse, i.e. emotional, psychological and financial abuse. The direction of the abuse was in contrast to that seen in heterosexual relationships, i.e. the partner with most instrumental power, was the one most at risk of abuse. There was little 5 recognition of the impact of homophobia or internalized homophobia as possible contributory factors in the development of violence and abuse. Participants tended to rely on their own resources rather than seeking outside help and the clinical implications of this were considered.

Research, media interest, and political involvement around prisons and families have grown significantly in recent years, although there is scant evidence within the growing body of related literature of original work that documents the perceptions and experiences of families affected by a member’s imprisonment. This research attempts to redress this, taking a social constructionist perspective which uses unstructured interviews to gain a critical insight into why family members’, and in particular, children’s voices are often absent in this field. The research focuses predominantly on children’s experiences, expressed through their own words, or through the words of an adult. The findings complement and add value to the emerging literature in this relatively neglected area, suggesting that stigma, shame, guilt and frustration are commonplace for prisoners’ families. The findings also reveal that what is significant, but remains largely hidden in research to date, are the reasons why children often do not know what is happening when a parent is in prison. This thesis presents the results from interviews held with a sample of twenty-four families, including parents, children, prisoners, and practitioners. The interviews took place over a nineteen-month period, and involved, in many instances, a series of interviews with the same respondents. The phenomenon of ‘story telling’ where children are offered fictitious accounts to explain the absence of an imprisoned family member, thereby avoiding the necessity of mentioning ‘prison’ forms an important element of the thesis. Whilst these fictitious accounts were motivated by a desire to protect the children from the social harm and stigma commonly associated with prison, the children themselves often understood more than their parents realised or were prepared to realise. The research exposes parental anxieties and fears, evidenced in their narratives, and played out in their respectable, sometimes implausible, fictitious accounts they concocted for their children. What is uncovered is that, contrary to parental expectations, children can often deal with the imprisonment of a family member when they are presented with the facts, showing resilience, fortitude, and competence. 3 Additionally, the thesis shows how families struggle to navigate and make sense of the criminal justice system, frequently encountering hostility, incompetence, and a lack of empathy and understanding. Events such as the arrest of a family member or visiting a family member in prison can exacerbate the difficulties family members already face. By focusing the research around the experiences of children within these families, the thesis offers an original perspective and a valuable contribution to knowledge. The thesis demonstrates that it is prisoners’ families, and in particular the children in these families who are the real victims of prison.

Background and aims: Intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention ultimately hinges on change at the level of the household where relationships are conducted. There is little research examining the process of relational change among couples with a history of IPV following exposure to a community level IPV prevention intervention, particularly in low-income settings. This thesis aims to fill this gap by examining how relational change occurred (or did not) among couples in Uganda exposed to SASA!, a community mobilization intervention aimed to prevent IPV and HIV. The study first explores relationship change processes among couples exposed to the intervention. Secondly, it examines the key aspects of the intervention and social network factors that influenced these changes, illuminating the pathways through which the intervention diffused. Methods: This thesis comprises: i) a methodological examination of qualitative dyadic (couple) data collection and analysis; ii) a qualitative study of couples exposed to the SASA! intervention using in-depth interviews to examine processes of relationship change; iii) a mixed methods analysis of the influence of intervention and social network factors in the diffusion of new ideas and behaviour around intimate relationships and IPV. Findings & Conclusions: Through examining relationship trajectories from both partner’s perspectives the sphere in which IPV occurs comes through clearly, revealing the common challenges couples faced, how they were shaped by gender roles and, also, how they were able to change, preventing IPV. Change is possible through key community-level interventions working with both men and women that generate hope and belief in an alternative way of achieving fulfilling relationships and family life. This includes providing simple tools to improve relationships and local change agents to support change, all within the context of a wider community that is changing together, generating new norms in the process. Thus, the IPV prevention field may benefit from the inclusion of relationship education/skills and support for both men and women at the community level.