Conflict in marital relationships affects couple intimacy and satisfaction impacting on the couple system, the family system and wider social systems. Negative conflict is associated with breakdown in intimacy, marital dissatisfaction, and is seen to be a prominent cause of marital failure. As conflict is a process, it has the possibility of change and development over time, including moving towards a process whereby disagreements can be worked out with mutually acceptable solutions. Theoretical frameworks for conflict and marital counselling were reviewed and the systems-interactionist theory and a systemic-based counselling approach chosen for the purposes of this study. It was hypothesised that a systemic-based counselling approach would lower the levels of conflict occurring within a marital relationship. The principal objective of this study was to provide a more rigorous investigation than previous studies of client perceptions of the effectiveness of a systems-based counselling approach for marital counselling. Three case studies were conducted, with embedded units of analysis, within the context of a therapeutic process which drew on current theories of systemic counselling. Conflict was measured and operationalised as overt behavioural conflict, communication of negative affect, frequency of disagreements, intensity of disagreements, desire to change the other partner, the desire for change, and evidence of, and frequency of, positive conflict. As the study was based on the client's perceptions of change, multi-methods of selfreports were employed. As none of the known measurements met the needs of this study, a questionnaire known as the QCR was devised specifically for the pre- and posttests. The QCR was designed to measure: any increase or decrease in positive conflict; changes to both the intensity and frequency in negative conflict; and perceptions of the desire for change. The effectiveness of the counselling approach was measured by comparing the results of the pre-and post-tests with the continual self-reports and the self-reports at the long term follow-up interviews. An analysis of the self-reports focus on: the desire for change; the effectiveness of a systems based counselling approach in lowering negative conflict; and the usefulness of the QCR and other tools as measures. The systems-based-counselling approach, proved from the clients' perspective, to be: highly effective in case one; mostly effective in case two; and ineffective in case three as one partner aborted the counselling process. The systems-based-counselling approach had variable success in decreasing the intensity of negative conflict but was mostly successful in decreasing the frequency of negative conflict. This approach was not largely successful in reporting an increase in the frequency of positive conflict. The study revealed evidence of a relationship between commitment to the marital relationship and negative conflict. It also adds to the debate about the appropriateness of a systems-based counselling approach in violent relationships. In judging the clients' perceptions of the effectiveness of the systems-based counselling approach multi-measurements employed including the lengthy recording of the therapeutic sessions. It is claimed that this thesis offers a more rigorous methodology than anecdotal evidence previously used in the reporting of systemic counselling cases.

Un tiers des enfants de moins de 18 ans ne vivent pas avec leurs deux parents biologiques à Madagascar. En effet, les « ruptures familiales » entrainent souvent des situations de monoparentalité (liées à un divorce, une séparation des parents ou un veuvage), de recomposition familiale et de confiage d’enfants. Il s’agit ici de se pencher sur la dynamique familiale autour de ces discontinuités, en analysant les différents schémas de prise en charge intra-familiale des enfants. Cette perspective permet ainsi de comprendre les processus qui ont mené à ces ruptures mais surtout de rendre compte de la complexité des décisions de prise en charge des enfants selon les formes de ruptures vécues. En s’appuyant sur une analyse des Enquêtes Démographiques et de Santé (EDS), des entretiens semi-directifs ont été menés dans deux régions distinctes de Madagascar (Toliara et Antananarivo) où la proportion d’enfants ne vivant pas avec les deux parents est très différente l’une de l’autre. Une analyse des histoires familiales souligne les différents déterminants de la prise en charge des enfants pour chaque type de ruptures et montre qu’il existe des modèles-types de prise en charge et des spécificités socio-culturelles dans les deux régions. Nous examinons le maintien des solidarités familiales face à la crise économique grandissante dans laquelle vivent les ménages. En outre, nous mettons en lumière la place de la grand-parentalité dans l’éducation et le confiage d’enfants. / One third of children under 18 years are not living with their two biological parents in Madagascar. Indeed, "family breakdowns" often lead to single parenthood (related to a divorce, parental separation or widowhood), to stepfamilies and to child fostering. This thesis addresses the family dynamics around these discontinuities, analyzing different patterns of care of children within the family. This perspective allows us to understand the processes that led to these failures but also to account for the complexity of decisions about support children according to the form of disruption experienced. Based on a previous analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data, semi-structured interviews were conducted in two regions of Madagascar (Antananarivo and Toliara) where the proportions of children not living with both parents are very different. An analysis of family histories highlights the various determinants of child care for each type of failure.and will show if there are standard models of care and socio-cultural specificities for the two regions. We also examine whether family solidarities remain in a context ofa growing economic crisis. In addition, we will highlight the role of grand-parenting in education and child fostering.