Thesis (Ph.D.)--George Mason University, 2008. / Vita: p. 135. Thesis director: James Maddux. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed July 8, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 125-134). Also issued in print.

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The present study compares the effectiveness of two interventions in the treatment of marital discord: a sequentially integrated systemic intervention focusing on reframing interactional patterns and an emotionally focused intervention, focusing on accessing emotional experiences underlying interaction patterns. Forty-two couples seeking therapy were randomly assigned to one of these treatments or to a wait-list control group. Each treatment was administered in ten weekly sessions by seven experienced therapists. Through an implementation check it was determined that the treatments had been implemented in accordance with the treatment manuals. Tests of equivalence showed that the groups were equivalent on pre-test levels, demographic variables and in the strength of their working alliance with their therapists. Post-test results indicated that both treatment groups made significant gains compared to untreated controls on measures of marital adjustment, conflict resolution, target complaint reduction and goal attainment, but that neither treatment group gained significantly more than the other. At follow-up, a further 16 weeks later, post-test levels on all measures were maintained by the sequentially integrated systemic group. The emotionally-focused group maintained levels on conflict resolution, and continued to achieve target complaint improvement but slipped back on pre-test goals and relapsed on marital adjustment. Results suggest that two very different treatments, one of which had not been tested before, are both effective in helping couples alleviate marital distress, but that the sequentially integrated systemic therapy is more self-sustaining. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

One year after receiving 12 sessions of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), 9 of the original 14 voluntary, moderately distressed couples in James (1988) study, were tested to determine whether or not treatment gains were maintained or Increased over a one year span of time after receiving therapy. It was hypothesized that couples who received an EFT treatment would show improvement on the mean scores of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), the Psychosocial Intimacy Questionnaire (PIQ), the Communication Scale (CS) and Target Complaints (TC, over a one year span of time after receiving therapy. More specifically, a trend was anticipated. The trend was expected to be that of an increase on mean scores between pre-test and post-test followed by a decrease between post-test and four months follow-up and then a recovery or Improvement between four months and one year after receiving therapy. The 9 couples completed four self-report measures and participated in a structured interview. The hypothesis was supported by the research findings. Results indicated that post-treatment regression subsided between four months follow-up and one year follow-up. As a replication of Remple's (1986) study, this investigation did not show the dramatic increases to post-treatment levels between four months and one year after therapy that Remple (1986) found. However the results of this study do support the notion that EFT is effective in maintaining increased marital satisfaction over a one year span of time. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This study investigated how a therapist and clients created couple change over the course of 15 sessions of Experiential Systemic Therapy (ExST) for the marital treatment of alcohol dependency. The aim of this research was to explore how change occurred during a single case of successful ExST and to refine and expand ExST theory. ExST has been shown to be an effective treatment for couple recovery from alcohol dependence yet little research has focused on how change occurs in ExST. The case selected for analysis was an exemplar of successful ExST couples therapy. The case met several criteria for success including therapist and client satisfaction with therapy, the cessation of alcoholic drinking, increased marital satisfaction at posttest and follow-up periods, and evidence of in-session couple change. Two therapy episodes containing relational novelty (couple change) were analyzed using the Comprehensive Discourse Analysis procedure. The results of this study highlighted the existence of a subtype of relational novelty called syncretic relational novelty. Syncretic change refers to the generation of intimacy by therapist and couple where initially there existed disparate beliefs and behaviour that isolated system members. The study found that the couple’s distance oriented beliefs and practices were reconciled and intimacy was enhanced through the employment of intense experiential activities and the provision of a collaborative therapeutic atmosphere. These two activities fostered increased couple intimacy by encouraging clients to engage one another through self disclosure, empathy, shared vulnerability, increased cooperation and greater personal awareness. Couple intimacy was fostered during experiential activity through a carefully paced intensification of clients’ thoughts, feelings and physical sensations. In addition, intimacy was facilitated by the therapist when she accepted clients’ experiences and adopted clients’ language styles. As well as working collaboratively, the therapist acted as a therapeutic guide interceding during harmful spousal interactions, altering the therapy agenda at client request, promoting joint decision-making and valuing marginalized client experience. Recommendations based on these findings were made for the refinement and expansion of ExST theory.

This study investigated how a therapist and clients created couple change over the course of 15 sessions of Experiential Systemic Therapy (ExST) for the marital treatment of alcohol dependency. The aim of this research was to explore how change occurred during a single case of successful ExST and to refine and expand ExST theory. ExST has been shown to be an effective treatment for couple recovery from alcohol dependence yet little research has focused on how change occurs in ExST. The case selected for analysis was an exemplar of successful ExST couples therapy. The case met several criteria for success including therapist and client satisfaction with therapy, the cessation of alcoholic drinking, increased marital satisfaction at posttest and follow-up periods, and evidence of in-session couple change. Two therapy episodes containing relational novelty (couple change) were analyzed using the Comprehensive Discourse Analysis procedure. The results of this study highlighted the existence of a subtype of relational novelty called syncretic relational novelty. Syncretic change refers to the generation of intimacy by therapist and couple where initially there existed disparate beliefs and behaviour that isolated system members. The study found that the couple’s distance oriented beliefs and practices were reconciled and intimacy was enhanced through the employment of intense experiential activities and the provision of a collaborative therapeutic atmosphere. These two activities fostered increased couple intimacy by encouraging clients to engage one another through self disclosure, empathy, shared vulnerability, increased cooperation and greater personal awareness. Couple intimacy was fostered during experiential activity through a carefully paced intensification of clients’ thoughts, feelings and physical sensations. In addition, intimacy was facilitated by the therapist when she accepted clients’ experiences and adopted clients’ language styles. As well as working collaboratively, the therapist acted as a therapeutic guide interceding during harmful spousal interactions, altering the therapy agenda at client request, promoting joint decision-making and valuing marginalized client experience. Recommendations based on these findings were made for the refinement and expansion of ExST theory. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

In this study the controversial issue of whether to express or not to express anger was investigated. Three different approaches to dealing with anger in an experimental setting with couples were examined. The results support the notion presented by Holt (1970) and Deutsch (1969) that there may be constructive and destructive ways of dealing with anger in an interpersonal relationship, and argue against the conclusions of Berkowitz (1970) and Ellis, (1976) that the expression of anger is so dangerous that it should be avoided. Following role-play of vignettes of typical marital conflicts, subjects in one condition made I-Statements to their partners about their feelings, subjects in a second condition made You-Statements, and subjects in the No-Expression condition listened to a lecture. On outcome measures designed to tap anger, happiness, emotional closeness and distance from partner, liking for partner, other positive and negative feelings, and empathy for partner, I-Statement subjects consistently reported more positive change in their feelings than did You-Statement subjects, and rated their partners as having significantly more empathy in paraphrasing their positions, feelings, beliefs, and wishes. The No-Expression condition did not differ from the I-Statement on variables which measured feelings on anger, happiness, and other "good" and "bad" feelings. However, the No-Expression condition was more like the You-Statement condition in failing to decrease emotional distance or increase measures of empathy, agreement, and feeling understood. Neutral activity which involves time out from interaction with the partner may help to dissipate anger, but seems not to enhance "intimacy," as indicated by lack of change on the variables which involve mutuality and exchange. The I-Statement condition is viewed as superior to either the No-Expression condition or You-Statement condition in conflict resolution, as the I-Statement condition brings about both the dissipation of anger and the restoration of intimacy. It is concluded that there is no evidence from this study, which involves moderate emotional arousal, that avoiding expression of feeling in a conflict situation is superior to talking about the feelings engendered by the conflict. However, I-Statements lead to more constructive changes in feelings and in one's capacity to empathize than do You-Statements.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 60-65).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Charlotte, NC, 2003. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 110-118).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-135).