The aim of this research was to develop a psycho-educational program to form a framework for educational psychologists to promote and facilitate the mental health of women who are unhappy in their marriages. The assumption is made that a mentally healthy and happy mother exercises a great influence on the rest of her family. The circumstances in unhappy long-term marriages appear to be a stressful situation which is associated with much uncertainty and confusion. It seems that women in such a situation tend to withdraw in order to attempt to address their pain, confusion and uncertainty in isolation, without being effective in solving their problems. Affluent women’s mental health in the situation of a long-term, unhappy marriage seems to be characterized by a spectrum of unpleasant emotions, an identity crisis, an unhealthy dynamic in their relationship with their life partner and the use of a number of defence mechanisms to ease the pain. Lack of knowledge regarding the specific ways in which their marriage upsets them leads to misperceptions in women. Long-term unhappiness and uncertainty in isolation can also lead to mental disorders that may assume alarming proportions. Clinical disorders are definitely not excluded. / Prof. C.P.H. Myburgh

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Alliant International University, California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-107). Also available on the Internet.

Project Thesis (D. Min.)--Denver Seminary, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 243-262).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Charlotte, N.C., 2003. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-103).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 2003. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-145).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 180-181).

No description available.

No description available.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

Attribution theory provides a rich foundation of literature addressing how individuals infer causes of behavior. While a great deal of marital therapists have utilized attribution theory to examine dysfunctional patterns of couples, no research to date has examined therapists' own attributions. The purpose of this study was to examine therapists' causal explanations, or attributions, for the difficulties of a marital dyad.One hundred thirty masters and doctoral level students completed the Causal Dimension Scale after viewing a videotape of a couple in an initial interview for therapy. Each subject was randomly assigned to one of three conditions when viewing the videotape: (1) Empathy induction for the wife; (2) empathy induction for the husband; or (3) a control group.Results indicated that empathy instructions did not significantly affect subjects' causal explanations for the couple's problems. Additionally, there was no relationship between empathy-induction and the subsequent prognosis for each spouse. While empathy instructions did not significantly affect therapist prognoses, there were gender differences among therapists and their prognoses. In general, female observers rated the prognosis for therapeutic gain for both the husband and wife higher than did male observers; however, the only significant difference between male and female observers was on the prognosis for therapeutic gain for the husband. Finally, another influential variable affecting therapist prognosis was the video scenario. The prognosis for therapeutic gain for both the husband and the wife was judged to be higher when he/she was the "pursuer" who was upset with the other spouse for spending too much time at work with an opposite-sex co-worker. Implications of this study for marital therapists were discussed. Additionally, limitations as well as suggestions for further research in this area were noted and discussed. Further investigation is needed to examine possible therapist biases in working with couples. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services