Thesis (M.A.)--Lancaster Bible College, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 59-62).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-163).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 227-237).

Thesis (M. Div.)--St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, 2008. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [71-74]).

M.A. (Counseling Psychology) / Due to considerable changes in modern society, marriage is exposed to a large amount of stress and has become a vulnerable institution. In spite of the high divorce rate, marriage is still viewed as an important institution; still meets important emotional needs and consequently gives rise to high expectations with regard to personal satisfaction. The marriage counselor has a lot to offer in this regard. In this metamodel, marital counseling is seen as an umbrella concept for counseling, marital preparation, pre-marital and marital therapy and divorce counseling. Since the early 1980’s psychotherapy has been characterized by a rapidly developing movement toward integration and eclecticism. Such integration refer to a conceptual or theoretical creation beyond a blending of techniques. With all the diversity in systems of counseling, it became a challenge to integrate existing approaches of counseling. The same trend is found in the field of marital counselling.

This is a model building study which addresses itself to observing and investigating what transpires between two couples as they complete the process of resolving a marital conflict. Four therapy sessions where the couples successfully resolved a marital conflict and one therapy session where a resolution was attempted but was unsuccessful were selected for investigation. A task analysis was completed in which the moment-by-moment interactions of the couples were rigorously tracked to reveal the interactional patterns that distinguish couples who resolve marital conflicts from those who are not successful at resolving their conflicts. The interactional task analysis involved six strategies. The investigator's cognitive map of the resolution process was outlined. The task was defined as a pursue-distance conflict in which one partner was identified as an emotional pursuer and the other identified as an emotional withdrawer. The task environment, an emotionally focused therapy session, was specified. In the first rational analysis the investigator's model was presented. The transcripts of the resolution events were reviewed and repeated patterns were identified in the first empirical analysis. In the second rational analysis process indicators that would discriminate between the stages of resolution were chosen from four process measures. In the second empirical analysis two process measures (the SASB and the Experiencing scale) were used to identify the stages of resolution and produce a final model of marital conflict resolution. The final model consists of four steps which the couples move through to reach resolution. These steps are; Escalation, De-escalation, Testing, and Mutual Openness. Escalation involves either an 'attack-defend', 'attack-withdraw', or 'attack-attack' pattern where the pursuer is blaming their partner and the other partner is either defending, withdrawing or attacking. Each partners focus is on representing their own position and both partners usually feel angry, frustrated or unheard. In De-escalation one partner openly discloses their experience or asks for what he or she needs. This usually involves an expression of vulnerability. The other partner responds with either 'affirming and understanding' or 'helping and protecting' behavior. With Testing there is an initial positive interaction in which the withdrawer responds to the pursuer's open expression of feelings or needs with 'helping and protecting', 'nurturing and comforting' or 'trusting and relying' behavior. The pursuer however suddenly switch to 'belitting and blaming', 'sulking and appeasing' or 'walling off and avoiding' behavior. The pursuer appears to be dealing with the issue of trust, they are not sure if they can trust their partners response to them as totally genuine and likely to occur again. Mutual Openness resembles De-escalation however it this stage both partners complete 'disclose/trust rely' or 'affirm/help protect' sequences. Both partners rather than just one complete a sequence in which they explore their part in the problem openly while the other partner listens and affirms them. A failure to move from Escalation to De-escalation and the absence of 'affirming and and understanding' communication behaviors distinguished the non-resolution event from the resolution events. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of PHD Community Psychology in the Department of Psychology at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2003. / The rate of divorce and family breakdown is escalating at an alarming rate. This growth of a substantial number of people experiencing divorce has questioned the effectiveness of family centered orthodox approaches to resolving marital difficulties thereby necessitating exploration of a macro intervention strategy to the epidemic of marital breakdown. In this study methods chosen were focus group discussions and participant observation. A marriage enrichment group was formed for the purpose of giving psychology to the people, and to empower them so that they can solve their own problems, in their own communities, bearing in mind that the number of psychologists who can deal with the increasing number is limited. Couples group meetings were held fortnightly primarily to provide an opportunity for people in intimate relationships to examine the quality of their relationships, to determine what barriers were preventing genuine intimacy, to make decisions concerning how they want to change their lives with each other and to explore their conflicts. The need to form a marriage group arose out of the need for community psychologists to be visible and effect change in couples' struggles. An empowerment model was chosen taking into consideration that the model implies that competencies are thwarted due to social-cultural barriers and a lack of resources, and that these competencies can be strengthened through the support of local community groups, rather than large, centralized social agencies and institutions which control resources. A marriage enrichment group is used as an example of community psychology's macro empowerment intervention strategy to societal problems. The study has demonstrated that in groups couples function better and are able to resolve conflicts with the group serving as a watchdog in fostering accountability.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

No description available.

Ideas for this research were conceived following a discussion I had with the Director of the Canberra Marriage Counseling Service (CMCS) in 1979. Three aims of the research were identified. Firstly, to collect information about the counseling received by clients at the CMCS, from their points of view. Secondly, to collect information about the premature termination of some clients from marriage counseling interviews at the CMCS. Thirdly, to discuss other research findings in the light of this research and so provide a structure from which future research could be conducted. Clients were interviewed according to a questionnaire which I designed. Before the study began, a pilot study was conducted with a small group of clients, primarily, to assess the adequacy of the questionnaire. Clients who were involved in the study itself, all completed initial interviews with new counselors between and including the first day of February and the last day of March, in 1981. I interviewed all clients by telephone, who were usually at home between eight and nine o'clock, on Monday to Thursday evenings inclusive. Clients were asked questions about the counseling process, from the time that they presented with precipitating problems to the time that they considered returning to the CMCS or recommending its services -. to others. Raw data was collected on the following topics: clients' precipitating problems, expectations, motivation to attend counseling, rapport with their counselors, experiences during the counseling process, premature termination and counseling outcomes. Results were compiled by cross-correlating the raw data to obtain a composite picture of clients' counseling experiences. Many statistically significant findings were obtained and numerous recommendations have been made on the basis of the findings. Further research is recommended in three areas. Firstly, a study similar to this one should be conducted on a national scale to ascertain general standards of marriage counseling across Australia. Secondly, a series of experimental studies should be conducted on a number of specific issues raised in this research. Thirdly, case studies of individual clients should be conducted by CMCS counselors which would enable them to easily incorporate research work into their training and supervision programmes.