Thesis (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2005. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references (ℓ. 60-70)

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Dept. of Psychology, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

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.

Thesis (doctoral)--Georg-August-Universität zu Göttingen.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universidad Javeriana.

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

The purpose of this investigation was to explore the relationship between various indices of marital role conflict and measures of marital adjustment.