Journal of marital and family therapy最新文献

Despite the international prominence of emotionally focused couple therapy (EFCT), limited research exists on its acceptability among mental health workers, particularly those from contexts in Africa. This study explored the acceptability of EFCT among Ugandan mental health workers who completed the first-ever 4-day EFCT training in Uganda. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 23 practitioners to examine (1) how practitioners found EFCT to be acceptable in their personal lives and (2) their views on the model's fit within Uganda's cultural context. Thematic analysis generated five themes that address these research questions. Overall, Ugandan practitioners found EFCT resonant and acceptable in their personal lives and particularly appreciated its focus on accessing emotions as a therapeutic tool. However, they also identified potential challenges in applying the model culturally. This research provides preliminary insights into EFCT's potential acceptability in Ugandan mental health practice and thus, contributes to global literature on EFCT and multiculturalism.

Relational savoring (RS) is a brief, accessible, relationship-based intervention guided by systemic principles. RS may benefit Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) families experiencing relational difficulties. Family ties are often protective for AANHPI groups, yet acculturation-related stress may impede families' ability to leverage this asset. RS has evidenced effectiveness in increasing well-being and relationship quality, but has yet to be tested with AANHPI families. RS may align well with cultural values relevant to AANHPI communities, such as interconnectedness, while also overcoming barriers through its strengths-based approach. This paper outlines the decision-making process used to adapt RS for AANHPI families and emphasizes the role of community feedback. An iterative and rigorous approach is essential to determine whether adaptation is needed and to identify appropriate targets for change. Importantly, enhancing the cultural responsiveness of RS furthers our goal of promoting flourishing and addressing health disparities among underserved families.

One way that couples can maintain relationship satisfaction is by acting according to who they are, or autonomously, within their romantic relationships. However, feeling autonomous can be challenging for romantic partners, especially those with attachment insecurities. In two dyadic and longitudinal studies, we tested whether the daily feeling of being autonomous within romantic relationships accounted for associations between attachment insecurities and daily and over time relationship satisfaction in long-term romantic relationships. Across both studies, dyadic mediation models showed that people higher in attachment avoidance reported less daily autonomy in their relationships and, in turn, reported lower relationship satisfaction daily and 3-months later. In Study 2, people higher in attachment anxiety reported less daily autonomy in their relationships and this was associated with lower satisfaction, both daily and over time. Findings highlight the role of autonomy as one explanation for the lower levels of relationship satisfaction among insecure romantic partners.

Empathic conjectures are a key therapist response mode in Emotion(ally)-Focused Therapy, used to deepen emotions and strengthen attachment bonds; however, there is little research on them. This process microanalytic qualitative study analyzed 10 sessions, publicly available example of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT). We identified two core features: (1) guessing, where therapists articulate clients' implicit experiences, and (2) meaning match, linking conjectures directly to observable or inferable client experiences. Using a four-point confidence rating scale, we found that 88.6% of high-confidence conjectures were delivered tentatively, supporting tentativeness as important for minimizing therapeutic ruptures. Additionally, seven types of empathic conjectures were identified: feeling, relational process, narrative, formulation, reframing, evocative, and nonverbal feeling conjectures. These findings refine the definition of empathic conjectures, highlight therapist attunement, and provide valuable clinical insights for EFCT therapists. Future research should further explore empathic conjectures' impact on client outcomes and therapeutic alliance.

Social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) are woven into modern romantic relationships, particularly among young adults. Grounded in the attachment framework, this study expands on previous literature by using a longitudinal design to examine social media jealousy and electronic partner surveillance as mediators between attachment anxiety and relationship satisfaction. Over a 2-year span, 322 young adults aged 18–29 years and in a romantic relationship completed questionnaires about their social media use, attachment orientation, and relationship satisfaction. Results showed that social media jealousy was associated with more electronic partner surveillance, and lower relationship satisfaction 1 year later. Additionally, although longitudinal support for the association between attachment anxiety and relationship satisfaction was found, it was no longer significant when accounting for the more proximal influence of social media-related jealousy and electronic partner surveillance. These findings emphasize the interplay between social media use and young couples' relationship functioning over time.