Journal of marital and family therapy最新文献

Infidelity has been widely researched; however, few studies have analyzed its behavioral patterns holistically using a person-centered approach. This study, with a sample of 400 young adults (M_age = 25.28; SD = 7.24), identified patterns of unfaithful behavior by using latent class analysis to classify subgroups with distinct patterns. The 20-item Likert-scale Multidimensional Infidelity Inventory-S (MII-S) was used to assess sexual and emotional infidelity. The results indicated four latent classes: infidelity (15.7%), sexual desire (14.4%), emotional interest (27.2%), and fidelity (42.5%). In addition, age and sex were significantly related to class membership. On the other hand, men were more likely to belong to the sexual desire class and women to the emotional interest and fidelity classes. For sexual orientation or relationship duration, there were no significant differences. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed

Traditional statistical methods and models, such as linear regression, are commonly implemented in Couple/Marriage Family Therapy (C/MFT) research, yet these methods are intractable to answer dyadic and systemic questions. In the past 30 years, dyadic analysis has emerged to address such problems, and the actor–partner interdependence model (APIM) is seemingly the default analysis. The APIM answers research questions related to mutual influence, but the APIM cannot answer questions at the dyad level (e.g., characteristics of the relationship). The common fate model (CFM) is well-suited to answer such questions. Due to the underutilization of the CFM in C/MFT research, the purpose of this article is to discuss the CFM and extensions into mediation, moderation, multilevel CFM (i.e., individual and dyad level effects) models, growth models, and hybrid models that combine the APIM with the CFM are discussed. Syntax in Mplus is provided as link to video demonstrations of each model.

Family members' acceptance of one's romantic partner may play an important role in the progress of new and developing romantic relationships. This study used a sample of 707 couples that completed a questionnaire from the Marriage Matters Panel Survey of Newlywed Couples to observe the effects from family approval to conflict to relationship quality across the first three to 4 years of marriage. Results indicated that an increase in husbands’ family approval at Wave 1 was significantly linked with the relationship quality of both spouses at Wave 3 via the indirect effect through both spouses' conflict at Wave 2. More specifically, as husbands' families were more approving of their wives shortly after marriage, both spouses reported less conflict 18 months into marriage, and higher relationship quality 3 to 4 years into marriage. Clinical implications will be reviewed for helping couples and families navigate this developmental stage of marriage formation.

This paper aims to contextualize CFT within the contradictory socio-cultural environment in which families live and develop in Italy: new family lifestyles and old prejudices against new family forms coexist. It is important for therapists to be aware of the possibility that clients may internalize prejudices or social stereotypes and thus make decisions that are ultimately inappropriate for their own situation. Equally, it is important for psychotherapists to have first distanced themselves from the prejudices that clients may socially and culturally share or that might be present in their models. We will address this issue through the analysis of three different clinical cases selected according to a pattern that connects them despite their differences. The clinical cases reflect the specificity of the Italian socio-cultural context while also demonstrating how a second-level perspective—articulated through defined competencies—fosters context-sensitive clinical practice.

The ability to self-regulate, and the consequences of under-regulation, have long been an area of inquiry for many disciplines. Various domains of self-regulation have historically been studied independent of one another, despite the interactive nature and interdependent development of the domains. Currently, no quantitative measure exists that evaluates the whole of the self-regulatory system. This study seeks to confirm a factor structure of six pillars (i.e., domains) of self-regulation, as proposed by the Self-Regulation Model of Attachment Trauma and Addiction (Padykula and Conklin, 2010) using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). A psychometric validation of the measure was completed in two cross-sectional studies. In a third study, the measure was externally validated against a nomological network of related constructs. ESEM confirmed the use of the six-pillar-12-facet model to examine a profile of self-regulation. Clinical and research implications of the findings are discussed.

Limited research has examined how micro- and mesosystem-level family factors relate to parental burnout across cultural contexts. Using a cross-cultural design, this study explored the relationships and underlying mechanisms linking work–family conflict, work–family enrichment, family routine, and family ritual meaning to parental burnout. The sample consisted of 1373 parents from the United Kingdom and Vietnam (Mage = 37.90, SDage = 7.93 years; 77.7% mothers). We found that work–family conflict, work–family enrichment, family routines, and ritual meaning were significantly correlated with parental burnout, with similar patterns of association between the two countries. However, culture-specific differences emerged. After controlling for demographic variables, work–family conflict was the strongest predictor of parental burnout in the UK sample, whereas family routines played a more prominent role in the Vietnamese sample. These findings underscore the importance of cultural context in understanding parental burnout and offer insights for theoretical frameworks and clinical prevention and intervention.

Divorce and separation represent the dissolution of one of the most significant attachment bonds during adulthood. Previous research has shown that divorced individuals often face heightened mental health challenges. However, this overarching view, focusing on average effects, fails to capture the diverse responses to this life transition, and the identification of profiles of psychological adaptation to divorce–separation remains limited. The present cross-sectional study aimed to identify latent profiles of psychological adaptation to divorce and separation using a person-centered approach. A sample of 938 Chilean adult participants completed specific measures of psychological adaptation and mental health indicators. Latent profile analysis revealed five distinct profiles: two with positive outcomes and three experiencing persistent difficulties. Factors such as attachment insecurity, forgiveness of the former partner, and emotion regulation difficulties were linked to profile membership, along with demographic and divorce-related variables. These findings offer valuable insights to tailor support services for individuals navigating divorce or separation.