bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of disinfectants on the properties of dental gypsum, part 2: Surface properties
Authors: Abdelaziz Khalid M. , Combe Edward C. , Hodges James S.
Published: August 2004

Purpose This study is part of an ongoing investigation to evaluate the surface properties of dental stones mixed with disinfection solutions, and to determine the effect of adding gum arabic and calcium hydroxide on the same properties.

Materials and Methods Aqueous solutions of 2 chemical disinfectants were used in mixing 2 types of dental stones (type III and type V). These dental stones were modified further by adding 1% gum arabic and 0.132% calcium hydroxide to their hemihydrate powders before mixing. Five specimens prepared from each type of dental stone were classified into 7 groups according to the hemihydrate powder modification and mixing liquid/powder ratio. Surface roughness was tested by 2‐dimensional profilometery and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Knoop hardness testing was carried out, and detail reproduction was assessed using ADA specification 25 in addition to SEM and 3‐dimensional profilometer studies.

Results Dental stones mixed with chemical disinfectants showed higher average roughness (Ra) values than those of the controls. However, adding gum arabic and calcium hydroxide to the hemihydrate powders before mixing restored values to the level of the control. The additives seemed to have a role in the improvement of surface hardness. There was no significant difference between the experimental and the control group in the terms of detail reproduction.

Conclusions Using SEM, 3‐dimensional profilometry, and ADA testing methods, we found that the surface roughness of stone casts was adversely affected by using the disinfectant solutions as mixing water substitutes. Gum arabic and calcium hydroxide additives can yield a harder stone surface without compromising other surface properties.
The influence of plasticizer loss on the viscoelasticity of temporary soft liners
Authors: Aloul Raed K. , Shen Chiayi
Published: August 2004

Purpose This study examined the changes in mechanical properties of temporary soft liners introduced by the differential loss of alcohol and plasticizer in different storage media.

Materials and Methods Four brands of temporary soft liners were used to prepare 128 specimens on Lucite LS substrates. Each group of specimens was stored in a different medium (air, 10% ethanol, water, and artificial saliva), selected to affect the levels of plasticizer and alcohol over time. Data on weight changes, plasticizer leaching, and recovery rate were recorded at the following intervals: baseline, 2, 7, 14, 28, 56, and 176 days. The storage media were periodically renewed except during the drying stage between day 56 and 176. Two‐way analysis of variance and Duncan multiple‐range tests were performed.

Results Plasticizer leaching occurs at higher levels in artificial saliva than in other storage media (P <.0001). The mean recovery rates exhibited a statistically significant increase (indicating reduced viscoelasticity) in more of the artificial saliva specimens than in all other test groups (P <.0001). Comparatively, the rates of recovery were lower in the 10% ethanol storage medium (except Lynal) with a statistically significant difference attained with the higher air‐stored specimens in Tempo and Coe‐Comfort (P <.0001). During the drying phase, weight changes in the 10% ethanol group were higher than those in the other storage media.

Conclusions The study supports the contention that alcohol may have been retained in the 10% ethanol group in a manner that extended the viscoelasticity of the material. The roles of alcohol and plasticizer content in the mechanical properties of temporary soft liners depend on the type of temporary soft liners and on the nature/duration of service desired. Storing dentures lined with tissue conditioners under dry conditions and those lined with true soft‐liners in an ethanol humidor may be justified to extend serviceability by minimizing the loss of the component most relevant to viscoelasticity.
In vitro wear assessment of titanium alloy teeth
Authors: Ohkubo Chikahiro , Shimura Ichiro , Aoki Takayuki , Hanatani Shigeru , Hosoi Toshio , Okabe Toru
Published: August 2004

Purpose Wear of commercially pure (CP) titanium prosthetic teeth has frequently been observed. The greatest wear has been found when the same grades of CP titanium are used for both maxillary and mandibular teeth. This study examined the wear behavior of teeth made with cast titanium alloy and compared these results with those for CP titanium and gold alloy teeth.

Materials and Methods All tooth specimens were cast with grade 3 α titanium, 3 metastable β alloys [Ti‐15Mo‐2.8Nb‐0.2Si (Timetal 21 SRx), Ti‐13Nb‐13Zr, and Ti‐15V‐3Cr‐3Sn‐3Al], and 2 α+β alloys (Ti‐6Al‐7Nb and Ti‐6Al‐4V). As a control, Type IV gold alloy was also cast conventionally. All teeth (both maxillary and mandibular) were secured in an in vitro 2‐body wear testing apparatus that simulated chewing function (60 strokes/min; grinding distance, 2 mm under flowing water). Wear resistance was assessed as volume loss (mm3) at 5 kgf (grinding force) after 50,000 strokes. The results (n= 5) were analyzed using analysis of variance or Fisher's exact test (α= 0.05).

Results Of the titanium teeth, the wear of 2 of the metastable β alloys (Timetal 21 SRx and Ti‐15V‐3Cr‐3Sn‐3Al) was found to be significantly (p <0.05) higher than that of CP titanium and the 2 α+β alloys. The Type IV gold alloy exhibited better wear resistance than all of the titanium teeth tested. No correlation was found between wear loss and hardness among all the metals tested.

Conclusions Among the titanium teeth examined, the α+β alloys exhibited significantly less wear than the other types of titanium. The dental casting gold alloy tested exhibited the best wear resistance among all of the metals tested.
An evaluation of the viscoelastic characteristics of soft denture liners
Authors: Tamura Fumiyo , Suzuki Shiro , Mukai Yoshiharu
Published: August 2004

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the viscoelastic characteristics of a group of soft denture liners by means of a creep test.

Materials and Methods The materials evaluated included a silicone rubber base direct liner (Sofreliner MS), a polyolefin base indirect liner (Molteno S), and a conventional tissue conditioner (Coe Soft) as a control. Cylindrical specimens of each material were fabricated using a metal mold. Half of the specimens were subjected to mechanical fatigue with a 75‐N load at 1.2 Hz for 200,000 cycles. The creep test was performed on each material and condition with and without a fatigue test using low‐load conditions to achieve a 10% strain on all specimens. Viscosity and elasticity were measured, and the data were statistically analyzed using 1‐way analysis of variance and Fisher's Protected Least Significant Difference (PLSD) test (p < 0.05).

Results The silicone rubber direct liner (1.31 ± 2.1 MPa) exhibited a similar mean elastic property as the conventional tissue conditioner (0.90 ± 0.22 MPa) and an intermediate viscosity between the conventional tissue conditioner (0.11 ± 0.01 GPa · s) and polyolefin base indirect liner (9.84 ± 1.08 GPa · s). The elasticity did not change for polyolefin and silicone rubber after the fatigue process. Significant differences in the viscosity of silicone rubber were seen with and without fatigue testing (p≤ 0.05).

Conclusions The silicone rubber was as soft as the tissue conditioner and softer than the polyolefin liner. The stiffer the material, the lower the permanent deformation observed.
Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems: I. Cohesion and Adaptability Dimensions, Family Types, and Clinical Applications
Authors: OLSON DAVID H. , SPRENKLE DOUGLAS H. , RUSSELL CANDYCE S.
Published: August 2004

The conceptual clustering of numerous concepts from family therapy and other social science fields reveals two significant dimensions of family behavior, cohesion and adaptability. These two dimensions are placed into a circumplex model that is used to identify 16 types of marital and family systems. The model proposes that a balanced level of both cohesion and adaptability is the most functional to marital and family development. It postulates the need for a balance on the cohesion dimension between too much closeness (which leads to enmeshed systems) and too little closeness (which leads to disengaged systems). There also needs to be a balance on the adaptability dimension between too much change (which leads to chaotic systems) and too little change (which leads to rigid systems). The model was developed as a tool for clinical diagnosis and for specifying treatment goals with couples and families.
Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems: III. Empirical Evaluation With Families
Authors: Russel Candyce S.
Published: August 2004

This study was designed to test the circumplex model of family systems that hypothesizes moderate family cohesion and moderate adaptability to be more functional than either extreme. Thirty‐one Catholic family triads with daughters ranging in age from 14 to 17 years participated in a structured family interaction game (SIMFAM) and filled out questionnaires that measured the variables of cohesion and adaptability and the facilitative variables of support and creativity. All families were considered normal but were subdivided into those that had more and less difficulty with this adolescent. Analysis of the data yielded considerable support for the circumplex model. High family functioning was associated with moderate family cohesion and adaptability, and low family functioning had extreme scores on these dimensions. As predicted, high family support and creativity were also related to high family functioning. Implications of these findings for family therapy are discussed.
Task Effects In Family Interaction
Authors: ZUCKERMAN EDWARD , JACOB THEODORE
Published: August 2004

The effect of different experimental tasks on emergent patterns of family activity, conflict, and influence was assessed by means of multivariate analysis procedures on a sample of 30 family triads. Although a task effect did emerge for the family activity measure, the overall pattern of findings indicates marked consistency in family interaction across the three experimental tasks. Findings are discussed in terms of methodological and theoretical explanations that could account for obtained results.
Marital Conflict and Marital Intimacy: An Integrative Psychodynamic‐Behavioral‐Systemic Model
Authors: FELDMAN LARRY B.
Published: August 2004

A conceptual model of some of the intrapsychic and interpersonal forces that stimulate and maintain repetitive, nonproductive marital conflict behavior is presented. In this model, concepts derived from psychoanalytic and social‐learning theory are integrated within a family systems framework. Implications for conjoint therapy with conflictual couples are discussed.
Ecosystemic Epistemology: An Alternative Paradigm for Diagnosis
Authors: KEENEY BRADFORD P.
Published: August 2004

An alternative paradigm for diagnosis based on cybernetics, ecology, and systems theory is proposed. This paradigm, termed “ecosystemic epistemology,” suggests that diagnosis focus on knowing problematic situations in an ecological and systemic way. Theoretical statements concerning this approach are delineated with specific references to major family therapists. This discussion provides a foundation for an ecosystemic epistemology for diagnosis that addresses the following issues: (a) the meaning of system; (b) the symptom's presence in the system; (c) the therapist's presence in the system; (d) the ecological relationship system that emerges in diagnosis; and (e) the relation between ecosystemic epistemology and the process of diagnosis. In effect, this paper attempts to formally describe the underlying epistemology inherent in the work of therapists who approach diagnosis in an ecological and systemic way.
Family Awareness for Nonclinicians: Participation in a Simulated Family as a Teaching Technique
Authors: WEINGARTEN KATHY
Published: August 2004

This paper describes a course in family theory geared to “well” family members that combines didactic and experiential teaching techniques. A key feature of the course is that students participate in a simulated family for twelve weeks. Family therapists are skilled at using techniques that powerfully dramatize family process; they can provide a needed and useful service to the community by teaching the dynamics of families functioning to people who have a personal or professional interest in learning more about families.
An Empirical Comparison of Natural‐Father and Stepfather Family Systems
Authors: PERKINS TERRY F. , KAHAN JAMES P.
Published: August 2004

This study examined the family system differences between 40 volunteer natural‐father and stepfather families. Family triads consisting of the husband, the wife, and a child whose age ranged from 12 to 15 years were studied. Four instruments were used: (a) the Family Concept Q‐Sort; (b) a Semantic Differential; (c) a demographic questionnaire; and (d) an interaction‐reaction questionnaire. Analyses of variance on the data obtained from the Q‐sorts and the Semantic Differentials indicated that stepfather family systems are different from natural‐father family systems along several salient dimensions including psychological adjustment, satisfaction with family, reciprocal understanding, and perceived goodness and potency. It was concluded that the differences between the family systems in terms of their interpersonal relations and perceptions affect the entire stepparent family system and its ability to function adequately.
An Annotated Bibliography of the Remarried, the Living Together, and Their Children
Authors: WALKER LIBBY , BROWN HOLLY , CROHN HELEN , RODSTEIN EVELYN , ZEISEL ELLIOT , SAGER CLIFFORD J.
Published: August 2004

This bibliography was developed by the Remarried Consultation Center of the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services of New York City for our own use. Because there is a growing interest in remarriage and the new types of families this social phenomenon creates, we became convinced that the meager number of articles and books in this area would be of interest to others.

We have focused our attention on the now common phenomenon of the remarried and those living together in a committed relationship situation. Some articles that were not designed as studies of remarriage situations are included because their content is pertinent to our subject.

The bibliography is divided into six sections to facilitate reference use. It should be noted, however, that these sections are not rigid and that some items could readily have been included under two or more sections.

Articles included cover publication dates through April 1978. The six sections are: L Demography; II. Remarried Couples; III. Stepparents and Stepchildren; IV. Divorce as a Precursor to Remarriage; V. Children of Divorce in Relation to Remarriage; VI. Remarriage — Prophylactic and Therapeutic Aspects. Unfortunately we did not find sufficient material to warrant a section on theoretical aspects.

We have tried to make this bibliography as complete as possible using two computer retrieval systems as well as our own search of the literature. If you are familiar with references we have missed, we should appreciate hearing from you.
Training in Family Therapy: Perceptual, Conceptual and Executive Skills
Authors: TOMM KARL M. , WRIGHT LORRAINE M.
Published: August 2004

This paper presents a comprehensive and detailed outline of family therapy skills to aid in providing a more precise focus in the training of clinicians in family therapy. The skills are based on an integrated treatment model within a systems framework. Four major functions performed by a family therapist are separated and are further differentiated into general therapeutic competencies. Specific perceptual, conceptual, and executive skills are described in the form of instructional objectives and are listed under each competency. Occasional clarifying notes or examples are cited along with particular skills. Clinicians and trainees should find this outline a useful guide in skill development.
Family Treatment Approaches to Drug Abuse Problems: A Review
Authors: DUNCAN STANTON M.
Published: August 2004

This review covers the literature that has emerged specifically on the family treatment of drug abuse problems. Following a brief discussion of patterns and structures prevalent in drug‐abusing families, 68 different studies or programs (discussed in 74 papers) are compared as to their techniques and results. These are categorized within the following modalities: marital treatment, group treatment for parents, concurrent parent and identified patient treatment, treatment with individual families (both inpatient and outpatient), sibling‐oriented treatment, multiple family therapy, and social network therapy. A table presents the various studies, along with the types of results they provide. Outcomes are contrasted for the 14 studies that quantified their results. The final section presents implications for the following areas: treatment activities (clarification of technique, family recruitment, direction and effectiveness of treatment, confidentiality, and treatment delivery systems), training, prevention, and future research (outcome, technique and responsibility). It is concluded that family treatment for drug abuse is gaining widespread acceptance and shows considerable promise for dealing effectively with problems of this type.
A Family‐Oriented Psychiatric Inpatient Unit
Authors: HARBIN HENRY T.
Published: August 2004

This article presents the structure and policies of a psychiatric inpatient unit that was developed with the goal of fully integrating family‐oriented treatment approaches into its therapeutic program. There is an explanation of different methods to involve families in the hospital treatment process and delineation of a variety of treatment techniques specific for families of inpatients. The role of the nursing staff is described as well as some of the contradictions and paradoxes that are inherent in this type of inpatient unit.
Structural and Strategic Approaches to Psychosomatic Families
Authors: White Michael
Published: August 2004

Patterns of relatedness characteristic of psychosomatic families are discussed. A step‐wise intervention procedure based on structural and strategic approaches is presented. The goals of the procedure are to establish symptomatic relief and modify concurrently the patterns of relatedness. The procedure is applied to a sample of families in which a child presents with psychogenic abdominal pain. This paper is intended as a detailed and practical guide to working with such families; a degree of generalization is possible, as well.
Family Therapy as a Treatment for Children: A Critical Review of Outcome Research
Authors: MASTEN ANN S.
Published: August 2004

The value of family therapy as a treatment for child psychopathology is considered by reviewing pertinent outcome research. Fourteen studies that met three criteria are included in the review: (a) a child or adolescent was the identified patient or referral; (b) therapy included at least one parent and the child; and (c) outcome was evaluated in terms of the child's symptoms. There are major shortcomings in most of the available data, with only two well‐controlled studies. Some empirical evidence does exist that family therapy is an effective treatment for children; the data from studies of adolescents are especially encouraging. However, insufficient data are available for comparing the relative merits of conjoint family treatment and individual child therapy. If the value of family therapy as a treatment alternative or, ideally, as the “treatment of choice” for a referred individual child is to be established, more and better controlled comparative outcome studies will be necessary. Suggestions for future research are presented emphasizing the need for a developmental perspective by recommending, for example, the use of factorial designs in which the interaction of treatment and age can be analyzed.
The Home Observation Assessment Method (HOAM): Real‐Time Naturalistic Observation of Families in Their Homes
Authors: STEINGLASS PETER
Published: August 2004

The Home Observation Assessment Method (HOAM) is a new method developed to carry out objective coding of family interaction over extended time periods in a home setting. It is a computer‐compatible coding system that permits on‐line data reduction of interactional variables emphasizing contextual and structural dimensions of family behavior.

To date, the HOAM has been applied to the study of 31 families observed for a total of over 250 sessions. Initial analysis of data from these sessions indicates that coder reliability is high and that the HOAM successfully measures dimensions of family behavior independent of architectural aspects of the home setting. Preliminary findings also indicate that although families differ dramatically along the interactional dimensions measured by the HOAM, all families studied spent remarkably little time in decision‐making behavior, suggesting that behavior in the home is predominantly “maintenance‐oriented.”
Migration and Family Conflict
Authors: SLUZKI CARLOS E.
Published: August 2004

The stages of the process of migration are described, with the implications of each for family conflict and appropriate therapeutic intervention.
Selection Criteria for Family Therapy
Authors: Clarkin John F. , Frances Allen J. , Moodie James L.
Published: August 2004

The patient selection criteria for most modalities of psychotherapy have not yet been clearly articulated. This paper presents a decision‐tree model outlining the factors that incline a clinician to perform a family evaluation, then to decide upon family treatment instead of another form of therapy, and finally to settle upon the particular duration and intensity of family treatment. We have compiled screening criteria, based on research and clinical opinion, to be applied in the utilization review of the decisions made at each of these steps. This method can be used to evaluate the appropriateness of care and to render decision‐making explicit and accountable; it may also have considerable value in training and research.
Egocentrism and Inefficiency in the Communication of Families Containing Schizophrenic Members
Authors: MOSSIGE SVEIN , PETTERSEN RITA BAST , BLAKAR ROLV MIKKEL
Published: August 2004

Conceptual and methodological shortcomings of research on family and inter‐actional psychopathology are owing mainly to the use of vague and ill‐defined concepts of communication. Based on a theory of language use and communication within general social and cognitive psychology (e.g., Heider, Mead, Piaget, Rommetveit) Blakar has outlined a methodology by which interaction is analyzed in terms of how and to what extent the participants (families) manage or fail to cope with the various prerequisites for successful communication under varying situational conditions. A study illustrating this program is presented: The interaction of twelve families, six with (Group S) and six without (Group N) a schizophrenic member, is analyzed in Blakar's communication conflict situation with respect to the members' ability to decenter and take the perspective of each other. Group S proved significantly more egocentric, their egocentric attitudes resulting, as would be expected, in very inefficient communication. Moreover, Group S were not able to adapt their pattern of communication to the changing situational requirements. Finally, the subtle interplay between the capacities and behavior of the individual members and the family system is illustrated: the egocentrism of the members resulted in “closed systems,” and the closed systems hindered adequate feedback, forcing the members to decenter.
The Relative Value of Empirical Evidence
Authors: COLAPINTO JORGE
Published: August 2004

Arguments between adherents of different therapeutic models are often based on the assumption that empirical evidence is ultimately the judge of the merits of the respective approaches. The gathering of empirical evidence, however, is programmed by epistemological premises that in turn are not tested by “objective” demonstration but rather by their congruence with prevailing sociocultural values. The epistemological premises behind individual‐ and systems‐oriented models are incompatible, and respectively congruent with currently coexistent and opposite sociocultural values. Adherence to a particular model is thus based on epistemological‐axiological positions rather than neutral objective evaluation.
Direct Open Supervision: A Team Approach
Authors: OLSON ULF‐JOHAN , PEGG P. F.
Published: August 2004

Created in the absence of one‐way mirror facilities, Direct Open Supervision combines elements of live supervision with team participation in training family therapists. The theory and application of this approach to direct supervision are described.
Using Systems Theory to Organize Confusion
Authors: TAYLOR WILLIAM R.
Published: August 2004

This paper represents an initial step in applying to complex clinical situations the symbolic logic developed by G. Spencer Brown and elaborated by Francisco Varela. This way of modeling turns out to yield an interesting mixture of rigidity, ambiguity, and paradox, perhaps inevitable at our present level of understanding of systems containing feedback. Applying the Brown‐Varela concepts seems a useful transitional step toward the future use of more sophisticated quantitative models such as those of Powers and Forrester.
Hypothesizing — Circularity — Neutrality: Three Guidelines for the Conductor of the Session
Authors: Selvini Mara Palazzoli , Boscolo Luigi , Cecchin Gianfranco , Prata Giuliana
Published: August 2004

This paper presents the results of our research focused on individuating and elaborating principles and methods that we have found highly productive in interviewing the family. We have synthesized these principles under the headings Hypothesizing, Circularity, and Neutrality, giving conceptual definitions, descriptions, and practical examples of their application. Our purpose is to aid the therapist in stimulating the family to produce meaningful information, which is indispensable to the therapist in making a therapeutic choice.
Analysis of a Paradoxical Logic: A Case Study
Authors: HARRIS LINDA
Published: August 2004

A case study of a normally functioning married couple was conducted to investigate the relation between their logic and their communication patterns. Two communication theories, the Interactional View and the Coordinated Management of Meaning, were employed in an analysis of the couple's logic and communication. A triangulated methodology, consisting of interviews, written self‐reports, and role‐playing, was used to elicit the couple's constitutive and regulative rules. The discovery of paradoxical rules led to several propositions concerning the circular relation between communication and socially created realities. Specifically, the analysis revealed paradoxical rules associated with restricted episodes in which the couple could not obtain their goal of eliminating conflict.
Case Report: Smuggling Family Therapy Through
Authors: VIARO MAURIZIO
Published: August 2004

Therapists with a family systems orientation are, on occasion, called upon to work in settings where political constraint, cultural patterns or the unchangeable expectations of the clinical population make it impossible to identify the treatment as being directed at the family. Under these circumstances, family therapy concepts and techniques may be employed by smuggling them in under another label. This article describes a setting in which such a strategy was necessary.
The Greek Chorus and Other Techniques of Paradoxical Therapy
Authors: PAPP PEGGY
Published: August 2004

This paper has described some of the interventions developed at the Ackerman Brief Therapy Project in treating the families of symptomatic children. The interventions are based upon a differential diagnosis of the family system and upon an evaluation of that system's resistance to change. They are classified as compliance‐based or defiance‐based, depending upon the family's degree of anxiety, motivation, and resistance. Paradoxical interventions, which are defiance‐based, are used as a clinical tool in dealing with resistance and circumventing the power struggle between therapist and family. A consultation group acting as a Greek chorus underlines the therapist's interventions and comments on the consequences of systemic change. This group is also sometimes used to form a therapeutic triangle among the family, therapist and group, with the therapist and group debating over the family's ability to change.
The Use of Paradox With Children in an Inpatient Treatment Setting
Authors: JESSEE ED , L'ABATE LUCIANO
Published: August 2004

This paper illustrates with case examples the use of paradoxical procedures in a child inpatient treatment center. Indications and contraindications for this type of intervention are discussed.
The Use of Paradox in a Community Home for the Chronically Disturbed and Retarded
Authors: BERGMAN JOEL S.
Published: August 2004

This paper describes the use of paradoxical interventions to change the resistant behaviors of community home residents who were formerly institutionalized in state hospitals and in state schools for the retarded for an average of 27 years. The paradoxical interventions were used following prior therapeutic failures using more traditional behavioral approaches. Seven brief case studies are presented describing the problem, the paradoxical intervention used, reactions to the intervention, follow‐up information, and an explanation of the intervention. Some of the paradoxical interventions used include: prescribing the resistance, symptom, or system; reframing; restraining change; reversals; and rituals. Explanations of these interventions are given based upon general systems theory.
Protection, Paradox, and Pretending
Authors: Madanes Cloë
Published: August 2004

This paper proposes that psychopathology in children can be the result of an incongruity in the hierarchical organization of the family. The parents are in a superior position to the child by the fact of being parents, and yet the problem child assumes a superior position to the parents by protecting them through symptomatic behavior that often expresses metaphorically the parents' difficulties. The paper describes three paradoxical strategies for arranging that the parents solve the presenting problem of the child and the incongruity in the family hierarchy. The therapeutic techniques described are characterized by the use of communication modalities, such as dramatizations, pretending, and make‐believe, that are appropriate to children.
A Typology of Divorcing Couples: Implications for Mediation and the Divorce Process
Authors: KRESSEL KENNETH , JAFFEE NANCY , TUCHMAN BRUCE , WATSON CAROL , DEUTSCH MORTON
Published: August 2004

An experimental mediation procedure for the negotiation of divorce settlement agreements was studied through the intensive analysis of nine completed mediation cases. The audio recordings of mediation sessions and postdivorce interviews with both of the former marital partners provided the material on which the analysis is based. Five additional couples, drawn from a similar population but who used the traditional adversarial system, provided a comparative perspective.

High levels of prenegotiation conflict and nonmutuality of the decision to divorce were negatively related to attitudes toward mediation and behavior during negotiations. The report focuses on four distinctive patterns of divorce decision‐making. The typology is based on three primary dimensions: degree of ambivalence; frequency and openness of communication; and level and overtness of conflict. Couples exhibiting the enmeshed and autistic patterns of divorce were the most difficult for mediators to work with and had the poorest postdivorce adjustment; couples exhibiting the direct and disengaged conflict patterns fared better, both in mediation and in the postdivorce period. The potential importance of intercouple differences for the divorce mediation process and postdivorce adjustment are considered.
Tempests, Teapots (and Research Design): Rejoinder to Stanton and Todd
Authors: WELLS RICHARD A.
Published: August 2004

Four major issues raised in Stanton and Todd's critique are discussed. These comprise: (a) the inclusion criteria of the review; (b) statistical procedures and research design; (c) the alleged bias of the review; and (d) design problems in Stanton and Todd's own study.
The Prevention of Rehospitalization of Adolescents and Young Adults
Authors: MADANES CLOË
Published: August 2004

This paper presents a family‐oriented therapy approach for the prevention of rehospitalization of adolescents and young adults with diverse diagnoses. The dilemma of the family is presented in terms of the incongruities evident in the organizational hierarchy of these families. The main premise is that if the hierarchy is corrected so that the parents are jointly in charge of the youth and the extended kin cooperate, rehospitalization can be prevented. A therapeutic strategy is presented with the emphasis on overcoming the family's attempt to avoid a hierarchy in which the parents are in charge of the family.
Family Psychiatric Ward Treatment in India
Authors: BHATTI RANBIR S. , JANAKIRAMAIAH N. , CHANNABASAVANNA S. M.
Published: August 2004

The evolution of family psychiatric ward treatment is reviewed with special reference to the developments at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, India. The set‐up and philosophy of the Family Psychiatric Center are highlighted. Case reports are included.

The effects of the patient's preference to be accompanied by a particular relative during family ward treatment was studied. The patient's preference for a particular relative was determined by means of a questionnaire. It was found that staying with the preferred relative was associated with a shorter stay and also that different preferred relatives had a differential effect on the duration of the hospital stay of the patient.
A Life History Model of the Alcoholic Family
Authors: STEINGLASS PETER
Published: August 2004

Research and clinical interest in the alcoholic family has tended to outpace the development of family‐oriented conceptual models of alcoholism. A family development perspective has been almost totally absent, despite the chronic, longitudinal nature of alcoholism.

A life history model is proposed that uses the concepts of the “alcoholic system,” family homeostasis, and the “family alcohol phase” as its building blocks. Chronic alcoholism tends to produce distortions in the normative family life cycle. These distortions and their clinical implications are discussed, using four case histories as illustrations of the concepts proposed.

The model is also examined in the light of current research findings about the alcoholic family.
Aikido: A Model for Brief Strategic Therapy
Authors: SAPOSNEK DONALD T.
Published: August 2004

Building on Watzlawick's observations of certain similarities between judo and brief strategic therapy, this paper develops theoretic and pragmatic parallels between brief strategic therapy and a sophisticated martial art system, Aikido. After presenting the contextual similarities of the two conceptual systems as parallel “challenges” to the therapist and Aikidoist to effect change, the similarities in basic principles of practice are presented. The similarities in the philosophical and attitudinal positions of these conceptual systems are then delineated, followed by a case example that integrates the various concepts in the paper.
Folie à Famille: A Family Therapist's Perspective
Authors: WIKLER LYNN
Published: August 2004

Over the last century there have been reports in the psychiatric journals of an unusual disorder, folie ä famille, yet the syndrome has been neglected by family theorists. In this paper the literature on delusions shared by families is examined from the perspective of a family therapist. The role the disorder plays in defining the continuum of functional/dysfunctional shared familial beliefs is described, and a case example demonstrating that folie ä famille may be underreported is presented.
Statistical Significance Versus Theoretical Clarification: A Comment on the Doane‐Jacob and Grounds Dispute
Authors: BLAKAR ROLV MIKKEL
Published: August 2004

The fundamental deficiency in interactional research has been the lack of definition in the concept of communication rather than the lack of empirical data. An attempt at theoretical clarification was made by Sølvberg and Blakar's experimental manipulation of a communication task presented to parental couples with and without a schizophrenic offspring (28).
Family Secrets:
Authors: KARPEL MARK A.
Published: August 2004

Family secrets are examined in a two‐part article. Part I explores the dynamics of secrets in the relational context. Terminology is proposed for different types of family secrets as well as for different roles within the relational context. Guidelines for identifying family secrets are presented, and typical patterns accompanying or underlying secrets are explored. Different stances toward secrets are discussed, with particular emphasis on ethical issues. Finally, individual and relational consequences of secrets are proposed. Part II extends this discussion to the management of family secrets in marital and family therapy. Ethical and strategic dilemmas facing the therapist are examined as are consequences of secrets in treatment. A particular therapeutic stance is recommended and illustrated with examples of both reparative and preventive applications.
Popularity or Influence? The Use of Citation Index to Identify Leaders in Family Therapy
Authors: L'ABATE LUCIANO , THAXTON M. LYN
Published: August 2004

Our frequency analysis of most living family therapy theorists using the Social Science Citation Index yielded a definite increase in frequencies over the last ten years and considerable differences in frequencies among various theorists.
A Single Intervention: A Visit to the Family
Authors: ZWERLING ISRAEL
Published: August 2004

The following letter is reported unchanged except for disguised names. Concern with repairing disrupted relationships of adult members of a family with their own parents has been a matter of growing interest to a number of family therapists; Bowen (1), Boszormenyi‐Nagy (2), and Framo (3), among others have stressed the importance of sending family members back to their families of origin. This report makes no effort to formulate the process in any particular theoretical framework (i.e., as reestablishing connectedness after an “emotional cut‐off” or rebalancing a ledger of fairness, or whatever) but is intended only to illustrate the kind of outcome one may hope for in prescribing such a maneuver. It is offered simply as a clinical note.

The letter needs little prefatory explication. Mr. Jack Newburgher had been a patient in psychoanalytic treatment for four years, with a quite successful outcome. On two occasions in the course of his therapy a joint session had been held with Mr. Newburgher and his wife, Muriel, when changes in his behavior had precipitated crises in the marital relationship. His therapy had terminated about two years before the visit referred to in the letter. Mr. Newburgher had called and asked for a joint consultation with Muriel about an acute family problem they were experiencing. Some — not all — of the background material was described, not nearly as coherently as it is reported in Muriel's letter, but in sufficient detail to make it plain that she was in distress about having to withdraw completely from her parents and that their family was in disarray as a consequence of her distress.

The acuteness of the emotional disturbance, against a background of a lifelong adversary relationship between Muriel and her father and a history of ten years of illness on her fathers' part, suggested that the distress was the product of Muriel's anxiety and guilt over a decision to cut herself off completely from her parents. As a consequence, Muriel was urged to visit her family of origin, with the caveat that she might indeed discover them to be malignantly self‐centered people indifferent to their effect on her and her family, but that she would at least have the gratification of having tried. The reference to “speaking French” was to the therapist having suggested that, on the other hand, she might find that her parents expressed their feelings in a different modality from her definitions of how feelings should be expressed, much as though their native tongue were French and she were insisting that they must speak to her in English.
Multi‐Level Couple Therapy: Applying a Metacommunicational Framework of Couple Interactions
Authors: BERNAL GUILLERMO , BAKER JEFFREY
Published: August 2004

Excerpts from a couple therapy case are cited to illustrate the practical significance of a multi‐level framework in understanding couple interactions. The clinical implications of the metacommunicational framework, as a metaphor for examining and understanding relational processes, are discussed. Also, the pragmatics of following “process” at a variety of levels when working with punctuational differences, developing therapy strategies and goals, and measuring the progress of couple therapy are discussed.
The Vulnerability Cycle: Working With Impasses in Couple Therapy
Authors: Scheinkman Michele , DeKoven Fishbane Mona
Published: August 2004

In this article, we propose the vulnerability cycle as a construct for understanding and working with couples' impasses. We expand the interactional concept of couples' reciprocal patterns to include behavioral and subjective dimensions, and articulate specific processes that trigger and maintain couples' entanglements. We consider the vulnerability cycle as a nexus of integration in which “vulnerabilities” and “survival positions” are key ideas that bring together interactional, sociocultural, intrapsychic, and intergenerational levels of meaning and process. The vulnerability cycle diagram is presented as a tool for organizing information. We suggest a therapeutic approach for deconstructing couples' impasses and facilitating new patterns through deliberate modes of questioning, a freeze‐frame technique, stimulation of calmness and reflection, separating present from past, and elicitation of alternative meanings, behaviors, empathy, and choice. This approach encourages the therapist and couple to work collaboratively in promoting change and resilience.
Daily Marital Interactions and Positive Affect During Marital Conflict Among Newlywed Couples
Authors: Driver Janice L. , Gottman John M.
Published: August 2004

The mundane and often fleeting moments that a couple experiences in their everyday lives may contribute to the health or deterioration of a relationship by serving as a foundation to major couple events such as conflict discussions and caring days. This study examines the role of playfulness and enthusiasm in everyday life to the use of humor and affection during conflict. Using observational methods, we studied 49 newlywed couples in a 10‐minute dinnertime interaction and in a 15‐minute conflict discussion. The conflict discussion was coded using the Specific Affect Coding System (SPAFF; Gottman, Coan, & McCoy, 1996), and a new observational system was developed to capture dinnertime interactions in a seminatural setting. We analyzed the data using path analysis and found a stronger path model when the direction of correlation moved from daily moments to the conflict discussion. These findings provide preliminary support for the importance of daily moments in couple relationships, but this research was strictly observational and therefore correlational, so further research is necessary to determine direction of causation.
Observing Attachment Behavior in Couples: The Adult Attachment Behavior Q‐Set (AABQ)
Authors: Wampler Karen S. , Riggs Bruce , Kimball Thomas G.
Published: August 2004

Knowledge as to how attachment behavior is observable in couple interaction can be very useful to clinicians who use attachment theory or related theories to guide their work with couples. The development of the Adult Attachment Behavior Q‐Set (AABQ), a 100‐item Q‐sort designed to be consistent with Main's Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) coding system, is described. Videotaped discussions were coded for a sample of 28 couples. The majority of the couples were married and had sought therapy for couple problems. Reliability of coding was adequate. Evidence for validity was promising, with a match of 84% between the AAI and AABQ for secure versus insecure, and 70% for the three categories of secure, dismissing, and preoccupied. Even though additional reliability and validity information are needed for the AABQ, it holds promise for providing insights into couple dynamics that could be useful in guiding interventions and in evaluating the outcome of couple therapy.
Tortured Families: A Coordinated Management of Meaning Analysis
Authors: Montgomery Edith
Published: August 2004

Torture is known to affect both the individual and the family. The aim of the present study was to reach a better understanding of the significance of communication and information about parental exposure to violence in torture‐surviving families. The theoretical background is Social Constructionism and Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM). In‐depth interviews were carried out with 14 members of 3 Middle Eastern refugee families living in Denmark in which the father had been exposed to torture. The 3 families experienced their life stories and situations as refugees in very different ways, ranging from meaninglessness, discontinuance, and alienation to a sense of community, solidarity, and openness. Communications about past events were related to such meaning‐providing contexts. The way in which parents talk with their children about torture and organized violence can be understood in terms of “stories told” and “stories lived.” When stories told (e.g., the experience of torture and organized violence) are in contradiction to stories lived, a situation of ambiguity and uncertainty is created. The meaning‐providing contexts for making sense of the family history of violence and exile can be more or less coherent or contradictory, and might result in a strengthened relationship or confusion, powerlessness, and action paralysis. Clinicians can help traumatized families deal with their past histories of violence by paying attention to such ambiguities and contradictions.
Family of Origin as a Supervisory Consultative Resource
Authors: Haber Russell , Hawley Lita
Published: August 2004

This article describes the rationale and methodology of a supervisory approach that recruits family‐of‐origin members as resources to help resolve professional dilemmas. We have found that professional impasses resonate with family‐of‐origin themes. As supervisory consultants, family‐of‐origin members have access to family stories, rules, myths, and resources that can provide new messages for a more differentiated use of self in the clinical setting. The standard format of this family supervisory consultation is separated in three phases. First, the supervisor discusses and explores the nature of the supervisee's professional dilemma (i.e., difficulty with angry clients). Second, the supervisor explores the evolution of this same theme through the historical and personal stories of the family‐of‐origin members. Third, the supervisee anonymously presents a specific case that exemplifies this theme. The supervisor, along with consultation from the family, focuses on the development of a more flexible use of self in the therapeutic system. Thus, the session begins and ends with the professional development of the supervisee. However, there is personal sharing during the second phase, so there are sections that address developmental, supervisory, and ethical considerations. Even though the goal of this meeting is to promote professional growth, personal and family changes are common by‐products. Four supervisory anecdotes illustrate this approach to supervision.