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Mixed-gender couples presenting for couple therapy are at 2-3 times higher risk for physical intimate partner violence (IPV) than community couples. However, it is unclear if this elevation of relative risk is the same in the general population because relationship distress and treatment-seeking are often confounded. We used archival data from three representative U.S. civilian samples and one representative U.S. Air Force sample to test the hypothesis that clinically significant relationship distress is associated with increased risk of various forms of IPV. In these community samples, those in mixed-gender distressed relationships were at 2-3 times higher risk than those in nondistressed relationships for any physical IPV during the past year and at 3-6 times higher risk for clinically significant psychological and physical IPV during the past year. Given that the increase in IPV risk is similar for individuals in distressed community relationships and therapy-seeking relationships, the prior findings of the elevated rates of IPV in clinical samples are unlikely to be due to therapy-seeking. Although epidemiological risk involves statistical, not causal, associations, the increased co-occurrence of IPV in distressed mixed-gender couples fits with numerous theories of IPV and has implications for both screening and future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Individuals from different Spanish-speaking countries are often combined into a single Latino group. However, this group is diverse, with immigrants and naturalized citizens coming from multiple countries. The present study was conducted to (a) examine potential differences in the annual prevalence of extramarital sex as a function of cultural group (Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, or other Latino) and nativity (born inside or outside the United States) and (b) identify explanations for any observed differences in the prevalence of extramarital sex, drawing on known correlates of extramarital sex and other psychosocial constructs that may be associated with cultural group or nativity that could account for such associations. Results from the National Latino and Asian American Study, a probability sample of Latinos in the United States, indicated that the annual prevalence of extramarital sex was significantly higher among (a) Puerto Ricans relative to Mexicans and (b) foreign-born individuals relative to those born in the United States. Probability of extramarital sex was significantly associated with marital satisfaction and frequency of religious attendance, but these variables did not account for the subgroup differences in the prevalence of extramarital sex. Marital adjustment, acculturation (English proficiency and use), enculturation (ethnic identity), and family cohesion were not significantly associated with probability of extramarital sex. Results underscore the need for continued research on understanding subgroup differences in the prevalence of extramarital sex within the diverse Latino community and identifying characteristics that account for such differences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

OBJECTIVE Prior research has found a positive association between the quality or adjustment of an individual's intimate relationship, such as marriage, and their physical health. However, it is possible that this association may be due, at least in part, to confounding variables (i.e., variables that are causally associated both with relationship adjustment and health and could account for their covariation), including genetically influenced confounds. This study was conducted using a genetically informative sample of twins to examine the association between intimate relationship adjustment and self-rated health, accounting for unmeasured genetic and environmental confounds. METHOD A Swedish sample of 539 monozygotic and dizygotic twins (321 male twin pairs and 218 female twin pairs) and their spouse or long-term partner completed self-report measures of relationship adjustment and health. RESULTS Relationship adjustment was positively associated with self-rated health in male and female twins. For male twins, nonshared environmental influences largely accounted for the association between relationship adjustment and health; for female twins, this association was generally explained by shared and nonshared environmental influences. For male twins, results obtained from partners' reports of relationship adjustment were largely consistent with those obtained from twins' reports. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that the association between relationship adjustment and self-rated health remains after accounting for shared genetic influences, and that nonshared environmental influences, such as partners' characteristics, account for the association between relationship adjustment and self-rated health in men. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Research with probability samples of civilians has found that marital distress is associated with incidence of several psychiatric disorders. However, there is little longitudinal research on marital distress and incidence of psychiatric disorders in military personnel. This study examined the prospective association between marital distress and incidence of major depressive episode (MDE), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorder in a probability sample of active-duty soldiers from the U.S. Army (N = 934). Results indicated that among individuals who did not meet diagnostic criteria for the associated disorder at baseline, marital distress at baseline was associated with 30-day incidence of MDE, GAD, and PTSD assessed 5 years later. These results support continued research on the role of marital distress and the onset and course of psychopathology in active-duty military personnel and suggest that couple-based interventions designed to prevent or reduce marital distress may be effective in the prevention and treatment of psychopathology in military personnel. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

OBJECTIVE The present study examined the association between marital satisfaction and all-cause mortality in a large, representative sample of American adults. Gender was evaluated as a potential moderator of this association. METHOD Ratings of marital satisfaction from married adults

Using the most recent nine waves of data from the General Social Survey, which consists of in-person interviews of independent probability samples of the adult household population of the United States, the purposes of this study were to (a) provide descriptive information on adults' attitudes toward extramarital sex, lifetime and annual prevalence of extramarital sex among ever-married adults, and the identity of the extramarital sex partner(s) of currently married adults; (b) evaluate temporal trends in attitudes toward and prevalence of extramarital sex from 2000 to 2016; and (c) test for gender differences in attitudes toward and prevalence of extramarital sex and descriptions of the extramarital partner. The percentages of Americans who reported that extramarital sex was always wrong significantly declined from 2000 to 2016, whereas the percentage who reported it was wrong only sometimes significantly increased. There was a statistically significant linear decline in reported lifetime prevalence of extramarital sex from 2000 (17.8%) to 2016 (16.3%), whereas there was no statistically significant change in reported annual prevalence of extramarital sex (3.0%). People most commonly reported having extramarital sex with a close personal friend (53.5%) or neighbor, coworker, or long-term acquaintance (29.4%). Compared with women, men were (a) less likely to report that extramarital sex was always wrong and more likely to view it as almost always wrong, wrong only sometimes, or not wrong at all; (b) more likely to report past-year and lifetime extramarital sex; and (c) more likely to report extramarital sex with someone they knew casually. (PsycINFO Database Record

The current study investigated whether trait anxiety was systematically related to task-set shifting performance, using a task-switching paradigm in which 1 task was more attentionally demanding than the other. Specifically, taking advantage of a well-established phenomenon known as asymmetric switch costs, we tested the hypothesis that the association between trait anxiety and task-set shifting is most clearly observed when individuals must switch away from a more attentionally demanding task for which it was necessary to effortfully establish an appropriate task set. Ninety-one young adults completed an asymmetric switching task and trait-level mood questionnaires. Results indicated that higher levels of trait anxiety were systematically associated with greater asymmetry in reaction time (RT) switch costs. Specifically, the RT costs for switching from the more attentionally demanding task to the less demanding task were significantly greater with higher levels of trait anxiety, whereas the RT costs for switching in the opposite direction were not significantly associated with trait anxiety levels. Further analyses indicated that these associations were not attributable to comorbid dysphoria or worry. These results suggest that levels of trait anxiety may not be related to general set-shifting ability per se, but, rather, that anxiety-specific effects may primarily be restricted to when one must efficiently switch away from (or let go of) an effortfully established task set. (PsycINFO Database Record

Depression and alcohol use disorder (AUD) commonly co-occur, and this comorbidity is associated with greater impairment and higher likelihood of relapse compared to either disorder alone. Identifying shared vulnerability across depression and AUD may aid in developing more parsimonious treatment approaches. Low levels of positive reinforcement for healthy behaviors have been implicated as a shared vulnerability across both depression and AUD. However, prior research in this area has largely been conducted among college students and has rarely examined depression and AUD symptoms together. This study aims to extend prior literature by examining the association between both the frequency and enjoyment of activities and AUD symptoms in a national sample of adults (n = 609) while also accounting for depressive symptoms. Study results indicated that low levels of enjoyment were associated with greater alcohol-related problems and frequency of heavy episodic drinking, above and beyond depressive symptoms. The frequency of potentially pleasurable activities was unrelated to alcohol-related problems or heavy episodic drinking. Findings extend prior literature by providing evidence for the association between enjoyment of activities and alcohol use, above and beyond depressive symptoms, among a national sample of adults. These results suggest that prioritizing enjoyment of activities, rather than frequency, may be important for behavioral intervention efforts to address heavy drinking and associated problems. Future longitudinal research using observational methods of behavior is needed to identify causal relationships between activity enjoyment and AUD symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record

This study was conducted to estimate the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences on the association between three indices of subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect) and positive and negative components of marital adjustment (i.e., spousal support, spousal strain) in a sample of adult married twin pairs (N = 453 pairs). Results indicated that subjective well-being and marital adjustment were significantly associated (particularly in women), that there were gender differences in the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences on this covariation, and that this association was largely influenced by genetic factors in women and genetic and nonshared environmental factors in men. These findings highlight the importance of using genetically informed research to evaluate the genetic and environmental influences on the covariation between marital adjustment and individual outcomes such as subjective well-being.

Prior research has shown that poor relationship quality in marriage and other intimate relationships demonstrates cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with a variety of psychiatric disorders in adults. In comparison, there has been less research on the covariation between relationship quality and psychiatric disorders in adolescents, a developmental period that is associated with elevated risk of incidence of several disorders and that is important for the acquisition and maintenance of intimate relationships. The present study was conducted to examine the associations between intimate relationship involvement, intimate relationship quality, and psychiatric disorders in a population-based sample of adolescents. The associations between relationship involvement, positive and negative relationship quality, and 12-month prevalence of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders were evaluated in adolescents from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement. Participants completed an interview-based assessment of psychiatric disorders and a self-report measure of relationship quality. Results indicated that the prevalence of broad categories of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, and several specific disorders were significantly associated with (a) being married, cohabiting, or involved in a serious relationship; and (b) reporting more negative (but not less positive) relationship quality. For several disorders, the association between the disorder and relationship involvement was moderated by age, wherein the strength of the association decreased in magnitude with increasing age. Findings suggest that being in an intimate relationship and reporting higher levels of negative relationship quality are associated with the prevalence of several common psychiatric disorders in adolescents.

Relationship discord is associated with the severity, onset, and course of depression. Consequently, including the partner of depressed individuals in treatment may be expected to be beneficial in the treatment of depression. In this article, we review the existing research on couple-based interventions for depression, including interventions specifically developed for couples experiencing co-occurring depression and relationship discord, as well as interventions developed for couples who are not necessarily discordant. We also review research on change processes and mediators of outcome, as well as on predictors of outcome. Couple-based interventions have been shown to reduce depression and relationship discord for depressed individuals in discordant relationships, and reduce depression for depressed individuals in nondiscordant relationships. Research has begun to identify the change processes and mediators of couple-based interventions for depression, as well as to identify predictors of treatment outcome, but additional research is needed to better understand how and for whom these treatments are effective.

OBJECTIVE Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a constellation of features--central obesity, dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure, and dysglycemia--that are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and mortality. This longitudinal study was conducted to evaluate whether marital adjustment, which has been shown to predict a variety of health outcomes, increases risk for incidence of MetS. METHODS A population-based English sample of couples (N = 216 couples) completed a self-report measure of marital adjustment at baseline and nurse visits that included collection of blood pressure, blood samples, and anthropometric measures at baseline and 4-year follow-up. Multilevel modeling was used to evaluate the association between both partners' report of baseline marital adjustment and incidence of MetS, controlling for other baseline risk factors (demographics, current and previous smoking status, alcohol use, activity level, depressive symptoms, number of MetS criteria). RESULTS Gender moderated the association between marital adjustment and incidence of MetS. Follow-up analyses indicated that husbands' report of marital adjustment at baseline was significantly associated with incident MetS for wives at follow-up, controlling for baseline risk factors. Marital adjustment was not significantly associated with incident MetS for men. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that MetS may be one mechanism by which poor marital adjustment increases risk for poor health outcomes in women. Improving marital adjustment may help prevent the incidence of MetS and improve health, particularly for women.

The associations between relationship adjustment and symptoms of depression and anxiety were evaluated in a sample of pregnant married or cohabiting women (N = 113) who were at risk for perinatal depression because of a prior history of major depression. Women completed self-report measures of relationship adjustment, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms monthly during pregnancy and for the first six months following the birth of their child. Multilevel modeling was used to examine concurrent and time-lagged within-subjects effects for relationship adjustment and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Results revealed that (a) relationship adjustment was associated with both depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms in concurrent analyses; (b) relationship adjustment was predictive of subsequent anxiety symptoms but not subsequent depressive symptoms in lagged analyses; and (c) depressive symptoms were predictive of subsequent relationship adjustment in lagged analyses with symptoms of depression and anxiety examined simultaneously. These results support the continued investigation into the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between relationship functioning and depressive and anxiety symptoms in women during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Objective This study evaluated the association between loneliness and the metabolic syndrome, which refers to a clustering of factors that have been shown to increase risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and mortality. A secondary purpose was to evaluate whether age moderated the association between loneliness and the metabolic syndrome. Design Participants were 52 to 79 years old, and they were drawn from a population-based survey of people 50 years of age and older living in England (N = 3211). They completed a self-report measure of loneliness and a nurse visit that included collection of blood pressure, blood sample, and anthropometric measures. Main outcome measures Self-reported loneliness and the metabolic syndrome. Results After controlling for demographic variables and smoking status, loneliness was significantly associated with increasing likelihood of meeting criteria for the metabolic syndrome and with the individual criterion of central obesity. The association between loneliness and the metabolic syndrome was not moderated by age. Conclusion Results suggest that loneliness is associated with the metabolic syndrome. Therefore, the metabolic syndrome may be among the pathways by which loneliness increases risk of morbidity and mortality.

Based on recent findings suggesting that marital discord is taxonic (i.e., that couples in discordant relationships differ qualitatively, and not just quantitatively, from couples in nondiscordant relationships), this study was designed to develop a brief screening measure for detecting the relationship discord taxon. A national, representative sample of 1,020 married couples completed the Marital Satisfaction Inventory--Revised. Data from this sample were used to create a 10-item screening measure. Using the cut scores from the original study that found evidence of taxonicity as a point of reference, the 10-item screen demonstrated good diagnostic performance in assessing the relationship discord taxon. Taxon classification based on the brief scale demonstrated good short-term stability. The scale is easily administered and scored, making it appropriate for use in clinical and research settings.

Data from both spouses in a population-based sample of middle-aged and older adults (N = 1,869 couples) were used to evaluate the 2-year prospective association between marital discord and depressive symptoms. Nested path analyses indicated that (a) baseline marital discord predicted one's own depressive symptoms at follow-up, (b) baseline depressive symptoms predicted one's own marital discord at follow-up, (c) baseline depressive symptoms predicted partners' marital discord at follow-up, and (d) there were no gender differences in the magnitudes of the pathways between one's own baseline depressive symptoms and one's own marital discord at follow-up or between one's own baseline marital discord and one's own depressive symptoms at follow-up. These results suggest a bidirectional longitudinal association between marital discord and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults.

Addressing potential weaknesses in an earlier investigation, the authors examined the latent structure of marital discord using 4 product indicators from the Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised (Snyder, 1997) in a representative sample of community couples (N = 1,020). Results from 3 taxometric procedures suggested that marital discord is taxonic, with an estimated base rate of .31. Cut scores for classifying members of this marital discord taxon were identified. Additional analyses with several data sets of community and clinic couples provided evidence that the marital discord taxon classification demonstrated good (a) 6-week test-retest reliability, (b) criterion validity (i.e., differences in taxon prevalence in community vs. clinic couples), and (c) construct validity (i.e., correlations with therapist ratings of relationship quality). These results suggest that discordant couples differ qualitatively and not just quantitatively from nondiscordant couples and that user friendly methods, suitable for a range of research and clinical applications, can be used to identify marital discord.

The associations between marital distress and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) Axis I psychiatric disorders were evaluated in a United States population-based survey of married individuals in which there was no upper age exclusionary criterion (N = 2,213). Marital distress was associated with (a) broad-band classifications of anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders and (b) all narrow-band classifications of specific disorders except for panic disorder, with the strongest associations obtained between marital distress and bipolar disorder, alcohol use disorders, and generalized anxiety disorder. The association between marital distress and major depressive disorder increased in magnitude with increasing age; there was no evidence that the association between marital distress and other psychiatric disorders was moderated by gender or age. Results support continued research on the association between couple functioning and mental health.

The purposes of this study were (a) to estimate the annual prevalence of, and to identify the predictors of, sexual infidelity in a population-based sample of married women (N = 4,884); and (b) to evaluate whether the prevalence and predictors of infidelity varied as a function of whether the assessment of infidelity was based on a face-to-face interview versus a computer-assisted self-interview. Annual prevalence of infidelity was much smaller on the basis of the face-to-face interview (1.08%) than on the computer-assisted self-interview (6.13%). Although many of the predictor variables replicated results from previous studies (e.g., demographic variables, religiosity, sexual experience), findings also indicated that childhood sexual abuse (i.e., forced sex) predicted greater probability of infidelity. Finally, the magnitude of the association with infidelity for 4 of the 9 predictor variables differed between the 2 methods for assessing infidelity. This study's findings underscore the importance of assessing infidelity with methods such as computer-assisted self-interviews that minimize the influence of social desirability and impression management.

Predictors of 12-month prevalence of sexual infidelity were examined in a population-based sample of married individuals (N = 2,291). Predictor variables were organized in terms of involved-partner (e.g., personality, religiosity), marital (e.g., marital dissatisfaction, partner affair), and extradyadic (e.g., parenting) variables. Annual prevalence of infidelity was 2.3%. Controlling for marital dissatisfaction and demographic variables, infidelity was predicted by greater neuroticism and lower religiosity; wives' pregnancy also increased the risk of infidelity for husbands. In comparison, self-esteem and partners' suspected affair were predictive of infidelity when controlling for demographic variables but were not uniquely predictive of infidelity when also controlling for marital dissatisfaction. Religiosity and wives' pregnancy moderated the association between marital dissatisfaction and infidelity.

Although there is a well-documented association between relationship discord and depression, many individuals experience either discord or depression without experiencing the other. To understand this phenomenon, the authors evaluated moderators of the association between relationship discord and major depression among married or cohabiting individuals in the National Comorbidity Survey (N = 2,538; R. C. Kessler et al., 1994). Potential moderators included demographics, personality characteristics, parental depression, and childhood loss. Only one significant moderator was found: There was a stronger association between discord and depression for married people (vs. cohabiters). Among married individuals only, neuroticism also served as a moderator: Individuals higher in neuroticism showed a stronger association between discord and depression. In general, findings suggest that when a person or family presents with one problem (e.g., relationship discord), it is important to evaluate and potentially treat the other problem (e.g., depression) as well.

The prospective association between marital dissatisfaction and alcohol use disorders (abuse and/or dependence) was evaluated in a randomly selected community sample. Married individuals (N = 1,675) from the New Haven Epidemiologic Catchment Area project who did not have a current alcohol use disorder at baseline were followed prospectively for 12 months. Results indicated that baseline marital dissatisfaction was significantly associated with alcohol use disorder diagnosis during follow-up, with dissatisfied spouses being 3.7 times more likely than satisfied spouses to have a diagnosis of current alcohol use disorder at follow-up. The longitudinal association between baseline marital dissatisfaction and current alcohol use disorder diagnosis at follow-up remained significant when controlling for baseline demographic variables and history of alcohol use disorders.

The majority of professional psychologists use homework in clinical practice, at least on occasion. Are there ways of assigning and reviewing homework that contribute to better treatment outcomes? If so, are these strategies being incorporated into clinical practice? To help answer these questions, the authors used data from S. D. Hollon et al.'s (1992) Cognitive-Pharmacotherapy Treatment Project. Trained coders rated aspects of discussions between therapists (delivering cognitive therapy) and clients (N = 24) during the assignment and review of homework. The authors found that better treatment outcome was associated with specific therapist behaviors (i.e., setting concrete goals and discussing barriers to completing the homework), characteristics of the homework task (i.e., using written reminders of the homework), and client involvement in the discussion.

This article is a primer on issues in designing, testing, and interpreting interaction or moderator effects in research on family psychology. The first section focuses on procedures for testing and interpreting simple effects and interactions, as well as common errors in testing moderators (e.g., testing differences among subgroup correlations, omitting components of products, and using median splits). The second section, devoted to difficulties in detecting interactions, covers such topics as statistical power, measurement error, distribution of variables, and mathematical constraints of ordinal interactions. The third section, devoted to design issues, focuses on recommendations such as including reliable measures, enhancing statistical power, and oversampling extreme scores. The topics covered should aid understanding of existing moderator research as well as improve future research on interaction effects.

Using path analysis and hierarchical linear modeling, the authors evaluated the associations between both partners' level of depression and anxiety, as measured by Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) content scales, and both partners' level of marital satisfaction among married couples (N = 774) that participated in the MMPI restandardization study (J. N. Butcher. W. G. Dahlstrom, J. R. Graham, A. Tellegen. & B. Kaemmer, 1989). Results indicated that marital satisfaction was predicted by the person's own level of anxiety and depression (i.e., actor effects) and by his or her spouse's level of depression only (i.e., partner effects). Findings also indicated that (a) there were no significant gender differences in the magnitude of effects, (b) depression effects were significantly stronger than anxiety effects, (c) actor effects were significantly stronger than partner effects, and (d) there were interactions between actor and partner effects for depression only.

There is a growing body of literature linking marital dissatisfaction with the onset, maintenance, and remission of depression, as well as with outcome following treatments of depression. Furthermore, there have been several studies suggesting that couple therapy may be effective in the treatment of depression for dissatisfied partners. However, not all individuals improve following couple therapy, suggesting that there is room for further developments in improving outcome to couple therapy. One possibility is that outcome may be improved by integrating couple therapy with individual therapies and/or antidepressants in the treatment of depression. The advantages of such integrations are outlined, and points and methods of integrating couple therapy with empirically supported individual therapies and antidepressant medications are discussed.

Homework assignments are an integral part of most cognitive therapy treatments for depression. Although investigations of the association between homework adherence and outcome are relatively few in number, recent studies suggest that clients who adhere to homework assignments show greater improvement than those who do not. Following our assessment of the potential impact of homework adherence on outcome, we explore some of the reasons for client nonadherence and attempt to describe characteristics of those individuals who do cany out the assigned work. Given that adherence with homework appears to lead to better outcomes, yet many clients fall to carry out their assignments, we next explore methods for enhancing adherence. Finally, we propose a model of homework adherence and suggest directions for future research.

Randomly selected samples of practicing couple therapists who were members of the American Psychological Association's Division 43 or the Association for Marriage and Family Therapy completed a survey of couple problem areas and therapeutic issues encountered in couple therapy. Therapists rated problem areas in terms of occurrence, treatment difficulty, and damaging impact. A composite of these 3 dimensions suggested that the most important problems were lack of loving feelings, power struggles, communication, extramarital affairs, and unrealistic expectations. Comparison of the findings with therapist ratings obtained by S. K. Geiss and K. D. O'Leary (1981) suggests considerable stability in presenting problems in couple therapy over the past 15 years. Therapist-generated characteristics associated with negative outcome were also identified, the most common being partners' inability or unwillingness to change and lack of commitment.

The psychometric properties of the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ; W.M. Reynolds, 1987) were evaluated in a clinical sample of adolescents ages 13-18 years identified as suicide ideators (n = 67), attempters (n = 88), and psychiatric controls (n = 71). Results indicate that the SIQ is an internally consistent measure of 1 primary dimension of suicidal cognition and that it differentiates between hospitalized suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents and those with and without mood disorders. Critical items indicating specific suicidal cognitions were empirically identified, and a cutoff score of 20 was found to have optimal clinical utility. The SIQ appears to be a sound measure for clinical and research assessment of suicidal cognition in adolescents.

Sixty-eight depressed patients were subdivided according to their family's level of family functioning into functional and dysfunctional groups. Patients from dysfunctional families did not differ from those from functional families on measures of severity of depression, chronicity of depression, de

This article introduces the special series on affective and developmental considerations in couple therapy. Although considerable evidence supports the efficacy of couple therapy, an equally sizable literature documents limits to current strategies for treating relationship distress. One factor limiting couple therapy involves the comorbidity of relationship distress with individual psychopathology, particularly affective disorders. Research also documents important developmental influences on couple functioning and therapy outcome. Articles comprising the special series address conceptual and strategic advances incorporating affective and developmental issues in treating relationship distress in general and specific couple problems in particular.

We introduce the special section on "Genetics and Epigenetics in Family Context." It is noted that family researchers are incorporating genetic factors in their research with increasing frequency. The current special section includes contributions from behavioral genetic, molecular genetic, and epigenetic perspectives, reflecting the diversity of methodologies that are currently being applied to the study of genetic contributions to family processes and outcomes. The special section is both an acknowledgment of the increasing prominence of genetic factors in family models as well as an effort to highlight different approaches and foster greater cross-pollination between approaches.

This study was conducted to identify therapist and client behaviors associated with a positive response to social learning-based behavioral marital therapy. A sample of 32 couples receiving treatment was examined. Immediately after each therapy session, the therapist, husband, and wife independently completed process rating forms that measured therapist and client behaviors during the session. Composite scales, derived from these ratings, were entered into multiple regression equations to examine their relationship with posttherapy marital satisfaction. After controlling for pretherapy marital satisfaction and the other predictor variables, therapists', husbands', and wives' ratings of positive client behavior (i.e., collaboration, active participation, and homework compliance) were positively associated with therapy outcome. Implications for marital therapy and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Reliability and validity data are provided for pre- and posttreatment administrations of a structured interview version of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) integrated with the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS). Ss were 70 adult patients requesting therapy for depression. Results indicate excellent agreement between DIS-HRSD ratings made by graduate students and psychiatrist-administered HRSD ratings. The DIS-HRSD exhibited a pattern of correlation with other scales of depression similar to that of the HRSD, thus supporting the validity of the new scale. Intraclass correlations and concurrent validity estimates obtained from analyzing data separately for pre- and posttest administrations were consistently lower than those obtained from the whole sample, suggesting that methodological shortcomings in prior psychometric studies of the HRSD may have spuriously inflated the obtained results.