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Purpose Intimate partner violence (IPV) impacts the lives of millions, damaging survivors and families. Many survivors are unsure how to get help, and have limited access to resources. In recent years, those affected by IPV have turned online for answers, support, and to share their experiences. This study examined the online dialogue between survivors of violence and those who respond to their posts. Method Data consisted of 451 responses to IPV survivors on the website Reddit in a domestic violence subgroup. Responses were analyzed using a combination of grounded theory coding techniques with content analysis tools to generate categories and subcategories. Results Three main categories emerged from the data, including support, sharing experiences, and sharing information. The subcategories included specific types of help, advice, understanding, and were overwhelmingly positive in their tone and content. Conclusions Findings suggest that online forums may help bridge the gap between survivors and resources. Professionals who work with IPV or create policies can use these findings to understand how to help survivors find support. This may include encouraging survivors to connect with informal supports such as family and friends, or access formal support such as hotlines, therapy, or legal counsel. The findings also suggest that more research is needed to understand what types of questions survivors of violence have, and what outcomes result from online support., Author(s): Jason B. Whiting [sup.1] , Bria Nicole Davies [sup.1] , Brady C. Eisert [sup.1] , Alyssa Banford Witting [sup.1] , Shayne R. Anderson [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.253294.b, 0000 [...]

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of teletherapy compared to in-person couple therapy in outcomes such as couple satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and the therapeutic alliance. Method: Data from 1157 married clients seeking couple therapy were examined. Individual growth curve models were used to analyze changes in the aforementioned outcomes, with teletherapy as a predictor. The study also examined client age and clinic type as moderators. Results: The results indicated that overall, teletherapy is as effective as in-person therapy in improving outcomes. However, there were notable differences in the development of the therapeutic alliance. The alliance improved at twice the rate in in-person therapy as in teletherapy. Clinic type was also found to be a moderator of changes in sexual satisfaction. Clients in group and private practices reported improvements in sexual satisfaction; whereas clients seen in training clinics reported decreases in sexual satisfaction. Conclusion: The study concludes that although teletherapy may be a viable alternative to in-person couple therapy, there are nevertheless differences in the development of the therapeutic alliance that warrant care and further investigation. The setting of the therapy also plays a role in the effectiveness of therapy, although not specific to therapy modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two types of sexual beliefs, growth and destiny, have been found in past research to be differentially associated with sexual and relationship outcomes; however, past research has not explored these beliefs with dyadic data nor considered common intervening variables that might be pathways through which beliefs influence outcomes. Consequently, using the sexual wholeness model, we analyzed how couples' specific sexual beliefs (growth and destiny) influenced their sexual mindfulness, communication, and functioning within their couple relationships and how each of these variables influenced sexual satisfaction and harmonious sexual passion. Using a national sample of dyadic data from 964 sexually active individuals (482 heterosexual couples) who had been in a committed relationship for at least 2 years, we evaluated an actor/partner structural equation model with distinguishable dyads. We found that while sexual growth and destiny beliefs had a significant association with sexual mindfulness, communication, and functioning for both partners, sexual beliefs had no direct association with sexual satisfaction and harmonious sexual passion. Because growth beliefs had strong associations with sexual communication, it may be beneficial to help couples identify their implicit beliefs and encourage the development of sexual growth beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the association between clients' initial outcome expectations and their subsequent perceptions of the expanded therapeutic alliance. Romantic partners (N = 252) who received at least four sessions of systemic couple therapy from thirty‐one therapists from the Marriage and Family Therapy Practice Research Network (Johnson et al., 2017; www.mft‐prn.net) completed an outcome expectation measure before session 1 and a therapeutic alliance measure before session 4. Results showed a strong association between expectations and alliance (r = 0.51). While fourteen per cent of the variability in session 4 alliance scores was uniquely attributable to therapists, 31.6 per cent of the variability in the expectations/alliance association was uniquely attributable to couples, with only 6.1 per cent uniquely attributable to individual clients. Taken together, these results suggest that, while some therapists are better at developing strong alliances, couple and client factors associated with expectations for therapy set the stage for how the expanded alliance develops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Youth disclosure (to parents) is an important factor in assessing parental knowledge and can be defined as the frequency with which adolescents share information about their daily activities. Unfortunately, measurement invariance (across time and reporter) is rarely reported in the literature for measures of youth disclosure, even though it is important to establish at least strong invariance before proceeding to further analyses where means are compared. Measurement invariance was examined across three time points (child ages 11, 14, and 17) and across reporter (youth report of disclosure to mother/father, maternal/paternal report of youth disclosure) for one of the primary measures of youth disclosure. The sample consisted of 335 families (youth, mother, father) from an urban center in the northwestern United States, with adolescent respondents being a primarily European American, middle-income sample of approximately equal numbers of boys and girls (51.6% female). Structural equation modeling was utilized to verify weak, strong and strict measurement invariance. Strong invariance was demonstrated in several instances across two time points (e.g., ages 11 and 14) but there was no evidence of strong invariance across the three time points, regardless of reporter. Implications for youth disclosure theory and construct development are discussed. Highlights: Measurement invariance is rarely reported for measures of youth disclosure. Strong invariance was demonstrated in several instances across two time points. No evidence of strong invariance was found across the three time points. Further theoretical work is needed to improve this measure of youth disclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation version 15 (SCORE‐15) is a measure used to assess family‐level change in family therapy. The SCORE‐15 has been demonstrated to be a reliable and valid measure, with high clinical utility; however, the SCORE‐15 lacks the ability to determine whether the change in family functioning during the course of therapy is clinically significant. This study aimed to establish a reliable change index (RCI) and clinical cutoff score so that researchers and clinicians can determine clinically significant change in family therapy. US samples of 71 clinical participants and 244 community participants completed the SCORE‐15. Results indicated a cutoff score of 40.37 and an RCI of 9.52. Consequently, family members who improve their SCORE‐15 score during the course of therapy by at least 9 points and who cross the threshold of 40 during the course of therapy are considered to have experienced clinically significant change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2010.01319.x Byline: SHAYNE R. ANDERSON (*), LEE N. JOHNSON ([dagger]) Keywords: Therapeutic Alliance; Couple Therapy; Dyadic Analysis Abstract: To read this article's abstract in both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, please visit the article's full-text page on Wiley InterScience (http://interscience.wiley.com/journal/famp). This study examines the relationship between the therapeutic alliance and distress using the couple rather than the individual as the unit of analysis. One hundred and seventy-three couples receiving treatment for relational distress at two university clinics participated in this study. The actor-partner interdependence model was used to analyze the relationship of each partner's between- and within-system alliance scores and distress at session four. Results provide support for actor effects on relational distress for both male and female partners and for actor effects on psychological distress for female partners. Limited support was found for partner effects on distress. Furthermore, results indicate that the alliance between partners is a stronger predictor of improvement in early sessions in comparison with the alliance between the individual and the therapist. Abstract (Spanish): RESUMEN En este estudio se analiza la relacion entre la alianza terapeutica y la angustia utilizando como unidad de analisis a la pareja en lugar de al individuo. En el estudio participaron173 parejas que estaban recibiendo tratamiento para la angustia relacional en 2 clinicas universitarias. Se utilizo el modelo de interdependencia actor-pareja para analizar la influencia que tienen los puntajes de las alianzas intra-sistema e inter-sistemas de cada integrante de la pareja sobre la angustia en la sesion 4. Los resultados respaldan los efectos del actor sobre la angustia relacional, tanto para las parejas femeninas como para las masculinas, y los efectos del actor sobre la angustia psicologica para las parejas femeninas. Se hallo muy poco respaldo para los efectos de cada integrante de la pareja sobre la angustia. Ademas, los resultados indican que la alianza entre parejas es un predictor mas fuerte de mejorias durante las primeras sesiones en comparacion con la alianza entre el individuo y el terapeuta. Palabras clave: Alianza terapeutica, terapia de pareja, analisis diadico Author Affiliation: (*)Department of Human Development & Family Studies, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT. ([dagger])Department of Child & Family Development, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. Article note: Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Shayne Anderson at the Department of Human Development & Family Studies, University of Connecticut, 348 Mansfield Rd., Unit 2058, Storrs, CT 06269. E-mail: shayne.anderson.@uconn.edu

This article describes the Intersession Report, a short, easily administered nine-item questionnaire that clients complete at the beginning of each therapy session. This questionnaire was developed to enable clinicians and researchers to routinely collect standardized data on clients. Results showed that the Intersession Report has three subscales that represent Functioning, Symptoms, and Alliance. The subscales scores demonstrated multiple forms of validity and reliability. The Intersession Report provides clinicians a quick and easy way to assess clients. It also provides researchers information on clients who discontinue therapy and information that can be used in assessing attrition bias. DOI: 10.1080/01926181003780142

Routine outcome monitoring (ROM) is an important component of evidence‐based practice. To implement ROM in their practice, couple therapists need a brief measure that can quickly assess the relevant aspects of a couple's relationship. The Couple Relationship Scale (CRS) is a 10‐item measure of relational functioning that assesses emotional intimacy, commitment, trust, safety, cohesion, acceptance, conflict, physical intimacy, overall happiness, and personal well‐being. Three studies examined the initial psychometric properties of the CRS. Study One used a sample of 300 individuals to examine the concurrent validity, factor structure, and reliability of the CRS. In Study Two, 53 individuals completed the CRS twice to establish test‐retest reliability. In Study Three, 214 distressed individuals and 135 non‐distressed individuals were used to identify a clinical cutoff and reliable change index (RCI). Results indicated that the CRS has a strong concurrent and construct validity and good reliability. The clinical cutoff was 70.9 with an RCI of 16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premature discontinuation presents challenges to couple clients and therapists alike. Although couple therapy has demonstrated efficacy and effectiveness, little is known about the mechanisms that contribute to couple therapy completion. This study presents the results of an observational inquiry into the psychotherapeutic processes associated with treatment discontinuance using clinical data. Using observational coding of the Rapid Marital Interaction Coding System (RMICS) researchers sought to examine differences in in‐session interactions between couple members in a matched sample of therapy continuers and discontinuers. Results indicate that specifically for female partners, the absence of positive interactions is linked to therapy discontinuation. Clinical implications of these findings are presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial research has established that religiosity can be a protective factor against depression. However, little research has explored these associations within couples. Theory and previous research provide evidence that these relations may be manifest through marital satisfaction. A longitudinal Actor–Partner Interdependence Model was used to test the dyadic relations between religiosity at Time-3, marital satisfaction at Time-4, and depressive symptoms at Time-5 in a long-term committed community sample of 331 married couples. Husbands' religiosity had a direct positive longitudinal impact on husbands' marital satisfaction 1 year later. Husbands' religiosity led to lower levels of their own depressive symptoms through the indirect effects of husbands' and wives' marital satisfaction. Wives' religiosity did not significantly impact any of the variables in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents who are engaged in protracted conflict following a divorce are often referred to coparenting therapy. Episodes of intense conflict are common during these therapy sessions and often result in coparents disengaging from the therapist while they engage in escalating conflict with each other, potentially disrupting their progress in therapy. The purpose of this study was to identify how therapists successfully re‐engage clients in the session. To understand this process, 24 disengagement events (12 successful and 12 unsuccessful) from 13 cases were analyzed using a task analytic approach. The sample included coparent dyads referred by the judicial system to a high‐conflict coparenting therapy program. Task analysis was used to create a model of how re‐engagement unfolds in treatment. The empirical model that resulted has five phases: (1) disengagement from the therapeutic process, (2) disruption of the conflict, (3) de‐escalating the most escalated coparent, (4) de‐escalating the other coparent, and (5) therapist buffered re‐engagement. Successful episodes of re‐engagement tended to have therapists who remained active throughout the conflict episode, used structuring interventions aimed at disrupting and then regulating the most escalated partner, blocked attempts to re‐engage in conflict, and then repeated this process with the less escalated partner. Additional interventions that promote therapeutic re‐engagement are described for each phase, and implications for clinicians and researchers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]