State of research in MFT: Thoughts from the Editor's Chair: This article is a modified transcript of the keynote address given by Dr. Steven M. Harris, Editor of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, at the inaugural annual meeting of the Intervention Research Topical Interest Network of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. The meeting was held on October 5, 2022 at the Kellogg Center on the campus of Michigan State University.

The Editor of JMFT discusses the state of research in systemic family therapy.

What to expect physiologically when you're expecting couples in therapy: A Changing Hearts and Minds in relationshiPS (CHAMPS) descriptive study.

Recent efforts to improve marital therapy interventions have begun investigating psychophysiologic processes in therapy. These studies are novel and represent initial investigations into relevant phenomena associated with the therapy process. Grounded in Polyvagal Theory, this study introduces an on-going multimethod couple therapy process research (CHAMPS) and highlights the importance of establishing norms among distressed couples in therapy, which can provide context for other studies' results and instigate further investigation of physiology in marital therapy. Using a sample of 24 married, heterosexual couples (N = 48), we examine trends in markers of sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) functioning; namely, electrodermal activity (SNS), cardiac impedence (SNS), and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (PNS) before and during therapy sessions and shifts in these measures over the course of four therapy sessions. We discuss clinical implications and provide recommendations for further investigations.

Burnout in MFT trainees: Impact of demands and resources.

Burnout, defined as a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by involvement in emotionally demanding work, is an occupational risk of helping professions that has significant negative consequences. This study examined burnout among Couple/Marriage and Family Therapy (C/MFT) trainees and its association with various demands and resources at the individual and practice-related levels as well as variables specific to their trainee status. Data came from an online study on 78 C/MFT trainees from 13 states enrolled in Couple and Family Therapy graduate programs nationwide. More than half of the participants reported various levels of burnout indicating that the issue of burnout merits the special attention of C/MFT educators and supervisors. All significant factors associated with burnout were related to the training context and included: supervision satisfaction, hours spent in a setting and caseload dissatisfaction. Findings and implications for supervision are discussed in the context of C/MFT training.

Recruiting and training multilingual family therapists: A content analysis of COAMFTE-accredited marriage and family therapy program websites.

Among U. S. Limited English Proficiency (LEP) communities, language needs and preferences create significant barriers to accessing quality healthcare and contribute to growing physical and mental health disparities. To mitigate these barriers, it is critical to recruit and train a new generation of linguistically diverse providers, including marriage and family therapists (MFTs). This study examined how Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) program website content promotes a commitment to recruiting and training multilingual MFTs. The study sample consisted of all currently accredited programs (N = 122) and included coding for the presence or absence of (a) an explicit commitment to multiculturally and linguistically informed training, (b) specialized multilingual training and supports, and (c) multilingual faculty involved in training multilingual students or engaged in related scholarship. Results indicate that a majority of MFT programs are communicating a commitment to multiculturally informed training, but the same is not true of linguistically responsive training.

A primer on sleep for MFTs: Implications and practical considerations.

Despite many marriage and family therapists (MFTs) utilizing the Biopsychosocial-Spiritual (BPSS) framework in assessment and treatment, there is still a lack of education on sleep and the implications for mental, emotional, and relational health. Newer research within many fields highlights the far-reaching spillover effects of short or poor-quality sleep that can affect our clients. MFTs need to know how to assess, how to provide proper psychoeducation, how to apply this knowledge in clinical settings, and how to collaborate with other healthcare providers. As such, the purpose of this article is threefold: (a) review the biopsychosocial-spiritual importance of sleep; (b) equip MFTs with information on sleep assessment, how to identify situations for referral, and how to provide psychoeducation on sleep hygiene; and (c) review important considerations for research and practice for MFTs.

Coparenting and parenting outcomes of online relationship interventions for low-income couples.

Web-based relationship programs are effective in improving low-income couples' relationship functioning. However, little is known about: (a) whether parenting couples presenting for relationship help also have difficulties in coparenting and parenting, (b) whether relationship-focused programs can improve these two domains, and (c) whether program effects differ across baseline levels of those domains. We examined these questions in a parenting subsample (Nindividuals = 934) and a coparenting subsample (Ndyads = 342) of low-income couples participating in a randomized controlled trial of two web-based relationship education programs-the OurRelationship (OR) program and the ePREP program. Although the majority of participants were relationally distressed at baseline, most coparents (83%) reported parenting well together. Parents "often" engaged in nurturing behaviors and "hardly ever" or "sometimes" felt overwhelmed by their parenting responsibilities. Among parents who had engaged in the harsh verbal discipline (59%) and physical discipline (28%) in the past month, the average frequency was 4.08 and 5.50 times per month, respectively. Moreover, compared to waitlist control parents, parents in OR but not ePREP reported significantly greater improvements in parental nurturance and harsh verbal discipline during the program. There was no evidence of program effects on coparenting, physical discipline, or parenting stress for OR or ePREP, nor was there any evidence of baseline functioning moderating program effects. Findings suggested that most low-income parents seeking relationship help did not have severe problems in coparenting or parenting and that effective relationship programs without a focus on coparenting and/or parenting had somewhat limited effects on these domains. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Pathology in Relationships.

Committed, long-term romantic relationships are ubiquitous among modern society. They are one of the most important contexts for the development, maintenance, and treatment of psychopathology. In this review, I first place psychopathology within the most commonly cited theoretical model of marital satisfaction and stability and then discuss how relationship satisfaction is conceptualized and assessed in this literature. In the second half of the review, I describe the theories regarding how romantic relationships may be connected to psychopathology. Relationship distress is easily incorporated into a diathesis-stress model as an important trigger for psychopathology. Next, I review cross-sectional research, longitudinal research, and treatment efficacy research linking relationship quality and psychopathology. I provide evidence for the robustness of these effects and areas where research must expand. I finish with a summary section that synthesizes what is known about the mechanisms linking relationship distress and psychopathology.

Psychotherapeutic processes associated with couple therapy discontinuance: An observational analysis using the rapid marital interaction coding system.

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.

Two-Year Follow-Up of the Efficacy of the PREP Training on Iranian Newlyweds.

The aim of the present study was to replicate the efficacy of the Prevention and Relationship Education Program (PREP) training on marital satisfaction and dyadic adjustment among a group of Iranian newlyweds. One hundred and sixty heterosexual couples (N = 320 participants) were randomly assigned to an experimental or a wait list control group. Data from one hundred and forty-eight couples were analyzed. Participants completed the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale (The Family Journal, 1, 1993, 196-207) and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (The Journal of Sex Research, 39, 1976, 190-196) at pretest, posttest, 1-year follow-up, and 2-year follow-up. Results indicated that mean marital satisfaction and dyadic adjustment scores between the experimental and control groups were significantly different at posttest. Therefore, PREP training improved marital satisfaction and dyadic adjustment of couples at posttest. The data suggests that PREP training program can be introduced as an effective relationship education program for Iranian newlyweds.

The Experiences of Couple/Marriage and Family Therapists of color: A Survey Analysis.

The family therapy literature documenting the experiences of couple/marriage and family therapists (C/MFTs) of color as a group is limited. The purpose of this study was to assess the status of C/MFTs of color in their clinical training programs, clinical work, and related areas of professional challenges and opportunities. Participants (N = 113) completed a one-time, anonymous electronic survey on SurveyMonkey consisting of demographic questions, closed- and open-ended questions about their experiences. Key findings are reported related to C/MFTs of color experiences in training programs, areas of professional need, and working with racial and/or ethnic minority clients. These findings shed light on how social justice principles and practices upheld in our field are experienced from the emic perspectives of C/MFTs of color. These voices help to broaden our understanding of how we might move forward in advocating for and advancing a more culturally responsive agenda within our profession.

Infidelity in the Time of COVID-19.

Infidelity occurs in approximately 25% of marriages and is associated with various negative consequences for individuals (e.g., depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress), the couple relationship (e.g., financial loss, increased conflict, and aggression), and the couple's children (e.g., internalizing and externalizing behaviors). Infidelity is also one of the most frequently cited reasons for divorce. The increased stress brought on by the pandemic may be putting couples at an increased risk for experiencing infidelity, and data collected during the pandemic have shown that people across the United States are engaging in behaviors that are associated with a high likelihood of experiencing infidelity. The negative consequences of infidelity are also likely to be exacerbated for couples during the pandemic due to the intersection with the social, emotional, and financial consequences of COVID-19. Furthermore, couples are likely to experience disruptions and delays to the affair recovery process during the pandemic, which can negatively impact their ability to heal. Therefore, recommendations for navigating affair recovery during the pandemic, including adaptations for therapy, are also discussed.

La infidelidad se da en aproximadamente el 25 % de los matrimonios y está asociada con varias consecuencias negativas en las personas (p. ej.: depresión, ansiedad, estrés postraumático), la relación de pareja (p. ej.: pérdida económica, aumento de conflictos y agresiones) y los hijos de la pareja (p. ej.: comportamientos de internalización y de externalización). La infidelidad también es uno de los motivos de divorcio más frecuentes. El aumento del estrés que genera la pandemia puede aumentar el riesgo de las parejas de ser infieles, y los datos recogidos durante la pandemia han demostrado que las personas de los Estados Unidos están teniendo conductas asociadas con una alta probabilidad de ser infieles. Además, durante la pandemia, las consecuencias negativas de la infidelidad tienden a exacerbarse en las parejas debido a la combinación con las consecuencias sociales, emocionales y económicas de la COVID-19. Asimismo, el proceso de recuperación de la aventura amorosa tiende a interrumpirse y retrasarse durante la pandemia, lo cual puede influir negativamente en la capacidad de sanar de las parejas. Por lo tanto, también se dan recomendaciones para orientarse en el proceso de recuperación de la aventura amorosa durante la pandemia, por ejemplo, adaptaciones relacionadas con la terapia.

Marital Hypnotherapy: A Session with Milton Erickson with Commentary.

Hypnosis has primarily been used to treat individual problems. Occasionally, it has been applied to couples' problems such as infertility. We present a transcript of a treatment session of Dr. Milton Erickson in which he works with a married couple and interpret his techniques. We emphasize the following principles. Dr. Erickson's assessment was brief, just long enough to determine a general target. He used hypnotic induction to build responsiveness. He used evocative communication. He seeded ideas that, when presented later, had a powerful impact. He moved in small, strategic steps. The main intervention was designed to elicit dormant resources and adaptive states. He followed through, providing suggestions on how to use these resources. In presenting this case and our analysis of it, we highlight some of Dr. Erickson's methods and conceptualization of several intervention techniques.

A 20-Year Review of Common Factors Research in Marriage and Family Therapy: A Mixed Methods Content Analysis.

Introduced by Sprenkle, Blow & Dickey (1999), common factors in marriage and family therapy (MFT) have been discussed over the past two decades. Although the MFT common factors literature has grown, there are misconceptions and disagreements about their role in theory, practice, research, and training. This content analysis examined the contributions of the common factors paradigm to MFT theory, practice, research, and training over the past 20 years. We identified 37 scholarly works including peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and chapters. Using mixed methods content analysis, we analyze and synthesize the contributions of this literature in terms of theoretical development about therapeutic effectiveness in MFT, MFT training, research, and practice. We provide commentary on the substantive contributions that the common factors paradigm has made to these areas, and we discuss the implications and limitations of the common factors literature, and provide recommendations for moving common factors research forward.

A experiência vivida de mulheres na conjugalidade contemporânea: uma perspectiva fenomenológico-existencial / The women's lived experience in contemporary conjugality: a phenomenological-existential perspective / La experiencia vivida de mujeres en la conyugalidad contemporánea: una perspectiva fenomenológico-existencial

Este artigo é resultado de uma pesquisa de mestrado que teve como objetivo compreender como as mulheres experienciam os atuais papéis que assumem nas relações conjugais contemporâneas e no exercício da maternidade, e quais os sentidos que atribuem a essas vivências. A partir da fenomenologia-existencial de Jean-Paul Sartre e das inestimáveis contribuições de Simone de Beauvoir sobre a situação da mulher, foi possível compreender como se desenvolve o projeto de ser das colaboradoras deste estudo, mulheres de classe média, trabalhadoras, vivendo em situação de relação conjugal, e com filhos, residentes em Fortaleza, Ceará. Para a coleta de dados foi utilizada a entrevista fenomenológica com a pergunta disparadora "como é ser mulher?". Para a análise dos resultados foi utilizado o método Progressivo-Regressivo. Os resultados mostram que, mesmo com a instrução formal e a independência financeira das mulheres, os papéis femininos na conjugalidade têm sofrido poucas modificações com relação ao acúmulo de responsabilidades que recaem sobre elas. A crença em uma essência feminina perpassa a experiência vivida por essas mulheres na maternidade, na relação conjugal e no mercado de trabalho, indicando que ainda há diversos obstáculos à resolução dos problemas sociais que atravessam a história de vida dessas mulheres.

This article is the result of a master's research that aimed to understand how women experience the roles in contemporary conjugality and in the exercise of motherhood, and what the senses they attribute to these experiences. From the existential-phenomenology of Jean-Paul Sartre and the invaluable contributions of Simone de Beauvoir about the situation of women, it was possible to understand how is developed the being project of the collaborators of this study, middle-class women, workers, living a relationship, and with children, residents in Fortaleza, Ceará. For data collect, the phenomenological interview was used with a triggering question "how is being a woman?". For the analysis of the results, the Progressive-Regressive method was used. The results show that, even with a formal instruction and a financial independence of women, their roles in conjugal relationships have undergone few modifications in relation to the increase of responsibilities that fall on them. The idea that there is a feminine essence permeates the experience lived by these women in motherhood, in the contemporary conjugality and in the job market, pointing out that there are still many obstacles to solve social problems through the life history of these women.

Este artículo es el resultado de una investigación de maestría que tuvo como objetivo comprender cómo las mujeres experimentan los actuales papeles que asumen en las relaciones conyugales contemporáneas y en el ejercicio de la maternidad, y cuáles los sentidos que atribuyen a esas vivencias. A partir de la fenomenología-existencial de Jean-Paul Sartre y de las inestimables aportaciones de Simone de Beauvoir sobre la situación de la mujer, fue posible comprender cómo se desarrolla el proyecto de ser de las colaboradoras de este estudio, mujeres de clase media, trabajadoras, viviendo en situación de relación conyugal, y con hijos, residentes en Fortaleza, Ceará. Para la recolección de datos se utilizó la entrevista fenomenológica con la pregunta disparadora "cómo es ser mujer?". Para el análisis de los resultados se utilizó el método Progresivo-Regresivo. Los resultados muestran que, incluso con la instrucción formal y la independencia financiera de las mujeres, los papeles femeninos en la conyugalidad han sufrido pocas modificaciones con respecto a la acumulación de responsabilidades que recaen sobre ellas. La creencia en una esencia femenina atraviesa la experiencia vivida por esas mujeres en la maternidad, en la relación conyugal y en el mercado de trabajo, indicando que todavía hay diversos obstáculos a la resolución de los problemas sociales que atraviesan la historia de vida de esas mujeres.

Psicoterapia de pareja ante el descubrimiento del involucramiento del varón en actividades sexuales por Internet / Couple Psychotherapy in front of the discovery of male involvement in sexual activities on the Internet

Resumen El desarrollo tecnológico de Internet ha facilitado la conectividad entre personas con motivaciones muy diversas. Una de ellas, es acceder a contenidos sexuales y conectarse con otros que comparten este interés. El uso de internet con fines sexuales incluye una amplia gama de comportamientos, algunos de los cuales pueden generar una crisis en una relación de pareja estable y comprometida, al ser significados como una infidelidad. Las características propias del medio y de los usuarios de internet con fines sexuales, desafía a los terapeutas a adquirir nuevas herramientas psicoterapéuticas para ayudar a las parejas en conflicto. El artículo tiene por objetivo a) dar a conocer los principales conceptos vinculados al uso de internet con fines sexuales (b) describir las características del cyber affair y comportamientos significados como infidelidad (c) establecer lineamientos psicoterapéuticos para el tratamiento de este tipo de casos.

Abstract The technological development of the Internet has facilitated the connectivity between people with very diverse motivations. One is accessing sexual content and connecting with others who share this interest. The use of the Internet for sexual purposes includes a wide range of behaviors, some of which can generate a crisis in a stable and committed couple relationship, being signified as an infidelity. The characteristics of the media and Internet users for sexual purposes, challenges therapists to acquire new psychotherapeutic tools to help couples in conflict. The article aims to a) to disclose the main concepts related to the use of the Internet for sexual purposes (b) to describe the characteristics of the cyber affair and behaviors signified as infidelity (c) to establish psychotherapeutic guidelines for the treatment of this type of cases.

Marital communication skills training to promote marital satisfaction and psychological health during pregnancy: a couple focused approach.

BACKGROUND: Studies showed that decreased marital satisfaction and increased risk of depression and anxiety were mutually related. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of communication skills training with a couple focused approach on marital satisfaction and psychological symptoms among pregnant women. METHODS: This experimental study was performed on 60 pregnant women with low marital satisfaction who were divided into two groups of intervention and control. The women in the intervention group and their husbands participated in a communication training program based on the couple focused approach. The levels of anxiety, depression, and marital satisfaction were evaluated before and then one and three months after the intervention using valid questionnaires. RESULTS: The results indicated that after the intervention, compared to the pre-intervention period, the levels of marital satisfaction increased while the levels of depression and anxiety decreased significantly in the intervention group (p < 0.05). The comparison of the groups revealed significant differences in the scores of marital satisfaction, depression, and anxiety in the intervention and control groups at the intervals of one month and three months after the intervention (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The research findings indicated that communication skills training program based on the couple focused approach and an emphasis on the needs of pregnant women during the pregnancy can improve the marital satisfaction and psychological health of pregnant women. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT2017012932264N2, Date of registration: 2017-06-28 Retrospectively registered.