Attachment and Sexuality: Impact of Confinement by COVID-19.

This study examined attachment style and its relationship with sexual self-esteem during COVID-19 confinement. COVID-19 has caused changes in the way couples interact intimately and sexually around the world; some have found improvements and others an increase in difficulties. This article uses a retrospective pre post approach to evaluate 120 men and 89 women who were part of a couple at the time of confinement in Spain and completed an online survey. The sample was obtained during the de-escalation months, from May 9th until July 1st, 2020. Through an online survey we collected the data using the Spanish version of the Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR-S) to measure attachment and the Brief Sexuality Scale (SS) to measure aspects related to the participants sexuality (sexual self-esteem, sexual depression, and sexual preoccupation), as well as a scale designed post hoc on other aspects related to sexuality. Overall, the t-test results suggest that confinement had a negative effect on sexuality because sexual depression (SD) had a small increased in our sample. Multiple regression analysis showed that FSI, and ANXS attachment style were able to predict sexual depression during confinement. The results also showed a decrease in the strength of the relationship between sexual self-esteem (SSE) and attachment styles during confinement. However, sexual preoccupation (SP) and sexual self-esteem (SSE) remained relatively stable. Based on the results obtained, we conclude that there is an association between an increase in participants' sexual depression and being confined due to COVID-19.

Impact of the COVID-19 Confinement on Couple Satisfaction and Sexuality.

This study examined dyadic adjustment, which is an essential aspect for a couple's functioning, and its relationship with sexual self-esteem during COVID-19 confinement. This article presents data from before and during the confinement due to COVID-19 in Spain. 120 men and 89 women who were part of a couple at the time of confinement and completed an online survey participated in the study. The sample was obtained during the de-escalation months, from May 9th until July 1st, 2020. Three questionnaires were administered. The results that were obtained from the T-student, Pearson correlations and regression analyses show a decline in couples' adjustment during the months of confinement. Regarding the Sexuality Scale, the results showed that the sexual-depression subscale and the sexual self-esteem subscale had a statistically significant role in predicting the dyadic adjustment during confinement. Overall, our findings suggest that confinement had a negative effect on sexuality because the sexual-depression of the sample increased and couple adjustment decreased during the confinement due to COVID-19.

Influence of Communicative Openness on the Psychological Adjustment of Internationally Adopted Adolescents.

This study evaluated the predictive relationship between the communicative openness and psychological adjustment of adopted adolescents, controlling for preplacement risk factors. One hundred Spanish international adoptees aged 12-18 took part in the study. Data were gathered with a structured interview, the Youth Self Report and the Adoption Communication Scale. A history of maltreatment prior to the adoption was associated with more closed communication between parents and children. Prenatal drug exposure shows a relationship with the presence of externalizing behaviors and attention problems in adolescents. Finally, a lower degree of communicative openness regarding the child's origins was significantly associated with the presence of all the adolescent behavioral problems studied.

La alianza terapéutica en tratamiento conjunto de parejas: evaluación de la alianza y análisis de los factores influyentes en el triángulo terapéutico / The therapeutic alliance in joint treatment of the couple members: evaluation of the alliance and analysis of the factors influencing the therapeutic triangle

La alianza terapéutica en psicoterapia se ha ido configurando como una relación interpersonal existente y necesaria entre el paciente y el terapeuta. Hoy en día todas las orientaciones teóricas otorgan a la alianza terapéutica un papel importante en la relación terapéutica, ya que la relación entre la alianza terapéutica y la eficacia del tratamiento en psicoterapia ha sido constatada en numerosos estudios. La alianza debe ser tomada en consideración en cualquier tratamiento, ya que si no es debidamente trabajada puede dificultar el trabajo terapéutico y, por tanto, deben destinarse a su formación y mantenimiento tanto técnicas interpretativas como no interpretativas cuando se requieran. En psicoterapia de pareja, a causa del triángulo terapéutico y de la gran diversidad de mecanismos que operan en el tratamiento conjunto, la formación y el desarrollo de la alianza adquieren mayor dificultad. En el trabajo se describen las dimensiones de la alianza terapéutica en este tipo de tratamiento siguiendo el modelo del Sistema de Observación de la Alianza Terapéutica en Intervención Familiar (SOATIF). Evaluamos mediante la versión observacional del SOATIF (SOATIF-o) la alianza terapéutica que establece el psicoterapeuta de la serie norteamericana In treatment con la pareja que acude a su consulta durante nueve sesiones, así como los otros elementos de la relación terapéutica con los que la alianza interacciona. El trabajo es útil como herramienta de entrenamiento para familiarizarse con el instrumento y como material docente, ya que aparecen reflejados los aspectos más importantes de la relación terapéutica entre el terapeuta y la pareja.

The concept of therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy has been shaped as an existing andnecessary interpersonal relationship between the patient and the therapist. Nowadays,all theoretical orientations have assigned to the therapeutic alliance a central role inthe therapeutic relationship, as the relationship between the therapeutic alliance andthe treatment efficacy in psychotherapy has been proved in numerous studies. Thetherapeutic alliance should be taken into consideration in any treatment, because if it isnot properly treated, it can jeopardize the analytic work and, therefore, interpretive andnon- interpretive interventions must be used when required. In couple psychotherapy,because of the therapeutic triangle and the great diversity of mechanisms that operatein this type of conjoint treatment, the formation and the development of the alliancebecome more difficult. This paper describes the dimensions of the therapeutic alliancein this type of treatment based on the System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances(SOFTA). The therapeutic alliance established by the psychotherapist and a couplewho undergoes a treatment for nine sessions in the North American TV seriesInTreatmentis assessed with the observational version of the SOFTA (SOFTA-o), aswell as the other elements of the therapeutic relationship that interact with the alliance.The paper is useful as a training tool for getting familiar with the instrument and asteaching material, since the most important aspects of the therapeutic relationshipbetween the therapist and the couple are represented.

La alianza terapéutica en tratamiento conjunto de parejas: evaluación de la alianza y análisis de los factores influyentes en el triángulo terapéutico / The therapeutic alliance in joint treatment of the couple members: evaluation of the alliance and analysis of the factors influencing the therapeutic triangle

La alianza terapéutica en psicoterapia se ha ido configurando como una relación interpersonal existente y necesaria entre el paciente y el terapeuta. Hoy en día todas las orientaciones teóricas otorgan a la alianza terapéutica un papel importante en la relación terapéutica, ya que la relación entre la alianza terapéutica y la eficacia del tratamiento en psicoterapia ha sido constatada en numerosos estudios. La alianza debe ser tomada en consideración en cualquier tratamiento, ya que si no es debidamente trabajada puede dificultar el trabajo terapéutico y, por tanto, deben destinarse a su formación y mantenimiento tanto técnicas interpretativas como no interpretativas cuando se requieran. En psicoterapia de pareja, a causa del triángulo terapéutico y de la gran diversidad de mecanismos que operan en el tratamiento conjunto, la formación y el desarrollo de la alianza adquieren mayor dificultad. En el trabajo se describen las dimensiones de la alianza terapéutica en este tipo de tratamiento siguiendo el modelo del Sistema de Observación de la Alianza Terapéutica en Intervención Familiar (SOATIF). Evaluamos mediante la versión observacional del SOATIF (SOATIF-o) la alianza terapéutica que establece el psicoterapeuta de la serie norteamericana In treatment con la pareja que acude a su consulta durante nueve sesiones, así como los otros elementos de la relación terapéutica con los que la alianza interacciona. El trabajo es útil como herramienta de entrenamiento para familiarizarse con el instrumento y como material docente, ya que aparecen reflejados los aspectos más importantes de la relación terapéutica entre el terapeuta y la pareja.(AU)

The concept of therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy has been shaped as an existing andnecessary interpersonal relationship between the patient and the therapist. Nowadays,all theoretical orientations have assigned to the therapeutic alliance a central role inthe therapeutic relationship, as the relationship between the therapeutic alliance andthe treatment efficacy in psychotherapy has been proved in numerous studies. Thetherapeutic alliance should be taken into consideration in any treatment, because if it isnot properly treated, it can jeopardize the analytic work and, therefore, interpretive andnon- interpretive interventions must be used when required. In couple psychotherapy,because of the therapeutic triangle and the great diversity of mechanisms that operatein this type of conjoint treatment, the formation and the development of the alliancebecome more difficult. This paper describes the dimensions of the therapeutic alliancein this type of treatment based on the System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances(SOFTA). The therapeutic alliance established by the psychotherapist and a couplewho undergoes a treatment for nine sessions in the North American TV seriesInTreatmentis assessed with the observational version of the SOFTA (SOFTA-o), aswell as the other elements of the therapeutic relationship that interact with the alliance.The paper is useful as a training tool for getting familiar with the instrument and asteaching material, since the most important aspects of the therapeutic relationshipbetween the therapist and the couple are represented.(AU)