Caregiver openness in emotionally focused family therapy: A critical shift.

Through the application of a discovery-oriented task analysis, this research delineated specific therapist behaviors that resulted in a successful caregiver openness event in emotionally focused family therapy (EFFT). EFFT experts were recruited via email and asked to submit family therapy recordings where they believed a caregiver openness event occurred. Ten family therapy recordings were submitted by three experts. Within these recordings, 12 caregiver openness events were discovered and critically analyzed. Nine themes were identified and interventions therapists applied to accomplish these themes were delineated using the emotionally focused therapy-coding scheme (EFT-CS). These themes included: (1) validating and reframing the child's protected stance, (2) processing the impact of the child's unmet attachment longings, (3) validating the caregiver's blocked relational stance, (4) expanding caregiving intentions, (5) enacting the caregiver's intentions to meet the child's attachment longings, (6) processing the enactment, (7) processing and promoting caregiver accessibility to the child's response, (8) heightening the caregiver's accessible stance, and (9) enhancing shifting family dynamics. Additional findings, implications for clinical practice, training, and future research are discussed.

Training therapists in emotionally focused therapy: A longitudinal and cross-sectional analysis.

Using cross-sectional and longitudinal data, our study looks at the effectiveness of the Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Externship and Core Skills trainings. It is the first study to evaluate EFT Core Skills trainings and the first to evaluate change longitudinally throughout the standardized EFT training program. We used the Hungarian EFT Knowledge and Competency Scale (Hungarian EFT-KACS) to examine self-perceived knowledge, competency, and alliance over three 4-day training blocks (Externship, Core Skills Modules 1&2, Core Skills Modules 3&4). Results indicate that each training block significantly increased self-perceived knowledge, competency, and alliance. During the Externship, participants' knowledge increased the most and remained at this level after each training block. Competency showed a more modest but significant increase during the Externship. However, by the end of the Core Skills training, competency showed a significant increase compared to post-Externship results, demonstrating the unique role of Core Skills training in developing competency in EFT.

Measuring the Effectiveness of the Emotionally Focused Therapy Externship Training in Hungary done through Translation.

Our study adds to the rising field of dissemination and implementation research on Emotionally Focused Therapy. We evaluated the psychometric characteristics of the Hungarian EFT-KACS, examined the impact of the EFT Externship training done through translation on Hungarian therapists, and we investigated how therapist background characteristics related to outcomes. A total of 340 Hungarian professionals completed the questionnaires (N = 152 in 2016; and N = 188 in 2018) at three data collecting points-prior to (N = 329), after the training (N = 254), and 6 months later (N = 101). Results suggest the Hungarian EFT-KACS has similar psychometric properties as the original English version and shows high internal consistency. The 4-day EFT Externship trainings done through translation provided significant, lasting increases in perceived EFT-specific knowledge and competency, and in alliance, similar to findings in English- and Spanish-speaking countries. Externship outcomes were also found to be related to specific therapist experience and background characteristics.

Covenant Attachment: A Constructivist Grounded Theory of Christian Couples and God.

The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory study was to develop a deeper understanding of the relational system of married couples and God. We interviewed nine marital couples from Christian denominations that reported having a strong relationship with each other and with God together. We used constructivist grounded theory techniques presented by Charmaz (2006) and analyzed emergent categories of behaviors, emotions, and cognitions to construct a theory and model of Christian marital couples and their shared relationship with God. We then compared and contrasted the results and theory to existing literature on attachment theory and theorized a shared attachment to God. We applied the theological concept of kinship covenant to the results in order to organize and situate the theory into a Christian framework. Finally, we discuss clinical, pastoral, and future research implications.

An Exploratory Study of the Role of Infidelity Typologies in Predicting Attachment Anxiety and Avoidance.

Extradyadic involvement (EDI) is one of the greatest challenges that couples and couples therapists face. Many clinicians and researchers attempt to understand motivations for EDI; however, there is a lack of theory-driven research to support claims of infidelity typologies. The current study explored the relationship between adult attachment dimensions of avoidance and anxiety and the attachment-based typology proposed by Woolley (2010). Results indicate significant differences in attachment anxiety in high anxiety affair types versus low anxiety affair types. Results confirmed significant differences in mean attachment anxiety for participants endorsing multiple affairs.

Using Emotionally Focused Therapy to Treat Sexual Desire Discrepancy in Couples.

Couples in committed relationships encounter a multitude of issues. According to Metz and McCarthy (2010), when couples report high sexual satisfaction, it accounts for 15% to 20% of their overall relationship satisfaction. However, when couples report low sexual satisfaction, it contributes 50% to 70% of their overall satisfaction with their partner. Issues of sexual desire, currently referred to as sexual desire discrepancy, are among the most difficult to treat. Although there are many factors contributing to the issue of sexual desire discrepancy, current literature highlights the importance of emotional intimacy as an outcome and predictor of increased sexual desire. Given the complex nature of sexual desire, clinicians often lack the understanding and treatment options that are systemic. By viewing sexual desire discrepancy as a relational problem that can be treated using emotionally focused therapy, clinicians are better equipped to work with emotional and sexual factors that impact desire and couple distress.

Women's experiences with emotional eating and related attachment and sociocultural processes.

This study explored the experiences, influences, and concerns of women who eat for emotional reasons with an emphasis on relational and cultural factors. Colaizzi's (1978) guidelines to analyzing phenomenological research were utilized to explore participants' lived experiences and gain a deeper understanding of emotional eating. A number of unique themes connecting attachment-related influences with emotional eating were identified. The following 10 theme clusters were developed: Personal and Cultural Foundation, Preoccupation With Food and Eating, Relationship History, Addiction as Coping Mechanism for Insecure Attachment, Moments of Empowerment and Acceptance, Self-Judgment About Eating and Weight, Social Influences on Eating and Weight Gain, Secretive Eating, Emotional Eating as Reminiscent of Ambivalent Attachment, and Emotional Hunger. Clinical interventions and future research are discussed.

Supervising emotionally focused therapists: a systematic research-based model.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is an empirically validated relational therapy that recognizes the complexity of couple's therapy and supports the need for specialized training of therapists. Until now, there has been little research on effective methods for EFT supervision and no systematic model for conducting EFT supervision. The findings of a qualitative study of certified EFT therapists' experiences with EFT supervision and training are presented in this study, along with a systematic model of EFT supervision. The model of EFT supervision is based on the findings of this study, relevant research regarding effective clinical supervision, and the authors' experiences with EFT supervision. This model of EFT supervision is isomorphic to the clinical practice of EFT, in that it is theoretically grounded in attachment theory and emphasizes experiential and emotionally based processes.

First-session competency: the brief strategic therapy scale-1.

The first session in brief strategic therapy is the most critical phase of treatment. More than a mere "assessment phase," the first session in a true intervention sets the stage for all subsequent therapeutic maneuvers. This article presents a supervisory observation tool, the Brief Strategic Therapy Scale-1 (BSTS-1), a fidelity measure proposed as a more formal method of analyzing performance and competency of the therapist for the first session. During scale development, a narrow group of expert judges defined the core skills of therapists and determined the structure/phases of a brief strategic therapy first session. In addition, expert collaborators gave feedback on the scale's usability. This article concludes with the BSTS-1.

Mental health perceptions and coping strategies of Albanian immigrants and their families.

This study examines the understudied mental health perceptions, treatment, and coping strategies of immigrants from the Republic of Albania to Southern California regarding themselves and their families. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 12 Albanian immigrants residing in a large Southern California population center were conducted. The transcripts of these interviews were analyzed. The constant-comparative method was used to analyze the data obtained from the interviews. Thirteen themes describing the perceptions and attitudes of Albanian immigrants about coping strategies, mental health, and mental health issues emerged. Themes are discussed in the context of existing literature, and implications for practice, research, and limitations are presented.

Purposes, diversities, and futures in MFT doctoral education.

Doctoral education in marital and family therapy (MFT) plays a crucial role in the future of the field. In this article, I write about the purposes, diversities, and futures of MFT doctoral education from the perspective of having hired 18 full-time MFT faculty over the last 13 years. I argue that the field needs well-rounded doctoral-level academics and clinicians who have a solid understanding of the foundations of the field and have mastery around theory, clinical practice, and scholarship in order to advance the profession of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Preliminary estimates of cost-effectiveness for marital therapy.

Cost-effectiveness of marital therapy was examined beginning with a simple question: If government or health insurers paid for the screening and, where indicated, empirically supported treatment of 100,000 randomly selected married persons (i.e., 50,000 couples) from the general population, would the financial benefits outweigh costs? Two empirically supported forms of marital therapy, behavioral marital therapy and emotionally focused therapy, were considered in aggregate as possible treatments of choice. Marital therapy appears to be cost-effective when paid for by government to reduce public costs of divorce or when paid for by insurers to offset the increased health-care expenses associated with divorce. Implications and specific needs for future research to substantiate these conclusions are discussed.