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This study analyzes the psychometric properties of the Differentiation of Self Scale-Revised (DSS-R), an instrument assessing the differentiation of the self of Spanish adults through the dimensions I Position, Emotional Reactivity,... more
This study analyzes the psychometric properties of the Differentiation of Self Scale-Revised (DSS-R), an instrument assessing the differentiation of the self of Spanish adults through the dimensions I Position, Emotional Reactivity, Fusion with Others and Emotional Cutoff, and of a new dimension, Dominance over Others. In Study 1, carried out with 1445 subjects, exploratory factor analysis was performed with one half of the participants, and confirmatory factor analysis with the other, comparing the five-factor and bifactor models. In Study 2, examining convergent validity, 180 subjects participated and completed the revised scale and the Differentiation of Self Inventory-Revised. Studies 3 and 4 verified concurrent validity, with 401 subjects completing the DSS-R and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in Study 3, and 170 subjects completing the DSS-R and the Couple Assertion Questionnaire in Study 4. Adequate internal consistency indices and evidence of construct, convergent and con...
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We developed the System for Observing Medical Alliances (SOMA) to study relationships between medical providers and patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). Based on literature in health psychology, medicine, and the... more
We developed the System for Observing Medical Alliances (SOMA) to study relationships between medical providers and patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). Based on literature in health psychology, medicine, and the psychotherapeutic alliance, the SOMA operationalizes three medical alliance dimensions: Engagement in the Consultation Process, Trust in the Provider, and Concordance of Illness Beliefs and Treatment Recommendations. Specific behavioral indicators, tallied as observed by trained judges, are used as the basis for rating each dimension. In a sample of 33 medical consultations with veterans who had MUS, interrater reliabilities ranged from .79 to .94. Notably, the other dimension ratings accounted for 40% of the variability in Concordance, with Trust in the Provider contributing unique variance. In addition to research, psychologists in integrated health settings can use the SOMA to consult and train medical providers on communication skills that enhance concord...
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This report presents a summary of the conclusions and recommendations of the Research Group at the Third National Conference for Counseling Psychology. The report is organized into five topics, as were discussed during the conference.... more
This report presents a summary of the conclusions and recommendations of the Research Group at the Third National Conference for Counseling Psychology. The report is organized into five topics, as were discussed during the conference. These topics are (a) definition and image, (b) methodological diversity in counseling research, (c) multi- and cross-cultural issues, (d) the connection of research to practice, and (e) research training. Fifteen general recommendations are offered to the specialty regarding research in counseling psychology.
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EJ600923 - The Supervisory Working Alliance, Trainee Self-Efficacy, and Satisfaction.
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Research Interests: Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Training and Supervision, Counseling Psychology, Mental Health, and 15 morePsychotherapy and Counseling, Doctoral Supervision, Public Health, Clinical Supervision, Clincial Psychology, Counseling, Negative Affect, Belief, Attribution, Young Adult, Attitude, Qualitative Analysis, American Psychological Association, Psyhcotherapy and Counseling, and Personal Experience
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ABSTRACT To encourage counseling psychologists to develop international ties, the authors describe a many-faceted partnership between the Universidad de La Coruña’s Postgraduate Program in Family Interventions and the University at... more
ABSTRACT To encourage counseling psychologists to develop international ties, the authors describe a many-faceted partnership between the Universidad de La Coruña’s Postgraduate Program in Family Interventions and the University at Albany’s counseling psychology program. The partnership centers on an exchange program for graduate students and collaborative research in family therapy. In this article, the program is described in detail along with the challenges the authors faced in its creation. The benefits of international collaboration for training, research, and practice are discussed in light of the authors’ experiences to date. To illustrate, Michele Guzmán, the first Albany exchange student, describes how her experience in Spain influenced her professional work and aspirations. The article concludes with recommendations for establishing similar international alliances.
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We intensively analyzed five sessions in which the within-family alliance was manifestly problematic and family members reported discrepant perceptions of the family's sense of purpose about... more
We intensively analyzed five sessions in which the within-family alliance was manifestly problematic and family members reported discrepant perceptions of the family's sense of purpose about working together in therapy. Triangulation of observer ratings with (a) session content, (b) participants' post-session perceptions, (c) therapists' alliance-related interventions, and (d) clients' pretreatment target complaints and problem descriptions suggested three essential, interrelated aspects of the within-family alliance: family members (a) agreeing on the problem(s) and goals for treatment, (b) feeling connected in coping with their concerns ("a felt unity"), and (c) seeing conjoint therapy as valuable. Within-family disagreements on any of these aspects seemed to account for the observed in-session struggles. The analysis also suggested several missed opportunities for strengthening the within-family alliance.
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This article reviews meta-analytic evidence for the alliance-outcome relation in couple and family therapy (CFT), with implications for clinical practice. We begin by describing the unique features of CFT alliances and their measurement,... more
This article reviews meta-analytic evidence for the alliance-outcome relation in couple and family therapy (CFT), with implications for clinical practice. We begin by describing the unique features of CFT alliances and their measurement, followed by two case descriptions. We explain that due to the systemic context of CFT, each patient's personal alliance with the therapist affects and is affected by other family members' levels of collaboration. Because family members often seek help when they are in conflict with one another, "split" alliances are common, as are problematic within-system alliances, defined as the degree to which family members agree on the nature of their problems and value participating in therapy together to achieve shared goals. In our meta-analysis of 48 studies with 40 independent samples, we used a three-level random effects model (Ns = 2,568 families, 1,545 couples, and 491 effect sizes) and found r = .297. In another analysis with seven i...
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In this article we describe and illustrate various visual and nonparametric techniques that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in single-case experiments. Using an alternating treatments design across 2 cases, we... more
In this article we describe and illustrate various visual and nonparametric techniques that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in single-case experiments. Using an alternating treatments design across 2 cases, we tested whether practicing mindfulness would help a novice therapist stay focused and respond to a client more empathically and genuinely. Specifically, after taking a brief workshop on mindfulness, one male and one female doctoral trainee were asked, immediately before beginning each of 10 sessions, either to engage in a guided mindfulness practice for three minutes or a control activity of their choice. Five experimental and 5 control sessions were randomly scheduled for each therapist. The clients were unaware of the purpose of the study and the nature of the experimental manipulation. After each session, we administered measures of client-rated empathy, client- and therapist-rated real relationship, and therapist-rated level of hindering self-awareness. The graphed data were examined separately for each measure. Results showed that the client in Dyad 1 perceived the therapist as more empathic following mindfulness sessions, and the therapist reported less hindering self-awareness and rated the real relationship more favorably, with moderate to strong experimental effects. By contrast, Dyad 2 showed moderate to strong experimental effects for mindfulness practice on ratings of the real relationship, but not on empathy or hindering self-awareness. A cross-case comparison illustrates how replicated single-case experimental research with self-report data can advance our understanding of individual differences in response to psychotherapeutic interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
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Previous research indicates that trainees often withhold important information related to their clients' progress and their reactions to supervision. Moreover, factors associated with the occurrence of supervisee nondisclosure (SND)... more
Previous research indicates that trainees often withhold important information related to their clients' progress and their reactions to supervision. Moreover, factors associated with the occurrence of supervisee nondisclosure (SND) are not well established. As one of the few studies to compare clinically related with supervision-related nondisclosure, we tested the relation of these two dimensions of the construct, as measured by Siembor and Ellis's (2012) Supervisee Nondisclosure Scales, to three important process variables: perceptions of (a) the supervisory alliance, as measured by Bahrick's (1989) Working Alliance Inventory-Trainee; (b) collaborative supervision, as measured by Rousmaniere and Ellis's (2013) Collaborative Supervision Behavior Scale; and (c) explicitly relational supervisor behaviors, as measured by Shaffer and Friedlander's (2017) Relational Behavior Scale. Participants were 257 North American trainees, predominately White female doctoral st...
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The authors examined differentiation of self, a multidimensional construct in Murray Bowen's (1976, 1978) family systems theory, as a predictor of... more
The authors examined differentiation of self, a multidimensional construct in Murray Bowen's (1976, 1978) family systems theory, as a predictor of clients' perceptions of the therapeutic alliance. Adult clients (N=38) in brief family therapy completed the Differentiation of Self Inventory-Revised (Skowron & Schmitt, 2003) during prescreening and the self-report version of the System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances (Friedlander & Escudero, 2002) after Session 3. More differentiated adults reported significantly more positive overall alliances. In a canonical correlation analysis, four roots were extracted that together accounted for 56% of the shared variance. Interpretation of the single significant canonical root suggested that clients reporting less emotional reactivity were more likely to have strong feelings of safety in the family therapy context.
Research Interests: Psychology, Brief Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, Social Work, Psychotherapy, and 15 moreAdolescent, Humans, Child, Child Sexual Abuse, System Theory, Female, Divorce, Male, Infant, Clinical Sciences, Self Concept, Canonical Correlation Analysis, Life Change Events, Child preschool, and Child behavior disorders
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ABSTRACT This study demonstrates and illustrates an integrative, systemic methodology for studying couples' interactions. We investigated the problem discussions of 58 engaged couples who participated in the Denver Family... more
ABSTRACT This study demonstrates and illustrates an integrative, systemic methodology for studying couples' interactions. We investigated the problem discussions of 58 engaged couples who participated in the Denver Family Development Study (e.g., Markman, Floyd, Stanley, & Storaassli, 1988). Sequential analyses were used to analyze the relational control behavior, covert affective impact, and verbal expressions of cognitive constructions. Results indicated a predominance of positive affect and relational complementarity and a lack of blaming constructions, which were consistent with participants' status as engaged couples and their moderately high satisfaction levels. Relational control behavior and causal explanations for the conflicts under discussion were related to the partners' affect. Interestingly, female partners' "domineering" control moves were more likely to be met with male partners' "submissive" moves in the more satisfied couples. Suggestions and caveats are discussed for using contingency methods in systemic research on marital and family interaction in both clinic and community samples.
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The concept of corrective emotional experience, originally formulated by psychoanalysts Alexander and French (1946), has been redefined by contemporary researchers to be theoretically nonspecific, that is, as... more
The concept of corrective emotional experience, originally formulated by psychoanalysts Alexander and French (1946), has been redefined by contemporary researchers to be theoretically nonspecific, that is, as "coming to understand or experience an event or relationship in a different or unexpected way" (Castonguay & Hill, 2011). Using postsession questionnaires, videotapes, and posttermination interviews, we explored whether (and how) a corrective experience occurred in a successful case of short-term dynamic psychotherapy (STDP; Davanloo, 1980). A 35-year-old woman suffering severe panic attacks was seen for 31 sessions by an experienced STDP therapist. The questionnaires and interviews focused on (a) perceived intrapsychic and interpersonal changes, and (b) how these changes came about. At termination, the client reported complete symptom relief, greater self-acceptance, improved relationships, and more emotional flexibility. Her corrective experience was evident in the qualitative themes, which showed that she came to understand and affectively experience her relationships with both parents differently. Moreover, the themes reflected both STDP-specific (e.g., confrontation of defenses) and nonspecific (e.g., rapport, acceptance) mechanisms of change. Conversation analysis (Sacks, 1995) of what the client described as "the 'gentle shove' of questions that make me see what I have been trying to ignore since childhood" showed, on a microlinguistic level, how she overcame resistance to strong emotional experience and expression.
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We analyzed master theorist/therapist Hanna Levenson's six-session work with "Ann" in American Psychological Association's Theories of Psychotherapy video series to determine if and how this client had a corrective... more
We analyzed master theorist/therapist Hanna Levenson's six-session work with "Ann" in American Psychological Association's Theories of Psychotherapy video series to determine if and how this client had a corrective experience in Brief Dynamic Therapy. First, we identified indicators of a corrective experience in the therapist's and client's own words. Complementing this analysis, we used observational coding to identify, moment by moment, narrative-emotion markers of shifts in Ann's "same old story"; the frequency, type, and depth of immediacy; and the client's and therapist's behavioral contributions to the working alliance. Additionally, we qualitatively analyzed Levenson's session-by-session accounts of the therapy from two sources. Convergent evidence from these multi-method analyses suggested how the intertwined relational and technical change processes seemed to bring about this client's corrective experience. Through con...
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Eleven Christian former clients were sampled to uncover factors contributing to positive versus negative experiences in secular psychotherapy. The qualitative results indicated that although many participants felt hesitant to discuss... more
Eleven Christian former clients were sampled to uncover factors contributing to positive versus negative experiences in secular psychotherapy. The qualitative results indicated that although many participants felt hesitant to discuss their faith due to uncertainty about their therapists' reactions, positive experiences were reportedly facilitated by therapists' openness to understanding clients' faith and giving clients control over how much, when, and how to discuss their religious beliefs and practices. Dissatisfied clients reported that their therapists expressed opposing religious views or avoided discussing religious or spiritual issues. Participants' self-reports of the working alliance and of their therapists' expertness, attractiveness, and trustworthiness were largely consistent with the narrative data, but the alliance scores were somewhat more sensitive to participants' positive versus negative evaluations of their therapy experience. That is, several participants rated their therapists' personal characteristics quite favorably but indicated poor agreement with their therapists on the goals or tasks of treatment.
Research Interests: Religion, Christianity, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Counseling Psychology, and 15 moreEvaluation, Beliefs, Creationism, Mixed Methods Research, Narration, Humans, Female, Male, Patient Satisfaction, Religion and psychology, Sample Size, Middle Aged, Adult, Mixed Method, and professional patient relations
On the basis of an impression management view of the counseling interaction, we investigated the effects of clients' initial self-presentations on counselors' impressions. Specifically, we predicted that a... more
On the basis of an impression management view of the counseling interaction, we investigated the effects of clients' initial self-presentations on counselors' impressions. Specifically, we predicted that a client offering personal attributional explanations (claiming responsibility for his or her problematic behavior) would be seen in a more favorable light than would one who attributed his or her predicament to others
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To be responsive to clients' evaluations of the unfolding therapy process, therapists must first accurately... more
To be responsive to clients' evaluations of the unfolding therapy process, therapists must first accurately "read" client behavior, a particularly challenging task in conjoint family therapy. In this study, the authors compared client behavior in 28 sessions that one family member and the therapist concurred, on the Session Evaluation Questionnaire (W. B. Stiles & J. S. Snow, 1984), were relatively better or worse than their other sessions. Client behavior was rated from videotapes using the System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances (SOFTA-o; M. L. Friedlander et al., 2006). In contrast to the worse sessions, the better sessions were characterized by significantly greater client Engagement in the Therapeutic Process and Safety within the Therapeutic System. Notably, whereas only the worse sessions had exceptionally poor within-family collaboration, 40% of the better sessions were characterized by mild family conflict. Implications are discussed for building theory on therapist responsiveness and for future research that may benefit practice, training, and supervision.
Research Interests: Family Therapy, Communication, Counseling Psychology, Evaluation, Adolescent, and 15 moreComparative Study, Motivation, Humans, Child, Family Counseling, Female, Male, Patient Satisfaction, Conduct Disorder, Customer, Client, Cooperative Behavior, Family Conflict, Life Change Events, and Child preschool
Page 1. Journal of Counseling Psychology 1986, Vol. 33, No. 1,73-77 Copyright 1986 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 0022-0167/86/$00.75 Effects of Role Conflict on Counselor Trainees' Self-Statements, Anxiety Level,... more
Page 1. Journal of Counseling Psychology 1986, Vol. 33, No. 1,73-77 Copyright 1986 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 0022-0167/86/$00.75 Effects of Role Conflict on Counselor Trainees' Self-Statements, Anxiety Level, and Performance ...
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Couple and family therapy (CFT) is challenging because multiple interacting working alliances develop simultaneously and are heavily influenced by preexisting family dynamics. An original meta-analysis of 24 published CFT... more
Couple and family therapy (CFT) is challenging because multiple interacting working alliances develop simultaneously and are heavily influenced by preexisting family dynamics. An original meta-analysis of 24 published CFT alliance-retention/outcome studies (k = 17 family and 7 couple studies; N = 1,416 clients) showed a weighted aggregate r = .26, z = 8.13 (p < .005); 95% CI = .33, .20. This small-to-medium effect size is almost identical to that reported for individual adult psychotherapy (Horvath, Del Re, Flückiger, & Symonds, this issue, pp. 9-16). Analysis of the 17 family studies (n = 1,081 clients) showed a similar average weighted effect size (r = .24; z = 6.55, p < .005; 95% CI = .30, .16), whereas the analysis of the 7 couple therapy studies (n = 335 clients) indicated r = .37; z = 6.16, p < .005; 95% CI = .48, .25. Tests of the null hypothesis of homogeneity suggested unexplained variability in the alliance-outcome association in both treatment formats. In this article we also summarize the most widely used alliance measures used in CFT research, provide an extended clinical example, and describe patient contributions to the developing alliance. Although few moderator or mediator studies have been conducted, the literature points to three important alliance-related phenomena in CFT: the frequency of "split" or "unbalanced" alliances, the importance of ensuring safety, and the need to foster a strong within-family sense of purpose about the purpose, goals, and value of conjoint treatment. We conclude with a series of therapeutic practices predicated on the research evidence.
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... Attitudinal independence Differentiation of self Permeability of boundaries Criterion variable Drive for thinness Bulimia Body dissatisfaction Ineffectiveness Perfectionism Interpersonal distrust ... Family structure, psychological... more
... Attitudinal independence Differentiation of self Permeability of boundaries Criterion variable Drive for thinness Bulimia Body dissatisfaction Ineffectiveness Perfectionism Interpersonal distrust ... Family structure, psychological separation, and college adjustment: A ca ...
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In two investigations, we identified explicitly relational supervision strategies and examined whether use of these strategies was associated with perceptions of the supervisory alliance and evaluations of the supervisor. First, ratings... more
In two investigations, we identified explicitly relational supervision strategies and examined whether use of these strategies was associated with perceptions of the supervisory alliance and evaluations of the supervisor. First, ratings by nine supervision researchers identified five clearly relational in-session strategies (focus on countertransference, exploration of feelings, attend to parallel process, focus on the therapeutic process, focus on the supervisory alliance) in the Critical Events model of supervision. Based on these expert ratings, we created and assessed the Relational Behavior Scale (RBS). Analyses with two samples of supervisees at all levels of training supported the measure's reliability and factorial validity. The RBS's validity was further indicated by its unique association with the "interpersonally sensitive" style of supervision. In both studies, supervisees perceived more frequent use of relational behavior on the part of psychoanalytic/psychodynamic/humanistic supervisors than cognitive-behavioral supervisors. Moreover, as hypothesized, supervisors' use of relational behavior in a specific session mediated the association between trainees' alliance perceptions and evaluations of their supervisors in that session. The identification of specific in-session supervision behaviors that explain one way in which a strong alliance contributes to trainees' positive experiences of their supervisors has implications for supervision theory, research, and practice.
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Compared the interpersonal structure in interviews conducted by 4 founders of the family therapy movement––N. Ackerman, M. Bowen, D. Jackson, and C. Whitaker––with the same family to determine the extent of similarity and identify common... more
Compared the interpersonal structure in interviews conducted by 4 founders of the family therapy movement––N. Ackerman, M. Bowen, D. Jackson, and C. Whitaker––with the same family to determine the extent of similarity and identify common features across counselors. Multidimensional scaling provided a spatial representation of the hidden structure in the communication patterns of these interviews. Each of the 4 analyses
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ABSTRACT This study examined the degree of psychological distress experienced by parents of children with cancer in relation to five religious coping methods: collaborative, active surrender, passive deferral, pleading for direct... more
ABSTRACT This study examined the degree of psychological distress experienced by parents of children with cancer in relation to five religious coping methods: collaborative, active surrender, passive deferral, pleading for direct intercession, and self-directed religious coping. Parents of 166 children with cancer from four hospitals completed the Religious Coping Methods to Gain Control subscale of the Religious/ Spiritual Coping (RCOPE) scale and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). On the average, BSI scores indicated high levels of distress compared with adult norms. Collectively, the five coping methods accounted for 19% of the variance in participants' psychological distress. As predicted, collaborative religious coping was uniquely associated with lower distress. Contrary to hypotheses, pleading for direct intercession was associated with greater reported distress.
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... 1978) interest lies in historic, multigenerational influences on families, in sharp contrast to Whitaker's here-and-now, symbolic-experiential ap-proach (Whitaker & Keith, 1981). (An ex-tended discussion of each expert's... more
... 1978) interest lies in historic, multigenerational influences on families, in sharp contrast to Whitaker's here-and-now, symbolic-experiential ap-proach (Whitaker & Keith, 1981). (An ex-tended discussion of each expert's theoreti-cal focus appears in Friedlander & Highlen, 1984 ...
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One explanation for the repeated finding of similar client outcomes across therapy approaches is that successful therapists shift their style to be responsive to clients’ emerging needs. Following this reasoning, the primary educational... more
One explanation for the repeated finding of similar client outcomes across therapy approaches is that successful therapists shift their style to be responsive to clients’ emerging needs. Following this reasoning, the primary educational function of supervision is to teach entry-level therapists to be maximally attuned and responsive to clients. Theorists have yet to elucidate how novice therapists learn to behave
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Inasmuch as therapist responsiveness is the crucial ingredient in psychotherapy success, teaching supervisees to be optimally responsive to their clients is the primary function of supervision. Responsive supervision is particularly... more
Inasmuch as therapist responsiveness is the crucial ingredient in psychotherapy success, teaching supervisees to be optimally responsive to their clients is the primary function of supervision. Responsive supervision is particularly critical when a trainee experiences a faltering or problematic working alliance with a client. In this article, I describe and illustrate how supervisors can work responsively, both explicitly (through instruction) and implicitly (through modeling) when their supervisees report a serious alliance rupture. Next, I illustrate, with the same case example, how quickly ruptures in the therapeutic alliance can lead to ruptures in the supervisory alliance when the supervisor is not sufficiently responsive to the trainee's needs and, instead, relies exclusively on case management. Throughout the article, I discuss how the construct of responsiveness fits within the substantial body of theory and research on relational processes in supervision. (PsycINFO Data...