The Family Journal

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is considered the authority for mental health diagnosis. Further, it is highly respected by counselors and especially by couple and family counselors as well as insurance companies. The DSM was initially published in 1952. Since its original publication 70 years ago, the DSM has experienced seven revisions with the most recent revision, the DSM-5-TR, occurring in March 2022. The focus of this article is to help couple and family counselors not only be aware of the changes but more importantly, the focus is directed toward helping them understand the changes.

Podcasts are a convenient, portable, and increasingly popular resource for conveying and consuming information. Accordingly, the ever-expanding catalog of podcast content offers counselor educators, counseling students, and clinicians a wealth of free learning materials. This article provides an overview of current podcast trends, prior uses in educational and clinical settings, and outlines several strategies for utilizing podcasts to enhance student learning and development in marriage and family counseling courses.

The primary aim of the literature review is to explore the relevant literature on the use and effectiveness of genograms in family therapy. The literature is predominantly related to the use of genograms in various settings and adaptations. There are minimal studies on the effectiveness of genograms as a therapeutic tool in family therapy. Searches were conducted of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SCOPUS and PsycINFO electronic databases. The international review includes all studies, irrespective of study methodology. This review will inform clinicians working in family therapy and other relevant disciplines on the usefulness of genograms as a therapeutic tool, examples of adaptations to the traditional genogram for specific populations and purposes, and, to a lesser extent, the therapeutic effectiveness of genograms in family therapy. The results and discussion will provide insights on the utilisation of genograms, the range of population, gaps in the existing literature and the need for further research.

The collaborative process of supervision supports discovery of clinical identity and skill for the trainee and supervisor. It affords a bare space for both to explore self-of-the-therapist in and out of session by bringing to light their narratives. Also, it provides room to remedy their meaning making. Supervision unearths the essence of equafinality interwoven through the supervisory alliance relationship, which highlights that there is more than one way to learn and/or supervise. This notion of relationship grounds the writers research, clinical and supervisory skills, and role as a family therapist attempting to serve from a narrative framing. Within the writers journey of discovery and identity as a supervisor, she shares a framework on having a collaborative, compassionate, and contemplative lens that includes the voice of the family system and scaffolds the development of the trainee. Her therapeutic practice guides and gives room for trainees to lead in their identity growth.

This article outlines the current research on the treatment of family conflict, structural family theory (SFT), and the application of SFT in the treatment of family conflict. Family therapy is rarely conducted with violent families because of state-mandated programs that focus on the individual perpetrator. Yet, structural family therapy has much potential for addressing power, boundaries, and transactions associated with family violence. The review of utilizing SFT with families experiencing conflict makes the case that early intervention may reduce the rates of violence.

Consensually nonmonogamous (CNM) persons are significantly underrepresented in couple therapy research. There are very few models of therapy formatted specifically to work with the unique configurations of CNM. Yet, the systemic underpinnings of the couple and family therapy field are most appropriately aligned with conceptualizing and treating issues within a multi-system configuration such as nonmonogamous relationships. Structural therapy is a timeless theoretical orientation that shows aptitude and flexibility to be adapted for more socially just application. We analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the original model and critique those through a social justice lens. We propose adapted strategies and interventions for working with CNM clients, and for ease of use with an updated approach that is inclusive of alternative relationship configurations.

There is a lack of literature on effective theories to assist couples with childbearing decision conflict. Authors address the ways how Narrative Therapy could serve as a helpful framework to address this particular problem. The literature will review the topic of childbearing conflict amongst couples, and provide background on Narrative Therapy with a focus on Narrative Couple Therapy. A case example is presented to demonstrate the ways Narrative Therapy deals with a couple's conflict on childbearing decision, showing how its techniques can be used to navigate the decision-making process.

Demographic trends in parenthood have revealed that more people are living their lives without children. Societal assumption, however, is that the childfree life is lacking in fulfillment. Understanding whether there is an association between being childfree and life satisfaction may provide relevant information on how to better support individuals who do not have children. Although there are many studies with the purpose of examining childlessness and some measure of general well-being, this review synthesizes such scholarship examining life satisfaction of persons without children. This review assessed published peer-reviewed articles in six social science databases (Social Science Premium, PubMed, PsycInfo, SearchWise, Google Scholar, and SagePub) between 1979 and 2020 and identified 15 articles for inclusion. Examining childfree persons, the results of this review indicate a positive association between childlessness and life satisfaction. The results of this review support the need for greater exploration of the context of life satisfaction among diverse groups of childfree older adults.

Since healthy parents are more likely to provide a fulfilling childhood to their children, it seems crucial to examine those aspects of parenthood that add to parental well-being. The present article discusses the theoretical relationship between well-being and parenting within the contemporary social and relational context by underlining how society and children play significant roles in determining parental well-being.

The transition to motherhood is a developmental stage in which a woman's identity reveals its transformation into her maternal identity. Motherhood goes through certain stages based on the child's age. Motherhood during middle childhood differs from other periods in terms of experiences, meanings, practices, and the child's needs (Barnard & Solchany, 2002). The current study focuses on exploring mothers’ personal experiences of motherhood through a grounded theory framework in order to conceptualize motherhood in middle childhood. The sample was consisting of 22 mothers of children. As a result, the concept of expertise in motherhood (EIM) was obtained, which explains the maternal experiences of mothers with children in middle childhood. EIM is explained through six themes: EIM, pre-motherhood, motherhood enhancers, expertise in child-rearing, child-centered communication, and the transformative power of motherhood. The research results are discussed in light of the relevant literature on motherhood, maternal self-concept, and maternal role development.

Studies report that single mothers are at a higher risk for psychological stress than married mothers. This study investigates which risk factors are relevant for the stress of single mothers and how much the maternal stress depends on the number of stressors occurring in combination. For this purpose, multiple regression analyses as well as ANOVAs were calculated using data from 923 single mothers from Germany. Factors influencing single mothers' stress are (1) low parenting self-efficacy beliefs on the part of the mother, (2) at least one child with a disability, (3) low perceived social support, (4) a new partnership, and (5) the age of the youngest child. Cumulation of several stressors causes a significant increase in stress in the domain resulting from the child's behavior and characteristics, i.e. single mothers with several simultaneously occurring stressors experience many times more stress especially in this domain than those who are affected by only one stressor. Our findings suggest that it is not sufficient to focus interventions on the relative disadvantages of single mothers, but that the combined occurrence of different stressors and their cumulative effect should be focused on in prevention and intervention.

While associations between child behavior, parenting behaviors, and foster parent stress have been established, a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between parenting behaviors and parental stress in foster parents is needed. This study included a convenience sample of 65 licensed foster caregivers from across the United States to address the following research question: is there an association between foster parenting behaviors and parental stress? Separate models were run for (a) adaptive parenting behaviors (involvement, positive parenting) as it relates to parenting stress and (b) maladaptive parenting behaviors (poor monitoring/supervision, inconsistent discipline, and corporal punishment) and parental stress. Results indicated that higher levels of parental involvement with children were associated with lower levels of parental stress. For maladaptive parenting behaviors, it was identified that more inconsistent discipline and higher endorsement of corporal punishment as a discipline strategy were associated with higher levels of stress, however, poor monitoring was not found to be associated with levels of stress in this model. Results support the importance of training foster parents in positive parenting strategies or intervening with foster parents who may endorse more negative forms of behavior modification.

This content analysis provides a 31-year review of foster care publications and research across 24 professional counseling journals from 1991–2021. A total of 35 articles utilizing foster care as a key term were published, representing less than 1% of all possible articles (N = 11,293). The Family Journal published the highest number of foster care-centered articles (n = 18), 11 of which appeared in a special issue focusing on the subject. Professional School Counseling published the second-highest number of foster care articles (n = 4) during this period. This analysis includes an examination of publication occurrences across the thirty-one-year span, the type of article (research, non-research), research methodology, and foster care focus area. Results provide the professional counseling field with current research trends, issues, barriers, and methods for future work.

Physical activity is generally regarded as imperative to good health. Given the many health benefits of physical activity and the inclusion of muscle-strengthening physical activity (MSPA) in public health guidelines, an understanding of how romantic partners might foster or inhibit MSPA may be useful in promoting health and relationship quality. This study qualitatively explored how participants (young adults in long-term, dyadic heterosexual relationships) make sense of their partner's engagement in MSPA. The data came from the social media platform Reddit. The thematic analysis suggested five ways in which participants made meaning about MSPA in the context of their romantic relationships. Specifically, participants described experiencing conflict around partner engagement in MSPA, dissatisfaction with the partner's body, concern for partner's health, insecurity in response to physical changes in the partner, and concerns related to the partner balancing responsibilities and commitments. Limitations and implications of the analysis are discussed.

According to the Hospital for Special Surgery, approximately 60 million children between the ages of 6 and 18 in the United States participate in organized sports activities every year. This involves approximately 75% of American families, with at least one child participating in an organized sports activity. The stated purposes of participation in organized sports activities are to assist children and teens in building skills, forming friendships, learning the value of teamwork, and possibly obtaining a scholarship to college. There are, however, related challenging issues. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the obesity rate for children and adolescents ages 2–19 living in the United States is 19.3%, affecting approximately 14.4 million children and adolescents. A sedentary lifestyle for children and teenagers contributes to this epidemic, while participation in sports is seen by many as protective. Challenges in participation, including increasing sports-related injuries, a 70% attrition rate by the time a child is 13 years of age, and programs overemphasizing winning are additional problems encountered in pre-teen and teen sports. The effect of pre-teen and teen participation in sports on family relationships is another potential source of stress and anxiety. This is the primary focus of this paper. The family relationships considered are the children, the parents, the couple, and the grandparents. Therapeutic suggestions and intervention considerations are then provided.

The mother-daughter dyad is a powerful relationship known to impact health and wellbeing of daughters throughout their life. This article examined studies focused on factors associated with daughter's positive body image through the mother-daughter relationship. In this systematic review searches were performed for English-language, peer-reviewed articles and dissertations published between 1955 to 2020 in the following databases: Family Studies Abstracts, ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMED, Scopus, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. Out of 444 potential records after removing duplicates, four were fully reviewed and synthesized. Study outcomes were analyzed through thematic analysis resulting in three major themes relating to the mother-daughter relationship as a facilitator for daughter's positive body image: (1) maternal role modeling of healthy behaviors; (2) positive body talk and communication; (3) relational connection.

Eating disorders are undoubtedly challenging for the adolescents experiencing them, but they can also be challenging for their parents. The current study employed a qualitative research design to examine the challenges endured by parents raising adolescents with eating disorders and undergoing a Family-Based Treatment (FBT) program. Six mothers of adolescents with anorexia nervosa or bulimia were interviewed about the challenges they face as parents of a child with an eating disorder and the changes they have had to make in their lives. Overall, results highlighted challenges from a personal, family, and parental role lens. Findings also call attention to the difficult responsibilities placed on parents during FBT programs such as involvement in their child's refeeding plan and the emotional toll their child's experience places on them. Implications for the level of support needed by parents are discussed according to their role in FBT programs.

When a loved one experiences a substance use disorder (SUD) often, a family member may assume a non-normative and intense caregiving role. Caregivers often experience strain as a result of the care they provide to their loved one experiencing an SUD. While SUDs are conceptualized as a family disease, little is known about caregiver perception of treatment productiveness, or usefulness of the treatment. To begin to address caregiver perception of treatment, we surveyed a national sample of 141 caregivers of a loved one with an SUD to investigate the aspects of family treatment that they felt were most productive in their loved one's recovery using moderation analyses.

Approximately 3 million U.S. children are considered to have medical complexity, a subset of children that are the most medically fragile and have the most intensive health care needs of all children with special health care needs. Families with children with medical complexity often experience myriad physical, mental, and financial stressors impacting their well-being, family functioning, and mental health. Background information and clinical implications for counselors working with this population will be discussed.

This paper explores the parental grief process for married couples who have lost a child and the relationship challenges to cope with the loss. The death of a child is a shared experience unique to each couple that can result in the couple moving closer to each other; however, marital problems often develop with the loss of a child. The circumstances surrounding the death are a critical factor in the long-term outcome of parental grief and the strength of the marriage relationship. Effective dyadic coping skills are highlighted for understanding how couples cope with shared grief. I will examine parental loss and marital satisfaction through the lens of Attachment Theory and the Trauma Model. Since grief and loss are universal and a shared experience, many counselors will encounter grief issues in counseling sessions. Yet, grief training is not required in most counselor education programs. With training and experience, counselors can feel more comfortable and knowledgeable in working with grieving clients.