School of Public Health

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The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations.

Note: Prior to July 1, 2007, the School of Public Health was named the College of Health & Human Performance.

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Subject: search.filters.subject.couples

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    The Presence of Playfulness in the Context of Couple Relationship, Relationship Satisfaction and its Associations With Symptoms of Depression
    (2018) Herrick, Pamela; Barros, Patricia; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    The present study investigated the associations between playfulness in the context of couple relationship, relationship satisfaction, and symptoms of depression. Research suggests the potential for play to help improve relationship quality and decrease the symptoms of depression. However, the empirical evidence is limited in the literature. This study was a secondary analysis of data from 294 individuals seeking couple therapy at a university based family clinic. Two significant main effects were found in this study. Both the increase in relationship satisfaction is associated with decreased depressive symptoms and the increase of play, above and beyond relationship satisfaction, is associated with decreased depressive symptoms. Gender as a moderator was not established between playfulness and depression. Implications of these findings are discussed.
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    Comparison of Structural Interaction Patterns in African American and Caucasian Clinical Couples: The Moderating Effect of Financial Resources
    (2012) Hart, John Rennie; Epstein, Dr. Norman B; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This study focused on degrees to which African American and Caucasian couples who have sought couple therapy at a community clinic differ on measures of relationship boundaries and power/hierarchy. Potential effects that financial resources may have on the relationship between couples' ethnic group membership and their structural patterns were examined. The sample was 77 couples who previously were assessed and treated at a university-based clinic. These two ethnic groups were examined in order to explore potential cultural differences in relationship interaction patterns. Results showed there were no significant ethnic group differences for the three structural dimensions other than a trend for Caucasian couples to exhibit more autonomy between partners than African American couples. There were moderating effects of financial resources in relation to the boundary between the partners and for power dynamics. No significant gender differences were found other than males being more likely to perceive their partner as controlling.
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    DIRECTION OF PARTNER PSYCHOLOGICAL AGGRESSION AND OUTCOMES OF COUPLE THERAPY: MODERATING EFFECTS OF CLIENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THERAPEUTIC GAINS
    (2012) Childers, Morgan Anne; Epstein, Norman; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Research has consistently found that contrary to longstanding beliefs, partner aggression, both in psychological and physical forms, is primarily perpetrated bidirectionally. This study compared conjoint therapy treatment outcomes (dyadic satisfaction, changes in communication patterns, and reductions in physical aggression) for bidirectionally psychologically aggressive couples and couples in which only one partner primarily perpetrated psychological aggression. In addition, the clients' perceptions of therapy were measured continuously over the course of therapy; this factor was examined as a moderator variable. A MANOVA was run on the sample of 64 heterosexual couples, but no significant main effects were found. However, this study and past research on this sample show that these couples did improve on outcome measures. This suggests that regardless of the pattern of aggression perpetration, psychologically aggressive couples may benefit from conjoint therapy. Additionally, post hoc exploratory analyses found significant correlations between reductions in aggression and changes in negative communication patterns.
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    Couple Therapy Process and Its Relation to Therapy Outcome
    (2011) Evans, Laura Melisa; Epstein, Norman B.; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Research on psychotherapy has found that characteristics of clients and therapists often are more strongly associated with treatment outcome than are specific therapeutic models or techniques. This study examined the relations between client and therapist common factors and outcomes of couple therapy. The sample was 40 couples presenting with mild to moderate psychological and physical abuse and who received ten sessions of couple therapy at a university-based clinic. The study investigated relations of client common factor characteristics (negative communication and negative attributions) and the therapist common factor characteristics (warmth, empathy, presence, validation and systemic techniques and session structuring) with couple therapy outcomes (changes in overall relationship satisfaction and in level of psychologically abusive behavior). Hierarchical linear modeling analyses testing an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) revealed that males' negative attributions were associated with a decrease over treatment in their own use of psychological abuse, whereas females' negative attributions were associated with increased use of psychological abuse by males. Females' negative communication was associated with increased psychological abuse by females. As expected, therapist use of technique factors was associated with decreased psychological abuse by males. Unexpectedly, therapist presence was associated with less positive change in relationship satisfaction for males, and therapist use of technique factors was associated with less positive change in relationship satisfaction and increased use of psychological abuse for females. Therapist factors moderated the relationships between the client pre-treatment negative characteristics and therapy outcome, such that in some cases higher levels of therapist factors (warmth, presence, validation) enhanced a positive relationship between pre-treatment negativity and positive therapeutic outcomes and in others higher levels of the therapist factors (technique factors, presence, validation) amplified a negative relationship between pre-treatment characteristics and poor therapeutic outcomes. Therapist factors did not buffer the negative relationship between client negativity and positive therapy outcomes as expected, although there were instances in which therapist factors enhanced a positive relationship between these variables. Actor and partner effects, as well as gender differences, are discussed. The study's implications and limitations are considered as they contribute to understanding how client and therapist common factors influence the course of couple therapy.
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    Incarceration and Partner Relationships: A Qualitative Analysis of Men's Perceptions of Social Support
    (2007-05-07) McDowell, April; Roy, Kevin; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Incarceration impacts families in a number of different ways ranging from emotional distress, economic challenges, and social stigma. The purpose of this analysis was to explore how men's perceptions of support from their partners during incarceration and community reentry shape intimate partnerships. Using secondary data content analysis, a sample of 20 fathers from the Fathers and Families Resource and Research Center study dataset has been examined (Roy, 2002-2004). Using family stress theory and symbolic interactionism, qualitative methods were used to examine life history interviews. Interviews were coded for themes related to past incarceration, intimate partnerships, and social support. Overall, men reported feeling supported in their roles as partners across their relationship trajectories and support shifted occurred from their roles as romantic partners to their roles as co-parents. Community reentry was an especially significant time that support mattered due to the recommitments that many made to fatherhood during this process.
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    Partner Positive Behavior and Recipient Satisfaction in Mild to Moderately Abusive Couples as Moderated by Attachment Style
    (2007-05-07) Evans, Laura; Epstein, Norman B.; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This study examined the degree to which individuals' secure, insecure/preoccupied, insecure/fearful or dismissive attachment styles moderated the relation between positive partner behaviors and the recipient's experienced pleasure and overall relationship satisfaction. Males with high insecure/preoccupied attachment styles experienced high levels of affection behavior as more pleasurable than low levels; those with low insecure/preoccupied attachment experienced little pleasure difference from high or low levels. Males and females with insecure/fearful or dismissive styles showed opposite patterns, in that males with low levels of insecure/fearful or dismissive attachment experienced high levels of positive instrumental behavior as more pleasurable than those with high levels of insecure/fearful or dismissive attachment, whereas females with high levels of insecure/fearful or dismissive attachment experienced more pleasure from high levels of instrumental behaviors than those with low insecure/fearful or dismissive attachment. Further, females with high insecure/fearful or dismissive attachment experienced higher levels of nurturing behavior as more pleasurable that those with low insecure/fearful or dismissive attachment.
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    The Association of Socio-Economic Resources and Perceived Social Support with the Occurence of Physical and Psychological Aggression in Heterosexual Clinical Couples
    (2006-07-24) Alexander, Rachel Erin; Epstein, Norman B; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This study examined the interaction between relative socio-economic resources, such as income and level of education, and level of perceived social support on couples' levels of physical and psychological abuse. It was hypothesized that individuals with fewer resources than their partner would utilize more aggression, individuals with higher perceived social support would exhibit less aggression, and perceived social support would moderate the relationship between personal resource discrepancy and aggressive behavior. The findings of the current study suggest that the impact of partner resource discrepancies and perceived social support depend on the gender of the perpetrator and the type of abuse considered. The findings also have clinical implications for the importance of gathering information about couples' resources and social support. Implications for future research include analyzing the effects of different types of social support on coping in a sample that includes wider ranges of personal resources and severity of abuse.