Marvarene Oliver

Ethical Code for the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors

The Board of Directors of the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC) requested the IAMFC Ethics Committee to revise the IAMFC Ethical Code (2006). The revised Ethical Code of the IAMFC focuses on current issues in marriage and family counseling. The Ethical Code of IAMFC (2011), which appears in the following article, has been approved by the Board of Directors of IAMFC and the American Counseling Association and is consistent with the current Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association (2005).

Systemic Processes in Triadic Supervision

During a four-year research project that grew out of their teaching and supervision, three counselor educators used a constructivist grounded theory approach to address a gap in the literature on triadic supervision. The authors collaborated with 2 research assistants and 28 research participants to examine triadic supervision through analysis of individual and focus group interviews, observation of videotapes of triadic supervision, and ongoing discussions. Analysis and interpretive theorizing resulted in the identification of the following basic processes present in triadic supervision: systemic engagement, synergy, recursiveness, presence of the supervisor, and community. Description of each process, considerations about use of triadic supervision, and implications for teaching and practice are discussed.

Creating College Advising Connections: Comparing Motivational Beliefs of Early College High School Students to Traditional First-Year University Students.

Early college high schools (ECHSs) are partnerships between high schools and colleges or universities designed to enhance college readiness and completion, particularly among students traditionally underrepresented in higher education. We compared the self-reported motivational profiles of ECHS students to traditional first-year university students to explore the different college advising and support services each group may require. We found differences between the two groups in academic motivation, coping skills, and receptivity to support services. ECHS students also reported significantly higher levels of educational stress. Findings are of particular importance to advisors and support personnel who plan and program appropriate support services for incoming students. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Couples Therapy With Borderline Personality Disordered Individuals

Couples who present for therapy with one person having borderline personality disorder (BPD) are a challenge for even the most seasoned couples counselor. Some have argued that couples counseling should not be attempted until the person diagnosed with BPD has completed successful individual treatment. However, there is a growing body of research addressing effective marital therapy with particularly difficult couples and also a research-based approach, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), used to work with borderline personality disorder. Linehans DBT and Gottmans method for couples therapy form the foundation for the work conducted with these couples. A case study illustrates how these models are used.

Marriage and Family Counseling: Ethics in Context

Codes of ethics typically provide rules and guidelines for best practices in marriage and family counseling. An emerging model for ethical decision making emphasizes the ethics of virtues and aspirations. Exploring fundamental models of helping, as well as contemporary issues in community systems, affords context for examining the professional development of marriage and family counseling. Dialectical reasoning, professional discourse, and case study present means by which 21st-century marriage and family counselors can resolve ethical dilemmas.

Perceptions of the Wellness Model of Supervision among Counseling Interns

We implemented a qualitative case study research design to evaluate the perceptions of four internship students participating in a model of supervision that integrates wellness while completing a counseling internship at a community-based trauma clinic. Participant interviews and supervisor reflections revealed seven themes within three categories of inquiry. Participants reported experiences related to Initial Reactions, Engagement, Understanding, Benefits to Self, Translation to Professional Practice, Translation to Professional Relationships, and Commitment to Wellness. Recommendations for supervisors and future research are identified.

Predictive Associations Between Family System Characteristics and Emergent Protective Factors

The present study was implemented to identify predictive relationships between family processes and the emergence of protective factors among young adults. There were 198 participants (119 women, 60%; 79 men, 40%) with a mean age of 18.29 years (SD = .46) with predominately Hispanic/Latino (n = 88; 44%) and Caucasian (n = 80; 40%) ethnic identities who were enrolled at a medium-sized 4-year university in the Central Southern region of the United States. Simultaneous multiple regression analyses revealed differential predictive weight for types of family processes and emergent protective factors. Specifically, use of strengths and adaptability predicted a sense of mattering and repeated exposure to crises predicted resilience. Implications for family therapy and recommendations for further research are identified.

Examining the Relationship Between Working Alliance and Therapeutic Goal Attainment With Adolescents in Crisis

Literature regarding the relationship between working alliance and therapeutic goal attainment is limited. The purpose of this correlational study was to explore working alliance and therapeutic goal attainment with 75 adolescents in an inpatient, acute care, behavioral hospital in south Texas. Two canonical correlation analyses were conducted utilizing sets of subscale scores from the Working Alliance Inventory—Short Form (WAI-S) and the Crisis Stabilization Scale (CriSS). A statistically significant relationship was found between the clinician version of WAI-S subscales and the CriSS subscales, while no statistically significant relationship was found between the client version of WAI-S subscales and the CriSS subscales. A strong working alliance, specifically collaboration on tasks in counseling, is important for adolescents’ achievement of goals related to stabilization. In addition, clients may over report progress in counseling.