Ronald Jay Werner-Wilson

Resilient Response to Battering

Spouse abuse remains an important social problem. Recent research has begun to explore resiliency in a variety of areas: Why, despite harsh life circumstances, do some people survive and later thrive after experiencing trauma? What are the processes associated with a successful departure from abuse? The authors worked with a local shelter to identify three groups of women: (a) those currently at the shelter; (b) those who had been away from an abusive relationship for at least one year; and (c) those who were identified by shelter staff as having demonstrated a resilient response to battering, and compared experiences and recommendations between groups and discuss clinical and service implications.

Client gender as a process variable in marriage and family therapy : Are women clients interrupted more than men clients ?

Influenced by language and therapeutic discourse as well as the feminist critique of marriage and family therapy, the authors conducted research to evaluate conversational power in marriage and family therapy. Research on interruptions has received the most empirical attention, so the authors examined videotaped therapy sessions to see if women clients were interrupted more than men clients. This strategy integrated scholarship on gender and conversation into research on marriage and family therapy process. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to examine the different treatment of women and men clients; gender of therapist was used as a control variable. Results indicated that marriage and family doctoral students interrupted women clients three times more than men clients.

Sex differences in the use of demand and withdraw behavior in marriage: Examining the social structure hypothesis.

Studies consistently show sex differences in married couples’ use of demand and withdraw behavior. The social structure hypothesis proposes that these differences are the result of power differentials between spouses. This study examined the link between 3 aspects of marital power and demanding and withdrawal behavior. Contrary to social structure predictions, results showed that wives did not possess less decision-making ability or access to resources and appeared to exhibit greater situational power (i.e., domineering and dominant behaviors) than did their husbands during problem-solving discussions. Furthermore, the spouse who exhibited the most demands also exhibited the most domineering and dominant behaviors, whereas the spouse who exhibited the most withdrawal exhibited the least domineering and dominant behaviors during problem-solving discussions.

Influence of Therapist Behaviors on Therapeutic Alliance

A number of recent studies have investigated the relationship between therapist and client gender and conversation in marriage and family therapy. There has also been recent empirical investigation of therapeutic alliance and its influence on therapy outcome in marriage and family therapy. However, there has been limited investigation of the influence of interactional patterns on therapeutic alliance. It seems probable that therapy conversation (which seems to be influenced by gender) will influence therapeutic alliance and subsequent outcome.

Multiple Perspectives of Parent-Adolescent Sexuality Communication: Phenomenological Description of a Rashoman Effect∗

Empirical evidence regularly demonstrates that parents influence adolescent sexuality, but we know much less about the processes associated with these influences (Werner-Wilson & Fitzharris, 2001). Communication seems to be one process that is associated with parent influence. The present article investigates the different perceptions of mothers, fathers, adolescent girls, and adolescent boys about sexuality communication. Research suggests that parents and adolescents differ in their perception of the amount of communication that occurs between parents and adolescents about sexuality. Theoretically, the difference in perception about sexuality communication can be understood as representing a Rashoman effect, a social-psychological construct, which suggests that interpretation of events is an inherently subjective experience. We analyzed focus-group data for the presence of a Rashoman effect and discuss implications for sexuality education and future research. *This research was supported, in part, by a grant from the Western Michigan University Faculty Research and Creative Activities Support Fund, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Distinguishing Between Conceptualizations of Attachment: Clinical Implications in Marriage and Family Therapy

Authors described four distinct conceptualizations of the construct of attachment and identified clinical implications associated with each. Three of the conceptualizations, which are influenced by the work of Bowlby and Ainsworth, seem to have some empirical support; these conceptualizations are compatible with systemic and social constructionist approaches to family therapy. The other conceptualization— Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)—contradicts the extensive body of literature associated with the Bowlby/Ainsworth traditions and tends to pathologize children. Therefore, family therapists interested in attachment are encouraged to maintain conceptual clarity in their clinical work and are further encouraged to rely on clinical conceptualizations and interventions that are consistent with the work of Bowlby and Ainsworth.

Preschool Children's Classification Skills and a Multicultural Education Intervention To Promote Acceptance of Ethnic Diversity

Abstract Previous studies on the ethnic awareness of young children have identified a developmental sequence of ethnic understanding based on cognitive-developmental theories. The present study extends earlier findings by using measures that include classification tasks. Nineteen preschool participants were randomly assigned either to an intervention group or a control group. The children were pre-tested to obtain a baseline measure of their classification skills (i.e., classified by age, gender, race/ethnicity). Following the pre-test measures, children in the experimental group participated in an eight-week intervention program designed to reduce racial/ethnic stereotyping. Increases in classification skills were observed in the experimental group at post-test. Upon conclusion of the eight-week intervention, children in the experimental group were less likely to sort photo cards by race/ethnicity and more likely to sort them by gender and age. These results suggest that interventions for preschoolers can expand young childrens ability to classify individuals on multiple dimensions (i.e., age, gender, race/ethnicity).

The Association Between Emotion Work Balance and Relationship Satisfaction of Couples Seeking Therapy

Emotion work refers to the efforts that are made to enhance emotional well-being and provide emotional support in a relationship. Data were collected from 63 couples who were seeking therapy to determine the relation between emotion work balance and relationship satisfaction. On the basis of comparative scores on emotion work, each dyad was categorized as either: (a) balanced; (b) participant performs more emotion work; or (c) partner performs more emotion work. Results indicate that both men and women are most satisfied with their relationship when levels of emotion work are approximately equal. Thus, clinical interventions that aim to establish balance in emotion work may benefit both partners in a relationship.

Assessment of Interpersonal Influences on Adolescents: The Parent and Peer Influence Scale

Peer influence is a common topic of interest for parents, clinicians, and researchers, but results from research on the relative importance of parents’ versus peers’ influence on adolescents and young adults has been contradictory. For example, some research suggests that peer attitudes about school influences future academic aspirations, other research suggests that parents and peers differ on their level of influence based on topic (e.g., parents’ are the primary source of influence about moral issues), and other research suggests that peer-oriented children are a product of parental disregard. A reliable and valid measure of the relative strength of parent versus peer influence could enhance research in this area. As a result, the Parent and Peer Inventory Scale (PPI) was developed, which demonstrates strong reliability as well as face and concurrent validity. The PPI can be used both by researchers to address contradictions in the literature, as well as clinicians seeking to evaluate level of peer influence in a family.

Leaving No Girl Behind: Clinical Intervention Effects on Adolescent Female Academic “High-Risk” Behaviors

Female adolescents are negatively impacted by the effects of dropping out of school. Considerable amounts of information regarding the causes of dropping out, and suggestions for intervention programs exists, however there is little on the effect of clinical programming on dropout prevention. Thus archival information from after-school and individual therapy services within a community agency were evaluated for overall clinical effect, with specific attention to the after-school programs effect on academic behaviors. Analysis indicated an overall positive therapeutic effect, as well as a positive change in academic behaviors for female participants in both programs.