Abstract
Since most clinicians are first taught to conduct diagnostic interviewing with individuals, the changes required for interviewing a marital dyad present a myriad of complications. First, while some categories of inquiry may be similar (e.g., presenting problems, developmental histories), the conceptual frameworks and methods used for dyadic interviews are highly variable and different from those used for individuals. In particular, the necessary emphasis placed on dyadic interactions and relationship factors can cause significant problems for dyadic interactions and relationship factors can cause significant problems for the inexperienced marital therapist. That is not to say that individual problems (e.g., depression, anxiety) are irrelevant in deciding the treatment of choice, but that even when they are present, there is a special requirement to understand how the marital relationship is affected by or contributes to the two individuals’ problems.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (1988). AAMFT code of ethical principles for marriage and family therapists. Washington, DC: Author.
American Psychiatric Association (1993). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mnental disorders, 4th ed., draft criteria. Washington, DC: Author.
American Psychological Association (1981). Ethical principles of psychologists. American Psychologist, 36, 633–638.
Anderson, C. M., & Stewart, S. (1983). Mastering resistance: A practical guide to family therapy. New York: Guilford Press.
Basco, M. R., Birchler, G. R., Kalal, B., Talbott, R., & Slater, M. A. (1991). The clinician rating of adult communication (CRAC): A clinician’s guide to the assessment of interpersonal communications skill. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 47, 368–380.
Birchler, G. R. (1979). Communication skills in married couples. In A. S. Bellack & M. Hersen (Eds.), Research and practice in social skills training (pp. 273–315). New York: Plenum Press.
Birchler, G. R. (1983). Marital dysfunction. In M. Hersen (Ed.), Practice of outpatient behavioral therapy: A clinician’s handbook (pp. 229–269). New York: Grune & Stratton.
Birchler, G. R. (1988). Handling resistance to change. In I. R. H. Falloon (Ed.), Handbook of behavioral family therapy (pp. 128–155). New York: Guilford Press.
Birchler, G. R. (1992). Marriage. In V. B. Van Hasselt & M. Hersen (Eds.), Handbook of social development: A lifespan perspective (pp. 397–419). New York: Plenum Press.
Birchler, G. R., Clopton, P. L., & Adams, N. L. (1984). Marital conflict resolution: Factors influencing concordance between partner and trained coders. American Journal of Family Therapy, 12, 15–28.
Birchler, G. R., & Gershwin, M. (1990). Marital dysfunction. In M. E. Thase, B. A. Edelstein, & M. Hersen (Eds.), Handbook of outpatient treatment of adults (pp. 463–488). New York: Plenum Press.
Birchler, G. R., & Spinks, S. H. (1980). Behavioral-systems marital and family therapy: Integration and clinical application. American Journal of Family Therapy, 8, 6–28.
Birchler, G. R., Weiss, R. L., & Vincent, J. P. (1975). Multimethod analysis of social reinforcement exchange between maritally distressed and nondistressed spouse and stranger dyads. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31, 349–360.
Bornstein, P. H., & Bornstein, M. T. (1986). Marital therapy: A behavioral-communications approach. New York: Pergamon Press.
Carter, B., & McGoldrick, M. (1988). The changing family life cycle, 2nd ed. New York: Gardner Press.
Cormier, W. H., & Cormier, L. S. (1985). Interviewing strategies for helpers. Monterey CA: Brooks/Cole.
Filsinger, E. E. (Ed.) (1983). Marriage and family assessment. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.
Floyd, E J., & Markman, H. J. (1984). Observational biases in spouse observation: Toward a cognitivebehavioral model of marriage. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51, 450–457.
Glick, I. D., & Kessler, D. R. (1980). Marital and family therapy. New York: Grune & Stratton.
Gottman, J. (1979). Marital interaction: Experimental investigations. New York: Academic Press.
Gurman, A. S. (1978). Contemporary marital therapies: A critique and comparative analysis of psychoanalytic, behavioral and systems theory approaches. In T. J. Paolino & B. S. McCrady (Eds.), Marriage and marital therapy (pp. 455–566). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Gurman, A. S. (1991). Back to the future, ahead to the past: Is marital therapy going in circles? Journal of Family Psychology, 4, 402–406
Gurman, A. S., & Jacobson, N. S. (1988). Marital therapy: From technique to theory, back again and beyond. In N. S. Jacobson & A. S. Gurman (Eds.), Clinical handbook of marital therapy (pp. 1–12). New York: Guilford Press.
Haynes, S. N., & Chavez, R. E. (1983). The interview in the assessment of marital distress. In E. E. Filsinger (Ed.), Marriage and family assessment (pp. 23–44). Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.
Haynes, S. N., Follingstad, D. R., & Sullivan, J. (1979). Assessment of marital satisfaction and interaction. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 47, 789–791.
Hersen, M., & Bellack, A. S. (1988). Dictionary of behavioral assessment techniques. New York: Pergamon Press.
Hof, L., & Treat, S. R. (1989). Marital assessment: Providing a framework for dynamic therapy. In G. R. Weeks (Ed.), Treating couples (pp. 3–21). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Jacobson, N. S. (1991). Toward enhancing the efficacy of marital therapy and marital therapy research. Journal of Family Psychology, 4(4), 373–393.
Jacobson, M. S., Follette, W. C., & McDonald, D. W. (1982). Reactivity of positive and negative behavior in distressed and nondistressed married couples. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50, 706–714.
Jacobson, N. S., & Gurman, A. S. (Eds.) (1988). Clinical handbook of marital therapy. New York: Guilford Press.
Jacobson, N. S., & Margolin, G. (1979). Marital therapy: Strategies based on social learning and behavior exchange principles New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Karpel, M. A. (1980). Family secrets. I. Conceptual and ethical issues in relational context, II. Ethical and practical considerations in therapeutic management. Family Process, 19, 295–306.
Margolin, G. (1986). Ethical issues in marital therapy. In N. S. Jacobson & A. S. Gurman (Eds.), Clinical handbook of marital therapy (pp. 621–638). New York: Guilford Press.
Margolin, G., Michelli, J., & Jacobson, N. S. (1988). Assessment of marital dysfunction. In A. S. Bellack & M. Hersen (Eds.), Behavioral assessment: A practical handbook (pp. 441–489). New York: Pergamon Press.
Meissner, W. W. (1978). The conceptualization of marriage and family dynamics from a psychoanalytic perspective. In T. J. Paolino & B. S. McGrady (Eds.), Marriage and marital therapy (pp. 25–88). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Nadelson, C. C., & Paolino, T. J. (1978). Marital therapy from a psychoanalytic perspective. In T. J. Paolino & B. S. McCrady (Eds.), Marriage and marital therapy (pp. 89–164). New York: Brunner/ Mazel.
Nichols, W. C. (1988). Marital therapy. New York: Guilford Press.
Olson, D. H., Fournier, D. G., & Druckman, J. M. (1987). Counselor’s manual for PREPARE/ENRICH, revised ed. Minneapolis, MN: PREPARE/ENRICH.
Segal, L. (1991). Brief therapy: The MRI approach. In A. S. Gurman & D. P. Kniskern (Eds.), Handbook of family therapy, Vol. II (pp. 171–199). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Segraves, R. T. (1982). Marital therapy: A combined psychodynamic-behavioral approach. New York: Plenum Press.
Spinks, S. H., & Birchler, G. R. (1982). Behavioral-systems marital therapy: Dealing with resistance. Family Process, 21, 169–185.
Stuart, R. B. (1980). Helping couples change: A social learning approach to marital therapy. New York: Guilford Press.
Vincent, J. P., Weiss, R. L., & Birchler, G. R. (1975). A behavioral analysis of problem solving in distressed and nondistressed married and stranger dyads. Behavior Therapy, 6, 475–487.
Weiss, R. L. (1980). Strategic behavioral marital therapy: Toward a model for assessment and intervention. In J. P. Vincent (Ed.), Advances in family intervention, assessment and therapy Vol. I (pp. 229–271). Greenwich, CN: JAI Press.
Weiss, R. L. (1981). The new kid on the block: Behavioral systems approach. In E. E. Filsinger & R. A. Lewis (Eds.), Assessing marriage (pp. 22–37). Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.
Weiss, R. L., & Birchler G. R. (1975). Areas of change questionnaire. Unpublished manuscript, University of Oregon, Eugene.
Weiss, R. L., & Summers, K. L. (1983). Marital interaction coding system—III. In E. E. Filsinger (ed.), Marriage and family assessment (pp. 85–116). Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.
Wynne, L. C. (1984). The epigenesis of relational systems: A model for understanding family development. Family Process, 23, 297–318.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Birchler, G.R., Schwartz, L. (1994). Marital Dyads. In: Hersen, M., Turner, S.M. (eds) Diagnostic Interviewing. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-2323-6_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-2323-6_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-2325-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-2323-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive