Trauma, Adjustment, Pressure, and Alliance in Couples Therapy

Understanding the therapeutic alliance has been uncovered as one of the keys to predicting whether clients remain in therapy. In this presentation we will present findings regarding how feeling pressured to attend therapy at the first session might predict variability in alliance at session four. We conducted an analysis guided by the actor-partner-independence model with 928 heterosexual couples attending therapy at MFT training clinics in three regions of the US. We investigated whether feeling pressure to attend therapy at session one would predict variation in one’s own and in their partner’s alliance at session four. Pressure to attend therapy was found to be important in predicting alliance.

Objectives

1. Attendees will be able to identify key predictors of therapeutic alliance over time and understand the role of alliance in the success of couples' therapy and retention.2. Attendees will understand the role of trauma in explaining variation in couples' pressure to attend therapy. 3. Attendees will be able to explain the potential impact that traumatic events have on dyadic adjustment for male and female partners in heterosexual couples.4. Attendees will be able to report and explain the implications of both trauma and pressure to attend therapy on alliance with their therapist over time.

Intergenerational Effects of Trauma: Modeling Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Processes Post-Divorce

Using attachment theory, the current study explored the intergenerational effects of parent's (n=204) childhood trauma and the pathways by which parent's prior trauma ultimately comes to reflect children's well-being post-divorce. Specifically, parents' co-parenting relationships and depression-levels post-divorce were conceptualized to act as a form of modeling, and as such impact three distinctive domains of children's behavior (conduct problems, hyperactivity, and emotional symptoms). Results indicated direct realtionships as hypothesized. Indirect effects were found from parent's childhood trauma to multiple indicators of child well-being through parent's depression. Implications involving trauma-informed care for divorce/divorcing parents are provided.

Objectives

1. To evaluate the intergenerational effects of parent's childhood trauma on their later co-parenting realtionships, personal well-being, and in turn, their children's wellbeing post-divorce.2. To better understand post-divorce relationships as a function of modeling using an attachment perspective.3. To examine parent-child relationships to support overall family's wellbeing.

Examining Vicarious Trauma, Sexuality, and Relationships of Female Therapists: A Qualitative Study

This transcendental phenomenological study sought to provide rich data about the intrapersonal and systemic impacts of working with survivors of sexual trauma on the sexual health and relational wellbeing of female psychotherapists. Results showed that participants’ sexual identities, intimate partner relationships, and other self-of-the-therapist characteristics were affected by their work in ways that were similar to how directly experiencing sexual trauma affects survivors. Participants reported an over-all increase in intimacy with their partners once vicarious trauma was addressed. This poster summarizes these findings, identifies their clinical implications, and provides suggestions to prevent vicarious traumatization in therapists who treat sexual trauma.

Objectives

1. Identify the potential effects of vicarious traumatization on therapists' sexual identities and intimate partner relationships. 2. Understand the risks and benefits of specializing in treating sexual trauma on the self-of-the-therapist. 3. Develop clinical skills to prevent the onset of vicarious traumatization symptoms that may adversely affect the therapeutic relationship.

Descriptions of Hurtful Experiences Perpetrated by Parents and Forgiveness: A Linguistic Analysis

This study used text analysis to analyze descriptions of hurtful experiences perpetrated by parents and examined associations between the linguistic content obtained from the text analysis and forgiveness. Participants were 18- and 19-year old undergraduate students (n = 194) who were asked to recall events/circumstances in which they felt wronged or hurt by a parent/primary caregiver. They then were asked to answer questions related to forgiveness associated with the most hurtful event/circumstance. Words that were used the most often included 1st Person Singular Pronouns (15.64%), Cognitive Process words (11.61%), and Past Tense words (10.48%). Only 10% of the correlations between linguistic content variables and forgiveness were statistically significant. The Cognitive Process Words variable, however, was associated with three indices of forgiveness.

Objectives

Use text analysis program to analyze descriptions of hurtful experiences.Examine associations between the linguistic content obtained from the text analysis and forgiveness.Demonstrate the need for additional research on the relation between linguistic content and forgiveness.