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Expanding the Horizons of Forgiveness Therapy: A Cross-Cultural Application with a Bedouin-Arab Woman
Abstract
This paper highlights forgiveness therapy, a therapeutic approach that has received limited attention in the social work literature. This study represents a beginning exploration of its cross-cultural application. Theoretical and empirical perspectives on forgiveness and forgiveness promoting psychotherapy are provided, and Enright’s pioneering process model is delineated. A case study of the utilization of forgiveness therapy with an Israeli Bedouin-Arab woman who experienced a traumatic interpersonal injury within the polygamous family is presented. LaRoche and Maxie’s guidelines for conducting cross-cultural psychotherapy are utilized to examine important dynamics that emerge in the case study. These authors’ recommendations, which are consistent with a process-oriented conceptualization of culture, as well as intersectionality, appear potentially useful for informing the transcultural application of forgiveness therapy. Future research questions and directions related to the utilization of forgiveness promoting psychotherapy with diverse populations are considered.
L’accès aux soins est primordial pour éviter la dégradation de la santé mentale des immigrants. Cet article synthétise les obstacles auxquels font face les immigrants en Amérique du Nord et en Europe, ainsi que les perceptions des cliniciens à l’égard de l’intervention interculturelle. L’objectif est d’identifier les conditions et les facteurs qui entravent l’accès aux soins culturellement adaptés en contexte migratoire.
Relations between brothers and sisters are profoundly affected by polygamy. Polygamy is a practice in which a person is married to more than one spouse simultaneously. There are several variations of this definition: Polygyny, wherein one husband is married to several wives; Polyandry, wherein one wife is married to several husbands; and, finally, a type of group marriage, wherein several husbands are married to several wives.
This paper examines the potential contribution of forgiveness therapy to social workers who may often encounter clients who have experienced severe interpersonal injury, or who have inflicted significant harm upon themselves or others. Basic theoretical and empirical perspectives on the processes and dynamics of forgiveness, as well as an introduction to forgiveness therapy, are provided. A case example demonstrating the application of forgiveness therapy in a social work setting is utilized to underscore points of convergence and potential divergence between this innovative therapeutic approach and important social work values and practice concepts. Research directions that may promote the further incorporation of forgiveness and forgiveness therapy into social work are indicated.
This study examined the family drawings of 20 Israeli Bedouin-Arab children from polygamous families. The drawings revealed that these children divided their main family into sub-families by lines, colors, and by either using one-half of the page to draw their biological family and the other half to draw the other sub-families, or by using the back of the page to draw the other sub-families. The biological mothers' figures were larger and placed higher on the page than the other wives in the polygamous family. Children of senior wives indicated their mothers' seniority, whereas children of junior wives tended to ignore this social status. Thirty-six percent of the children did not draw the father at all. All of these children were found to be the children of the most senior wife. In the remaining 54% of the children, who drew their fathers, the father figure was smaller in size than the figure of the biological mother, regardless of its placement on the page. These results are discussed in terms of the development of psychological well-being and a sense of self.
The relationship between forgiveness and anger-related emotions was examined with an adult sample in Taiwan. Levels of forgiveness were based on the analyses in Enright, Santos, and Al-Mabuk (1989). Thirty matched pairs of level 4 (forgiveness as an obligation) and level 6 (forgiveness as moral love) participants out of 1,427 adults screened were assessed on variables of anger-related emotions via self-report, facial expressions, the frequency of casting down the eyes, and blood pressure. These measurements were administered during or immediately after the participants recorded an incident of deep, interpersonal hurt against him or her. The frequencies of masking smiles and casting down of eyes showed that level 4 participants (who based forgiveness on obligation) had more residual anger-related affect to the hurtful event than did the level 6 participants (who based forgiveness on the moral principle of love). Blood pressure data also suggested higher elevation in the beginning when level 4 participants retold their hurtful events. Psychotherapeutic implications are discussed.
In 2001, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) adopted 10 discrete standards of culturally competent practice which undergird our commitment to diversity and social justice. The concept of intersectionality is newly emerging in social work, though, causing us to reflect on our current conceptualizations of cultural competence. According to this construct, in order to understand one aspect of the self, such as race, we have to understand how gender, ethnicity, sexuality, social class, and other markers influence one another. The authors present the concepts of cultural competence, social identity, and intersectionality in order to deepen our anti-oppression, social justice approach.
This paper aims to show how a trauma lens can be incorporated into existing family therapy practices, changing how therapists perceive presenting problems and therefore the issues and sites of intervention. After reviewing the family therapy literature concerning trauma and defining different types of trauma, the paper discusses how traumatic memories differ from ordinary memories. Ten principles for practice are described to guide therapists in integrating the trauma lens into their family therapy practice. Three case studies are used to illustrate these principles.
Many conceptualizations of forgiveness currently exist in the forgiveness literature. The present study adds another perspective to the forgiveness discussion by investigating lay definitions of forgiveness, as well as reasons for forgiveness and nonforgiveness. In Study 1, undergraduate students completed a questionnaire packet in which they provided three narratives of interpersonal offense: a time when they had been hurt and then forgave the offender, a time when they had been hurt and did not forgive, and a time when they had hurt someone else and were forgiven. Respondents were also asked questions about their conceptualization of forgiveness and the factors that influence their decisions to forgive or not forgive. In Study 2, community adults participated in interviews during which they described a time when they had been betrayed or hurt. Following their story, participants answered questions about their definitions of and motivations for forgiveness. A number of important themes in forgiveness definition and motivation are identified, and important similarities and differences between the under-graduate and community samples are discussed. In particular, it is noted that primary motivations for forgiveness appear to be largely self-focused, rather than altruistic.
Factors social workers use in practice to detect elder financial abuse are currently unknown. A critical incident technique was applied within a judgement analysis approach to elicit cue use. Only three factors were key to decision-making: who raises concern, the elder’s mental capacity and the nature of the financial anomaly occurring.
This paper explores the meaning of empathy in clinical social work. It differentiates empathy from the related concepts of sympathy, insight, identification, and intuition. It examines the phenomenon of affect transmission, defines different types of empathy, describes major errors and postulates how empathy can be improved. Clinical illustrations are used throughout.
The focus of this paper is on the somewhat neglected component of the forgiveness construct, self-forgiveness, and its relationship to shame, guilt, empathy, and conciliatory behavior. A section of a theoretical model of selfforgiveness, proposed by Hall and Fincham (2005), was compared with a new model, to ascertain the role these emotional and behavioral factors played in influencing self-forgiveness. Participants were 91 first-year undergraduate psychology students and a community sample of 59 who completed self-report measures of each variable. Structural equation modeling revealed that the Hall and Fincham model did not provide an adequate fit to the empirical data until the covariance between shame and guilt was incorporated into the model. Unlike their findings, shame-proneness and personal distress empathy, rather than guilt and other-oriented empathy, emerged as the key personality traits involved in inhibiting self-forgiveness. A new model emphasizing these findings is presented and implications for future research are discussed.
This article is aimed at psychotherapists and health practitioners who have not reflected on the role of race, culture and ethnicity in the provision of psychological treatments. We highlight the key issues of importance in engagement, assessment and ongoing therapy, supporting practitioners to reach a stage of pre-competency. Competency will be achieved with additional training, supervision and innovation. Psychological treatments are an essential part of a comprehensive mental health service, and there have been a number of influential reviews of their effectiveness. Roth & Fonagy (2005), for example, concluded that psychodynamic interventions are helpful in borderline states and that family therapy is useful for eating disorders and in the treatment of children and adolescents. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression, and in the management of hallucinations and delusions in chronic mental illness (Turkington et al, 2006). Expressed emotion work is effective in preventing relapse in schizophrenia (although it is rarely well resourced). The ability to conduct psychotherapy effectively with racially and ethnically diverse populations is becoming increasingly relevant and is recognised to be important in addressing inequalities, which may also be patterned by differences in age, gender, class and sexual orientation. In this article we focus on race, culture and ethnicity. We will address issues surrounding gender and sexual diversity in a future article. Regarding the evidence base, few evaluations of the effectiveness of psychotherapy have included adequate numbers of ethnic groups (Alvidrez et al, 1996), and few studies report on adaptations of proven interventions for use by culturally and linguistically unique populations. In many National Health Service (NHS) psycho- therapy departments in the UK large numbers of people are treated, often by a few highly trained senior therapists and by psychiatric, psychology, social work and psychotherapy trainees under supervision. As few training experiences include attention to racial and cultural implications for effective psychotherapy, experienced and trainee therapists alike share the need to develop and adapt their interventions for a society that is increasingly racially and culturally diverse. Critiques of this subject area tend to emerge from experts in culture, health and illness, and include sociological and anthropological disciplines that use specific methodologies for generation of knowledge. These analyses are often theory rich and not easily accommodated into everyday practice, although they can highlight its limitations. Alternatively, psychotherapists practising in multi-ethnic areas immediately recognise the need for better knowledge and models of work with multi-ethnic populations, but it is difficult to ensure that adaptations of existing psychological interventions are effective. In the absence of both well-established guidelines and an adequate evidence base, we consider here some of the complex issues facing psychotherapists working in multicultural and multiracial populations. The article is aimed at practising psychotherapists rather than researchers in cultural psychiatry or medical anthropology.
Three studies examined the subjective experience of forgiveness. Studies 1 and 2 revealed the affective, cognitive, and behavioral consequences of transgressions, and revealed that the forgiveness experience comprises relief from psychological pain, increased empathy and positive regard for offenders, the actualization of religious values, the discovery of new meaning, and movement toward reconciliation with offenders. Study 3, an experiment, revealed that those who have forgiven experience more of these benefits of forgiveness than those who have yet to forgive or than those who reflect on their experiences prior to forgiveness. Study 3 also demonstrated the differential Impact of offense severity, victim-offender closeness, and victim religiosity on the five underlying dimensions of the forgiveness experience. Implications of the forgiveness experience for counseling and therapy are also discussed.
This study compared the phenomenon of wife abuse in polygamous and monogamous Bedouin-Arab families. A sample of 81 women participated in the present study −40 were from polygamous and 41 were from monogamous families. The instruments administered examined three dimensions: Demographic variables, sense of personal potency (as assessed by the Potency Scale: Ben-Sira, 1985) and experience of abusive behavior (as assessed by the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory: Tolman, 1995, 1989). Results indicated higher levels of potency and lower levels of wife abuse among monogamous as compared to polygamous wives. These findings are discussed in the context of women's sense of personal potency.
This theoretical reflection of the authors' postulates four therapeutic stages of the forgiveness and self-forgiveness process. These discreet stages of therapy are titled: recognition, responsibility, expression, and recreating. The authors' purpose in presenting this reflection is to provide therapists descriptive stages that they can utilize to develop effective interventions for each of the stages of forgiveness or self-forgiveness a caregiver is experiencing. The authors' practice experience and a review of the literature about forgiveness and self-forgiveness led to the development of the four therapeutic stages of forgiveness and self-forgiveness presented. A case example is provided that chronicles the caregiver's experience while working through each of the four therapeutic stages. A discussion of implications for practice and further research questions is presented.
The relationship between forgiveness and anger-related emotions was examined with an adult sample in Taiwan. Levels of forgiveness were based on the analyses in R. D. Enright et al (1989). 30 matched pairs of level 4 (forgiveness as an obligation) and level 6 (forgiveness as moral love) participants (aged 18–41 yrs) out of 1,427 adults screened were assessed on variables of anger-related emotions via self-report, facial expressions, the frequency of casting down the eyes, and blood pressure. These measurements were administered during or immediately after the participants recorded an incident of deep, interpersonal hurt against him or her. The frequencies of masking smiles and casting down of eyes showed that level 4 participants (who based forgiveness on obligation) had more residual anger-related affect to the hurtful event than did the level 6 participants (who based forgiveness on the moral principle of love). Blood pressure data also suggested higher elevation in the beginning when level 4 participants retold their hurtful events. Psychotherapeutic implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
As the United States population grows more culturally diverse, it is increasingly likely that psychologists will treat patients from dissimilar cultural backgrounds. Psychologists are often undecided about whether it is therapeutically appropriate to address cultural differences. Ten clinical considerations regarding the appropriateness of discussing cultural differences with patients are described. Examples are provided of how these suggested guidelines may apply to clinical practice. The literature that has supported addressing differences, including selected theoretical models, is cited in the context of these recommendations. All psychotherapy cases are distinct; therefore, these general guidelines should be adapted to the requirements of the individual patient. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
In the context of the second Gulf war and US and the British occupation of Iraq, many 'old' debates about the category 'woman' have assumed a new critical urgency. This paper revisits debates on intersectionality in order to show that they can shed new light on how we might approach some current issues. It first discusses the 19 th century contestations among feminists involved in anti-slavery struggles and campaigns for women's suffrage. The second part of the paper uses autobiography and empirical studies to demonstrate that social class (and its intersections with gender and 'race' or sexuality) are simultaneously subjective, structural and about social positioning and everyday practices. It argues that studying these intersections allows a more complex and dynamic understanding than a focus on social class alone. The conclusion to the paper considers the potential contributions to intersectional analysis of theoretical and political approaches such as those associated with post-structuralism, postcolonial feminist analysis, and diaspora studies.
This article reviews published methods for promoting forgiveness for a broad range of clinical issues. The review revealed a consensus among applied researchers regarding several broad types of interventions to promote for-giveness, namely, (a) defining forgive-ness, (b) helping clients remember the hurt, (c) building empathy in clients for the perpetrator, (d) helping clients ac-knowledge their own past offenses, and (e) encouraging commitment to forgive the offender. Roughly half of the studies also prescribed interventions to help clients overcome unforgiveness (e.g., bitterness, vengefulness) without explic-itly promoting forgiveness. Speculations about how to use forgiveness interven-tions in sensitive and client-supportive ways are advanced on the basis of the findings. People often come to counseling or therapy as a result of real or perceived hurts, offenses, and victimization. Much from the rich history of clin-ical practice informs therapists about ways to help people in these situations. Forgiveness is one alternative for dealing with offenses, although it seldom has been a specific goal in psychotherapy. However, within the last decade, applied re-searchers and clinicians have begun investigating the use of interventions to explicitly promote forgiveness.
In this article we will show how a relational approach provides a conceptual framework that shapes and informs culturally sensitive practice with a severely disturbed client. We argue that a relational approach facilitates therapeutic action through the intense focus on countertransference, the close attention to enactments, and the therapist's authenticity and self-disclosure. Additionally, we emphasize that a therapeutic matrix that includes the cultural, racial, socioeconomic, and institutional factors, increases the likelihood clinicians will attend to what Perez-Foster calls their dissociated and disavowed personal values. We present a case that had a less than satisfactory outcome where the therapist found herself in a sea of trouble. The case illustrates how a relational approach enhanced the therapist's understanding of the case and allowed her to continue to work with a difficult and challenging client. We conclude by suggesting that our conceptual understanding of this case exemplifies a necessary and appropriate focus for future social work research and practice.
Several culturally specific practical considerations should inform social work interventions with ethnic Arab peoples in Arab countries or in Western nations. These include taking into account gender relations, individuals' places in their families and communities, patterns of mental health services use, and, for practice in Western nations, the client's level of acculturation. Such aspects provide the basis for specific guidelines in working with ethnic Arab mental health clients. These include an emphasis on shortterm, directive treatment; communication patterns that are passive and informal; patients' understanding
of external loci of control and their use of ethnospecific idioms of distress; and, where appropriate, the integration of modern and traditional healing systems.
Polygynous marriages occur worldwide; in the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Asia, and in some communities in Europe and North America (Altman & Ginat, 1996; Broude, 1994). Research on men's perspective regarding polygyny usually focuses on the benefits that men may receive from polygynous families, or on men's role in increasing their wives' and children's coping difficulties in this family structure (Gwanfogbe, Schumm, Smith, & Furrow, 1997; Kilbride & Kilbride, 1990). While a growing corpus of research has considered the impact of polygyny on the marital satisfaction and psychological and social functioning of women and their children (Al-Krenawi, Graham, & Izzeldin, 2001; Al-Krenawi, Graham, & Slonim-Nevo, 2002), no research, to date, has considered such factors in relation to men who are part of polygynous marriages. The present article looked at interviews conducted with a sample of 306 Bedouin-Arab men in the Negev region, approximately half of whom were in monogamous and half in polygynous marriages. Socioeconomic status, psychological functioning, family functioning, marital satisfaction, and father-child relationships were considered.
Situations involving perceived hurts, slights, and other interpersonal maltreatment are at the core of counselling and therapy. Resolution of these situations frequently involves forgiveness of the transgressor. Despite this the concept of forgiveness has received relatively little attention within the counselling and therapy literature. The reasons for this are explored beginning with the association between forgiveness and the Judaeo-Christian tradition. Freud avoided the term forgiveness and psychoanalysts until very recently have followed suit. Ways in which forgiveness are conceptualised are explored. Difficulties related to forgiving associated with our conceptualisations of natural justice are identified. A cautionary note is struck about the dangers of pathologising non forgiveness given the enthusiasm for forgiveness in the current research literature and in Positive Psychology. Distinctions between processes of forgiveness are made which are particularly potent for counselling. A summary of the literature with regard to the health benefits of forgiveness is presented and some client dilemmas in relation to forgiveness are outlined. Most of the emergent research on forgiveness is being undertaken by academic psychologists and the argument is made that counselling psychologists are uniquely equipped to contribute to the growing research literature on forgiveness.
In this meta-analysis, 9 published studies (N = 330) that investigated the efficacy of forgiveness interventions within counseling were examined. After a review of theories of forgiveness, it was discovered that the studies could logically be grouped into 3 categories: decision-based, process-based group, and process-based individual interventions. When compared with control groups, for measures of forgiveness and other emotional health measures, the decision-based interventions showed no effect, the process-based group interventions showed significant effects, and the process-based individual interventions showed large effects. Consequently, effectiveness has been shown for use of forgiveness in clinical and other settings.
Given the positive individual and relationship benefits associated with interpersonal forgiveness, the present study examines the association of trait forgiveness and relationship satisfaction with episodic forgiveness. One hundred and eighty participants in romantic relationships answered questions about forgiving the most serious transgression in their relationship. Both trait forgiveness and relationship satisfaction were related to forgiveness of the transgression. For participants in the process of forgiving, relationship satisfaction moderated the link between trait forgiveness and episodic forgiveness. At relatively higher levels of relationship satisfaction, trait forgiveness and episodic forgiveness were positively related whereas they were negatively related at lower levels of relationship satisfaction. Results are discussed in terms of the roles that trait forgiveness and relationship satisfaction play in regard to episodic forgiveness in romantic relationships.
In this meta‐analysis, 9 published studies (N = 330) that investigated the efficacy of forgiveness interventions within counseling were examined. After a review of theories of forgiveness, it was discovered that the studies could logically be grouped into 3 categories: decision‐based, process‐based group, and process‐based individual interventions. When compared with control groups, for measures of forgiveness and other emotional health measures, the decision‐based interventions showed no effect, the process‐based group interventions showed significant effects, and the process‐based individual interventions showed large effects. Consequently, effectiveness has been shown for use of forgiveness in clinical and other settings.
One of the major ways child sexual abuse can have an impact on individuals is in their later ability to have and maintain fulfilling couple relationships. Survivors may experience avoidance behaviours that become problematic in their adult intimate relationships. If couple therapists fail to focus on these traumatic imprints, the therapy may founder. This paper proposes that a multi-theoretical approach enables the couple therapist to deal with the complex problems such couples present including sexuality and intimacy concerns. Such an approach integrates trauma theory, attachment theory, feminist principles, body-oriented psychotherapy, and systemic couple therapy.
This paper explores the potential contribution of forgiveness therapy to the treatment of minor children who have experienced the adversities associated with parental incarceration. Theoretical perspectives on the imprisonment of parents and on forgiveness, and a survey of existing forgiveness therapy (FT) models points to the utility of this therapeutic modality. DiBlasio’s family based conjoint model of forgiveness therapy is delineated and case illustrations of its application with children of incarcerated parents are presented. The possibility of forgiveness therapy facilitating successful family reentry is discussed, along with important limitations and contraindications of FT with youngsters whose parents are involved in the criminal justice system. Implications of forgiveness therapy for the field of practice of child and adolescent social work are considered.
The literature indicates a growing interest in the phenomenon of forgiveness and its implication for therapeutic practice. However, empirical research and formal theory about forgiveness and methodologies for their use with clients are practically nonexistent. Certified clinical members of the American Association of Marital and Family Therapists in the Maryland area rated their level of development of techniques to assist clients in forgiving themselves, forgiving others, and seeking forgiveness for wrongdoing. Therapists' openness to client religiosity and age of therapists explained approximately 26% of the variance. Gender, educational level, and personal religiosity of the therapists showed no significant relationship. Implications for direct family practice and theory development are discussed.
This qualitative study explored school social workers' relationships during instances of abuse and neglect reporting, focusing on reports made for children and adolescents already receiving school social work services. Although school social workers frequently file abuse and neglect reports, little is known about how they manage clinical and professional relationships in the complex school environment when reporting. This study obtained rich descriptions of their reporting experiences. In-depth interviews and a focus group were conducted with 10 participants from Texas, Florida, and Colorado, representing all school levels. Findings describe complex clinical and professional relationship networks involved in reporting and school social workers' perspectives on case management during disclosure and reporting. Thematic analysis of interviews identified several themes pertaining, for example, to communications with caregivers and children about Child Protective Services reports, interprofessional collaboration, and management of dilemmas regarding trust and confidentiality with families and professionals. Participants sought to mitigate harm through their practices, yet practices varied. Further research on the effects of practices such as involving children in reporting is warranted. Implications for practice and education are discussed. The author recommends that discussions of legal and ethical aspects of reporting be augmented with discussion of interpersonal dynamics that come into play.
With the significant growth of the Muslim population in the United States, there has been a corresponding increase in the need for mental health services. The author discusses techniques for incorporating Islamic beliefs and practices in the counseling process. The fundamental goal is to ensure ethical and effective treatment for Muslim clients.
En combinación con el incremento sustancial de la población musulmana en los Estados Unidos, se ha dado un crecimiento proporcional en la demanda de servicios de salud mental. El autor discute varias técnicas para la incorporación de las creencias y prácticas del Islam en el proceso de consejería. El objetivo fundamental es asegurar un tratamiento ético y efectivo para los clientes musulmanes.
This study investigated the mediating role of forgiveness between the predictor variables of causal attributions and offense severity judgments and the outcome variable, quality coparenting post divorce. A mailed survey sent to a sample of 585 separated/divorced parents with minor aged children who had attended a brief educational seminar resulted in a final sample of 135 respondents.The significant negative relationship between cause attributed to the former partner (r = -.28, p < .01) and quality coparenting became nonsignificant (Beta = -.06, p = .50) when forgiveness was introduced. The results also indicated that greater forgiveness was negatively related to cause attributed to the former partner (r = -.34, p < .001) and less severe offense judgments (r = -.22, p < .01). A strong positive relationship was found between forgiveness and quality coparenting (r = .53, p < .001).The results have implications for practice, advocacy, and education. Forgiveness represents one potentially useful focus of intervention for making a transition towards a quality coparenting relationship.
This article begins with the historical roots of the case method followed by a general description of the approach to teaching, development of cases, and the instructor's role when using the traditional case method. Several studies, which validate the efficacy of the case method, were then explored. Potential benefits and outcomes for using the case method as a teaching tool in graduate social work education were then addressed.
This paper explicates a brief overview of a synthetic couple therapy practice model along with a detailed account of the institutional, interactional, and intrapersonal factors that are relevant in completing a thorough bio‐psychosocial assessment. It is based on a chapter expected to be published by Columbia University Press in an upcoming book titled Couple Therapy with Trauma Survivors. The text presents a practice model that demonstrates why a couple therapy approach may be especially useful for survivors of childhood trauma. To provide a framework for this complex couple therapy practice model, we review the basis for a synthetic multi‐theoretical approach, the cultural constructs of “trauma,” the role of resilience, and the problematic aftereffects for adult survivors of childhood trauma. Following the description of each treatment phase of the couple therapy practice model, an outline for a biopsychosocial assessment is then introduced. At that point, specific institutional, interactional, and intrapersonal factors are reviewed and illuminated with specific clinical vignettes.
The cross‐cultural clinical encounter is fraught with anxieties, fears, biases, and misunderstandings that are experienced by both members of the therapeutic dyad. Through their articulation mainly within the intersubjective dimension of co‐experience, these subjective states, if unacknowledged by the dyad, can seriously impact, derail, and even prematurely truncate the treatment process.This paper focuses particularly on the therapist's subjective state in the process of cross‐cultural clinical work, describing its dynamic action through what the author terms “the clinician's cultural countertransference. “This is a complex matrix of pre‐existing cognitions and affects about cultural groups that operates at multiple levels of consciousness within the therapist's psyche and can be communicated to ethnic clients at varied points of interpersonal and intersubjective contact. Substantial case illustrations are used to illuminate these dynamics, emphasizing both the therapist's culturally driven subjective experiences and mode of clinical intervention.
Outlines some of the difficult decisions that people can face when deciding whether to communicate forgiveness or repentance to one another. The article first highlights some major benefits of expressing forgiveness and repentance. Then it draws on psychological research and theory to pinpoint some risks that might make people reluctant to engage in these actions, and offers predictions about conditions likely to heighten these risks. Finally, the article uses this cost-benefit analysis to suggest some factors likely to foster the constructive expression of repentance and forgiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Introduces and discusses the concept of the forgiveness triad (i.e., forgiving others, receiving forgiveness from others, and self-forgiveness). Each aspect is defined, presented as philosophically rational and therefore appropriate within counseling, and described within a psychological framework of how people go about that aspect of forgiveness. The interactions of the triad are described, showing how the counseling process that employs forgiveness strategies may become complicated. A counselor's awareness of all 3 aspects of forgiveness may lead to greater clarity in the therapeutic encounter. The processes of forgiving another, receiving forgiveness from another, and self-forgiveness are appended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
[describes] forgiveness as a specific application of mercy / focus is on the one who forgives, not on the one seeking forgiveness
the concept of forgiveness is traced from its theological origins to modern-day philosophies / two psychological models of forgiveness are then described: a social cognitive developmental and a social processing model (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Forgiveness interventions can help people forgive past offenses. However, few studies have compared forgiveness interventions with genuine alternative treatments. The authors compared forgiveness interventions with a therapeutic alternative treatment. Participants reduced unforgiveness and increased forgiveness regardless of treatment condition. Trait forgivingness was not related to change in forgiveness, whereas greater offender contrition was related to greater reductions in unforgiveness. The type of treatment may not be as important as factors common to the interventions. © 2009 by the American Counseling Association. All rights reserved.
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) is a family therapy treatment based on Attachment Theory. It is an integration of several approaches, methods and techniques that have a strong evidence base. The approach was originally developed to treat children with disorders of attachment and has been shown to be effective. It has since been more broadly used to help families with a variety of difficulties, including complex trauma. This paper outlines the primary principles and components of DDP and the evidence to support the effectiveness of the components and, therefore, of DDP.
This study investigated forgiveness by examining couples’ recollections and perceptions of specific incidents of transgressions in their relationships. The results replicated previous research but also produced some novel findings. Results showed that more positive attributions and relationship quality independently predicted higher internal forgiveness, whereas expressed forgiveness was related only to relationship quality. Overall, the sample was negatively biased in their perceptions of their partner's forgiveness, but those participants who tended toward a positive bias were happier with their relationships as were their partners. Results are discussed in terms of prior research and theories of forgiveness and related social judgments in intimate relationships.
This article examines therapy with a Bedouin-Arab family from the Negev, Israel, which consisted of 69 members: a husband, 8 wives, and 60 siblings. The husband, who lived with his youngest wife, paid little attention to his other wives and their children. There was considerable competition, hostility, and jealousy among the wives; no communication between the co-wives or the children of different wives; and a variety of behavioral and psychosocial problems among family members. I describe the varied strategies and systems involved in family therapy. The main strategies were to establish good relationships among the co-wives and to build a coalition among them, including the youngest wife, through group therapy in a medical clinic. A secondary strategy was using the children's problems to get the husband involved in the therapy. With improvement of the children's functioning, and with reduced intra-subfamily hostility, the husband's relationships with his children and wives improved.
The intervention presented here links intergenerational theory and therapy with a step-by-step forgiveness strategy. Forgiveness is defined from a cognitive perspective so that it can be applied within a family-of-origin session. In practice, the forgiveness strategy has been effective in breaking dysfunctional patterns from the past that have been carried into the new family. Long-term effects of forgiveness are analysed through a case study that includes a six-year follow-up of a family-of-origin forgiveness intervention.
Two studies examined whether forgiveness in married couples predicted partner reports of psychological aggression and constructive communication. Study 1 found that forgiveness of hypothetical acts of psychological aggression predicted partner reports of psychological aggression. Study 2 examined actual transgressions and found two underlying dimensions of forgiveness (positive and negative). The negative dimension predicted partner reports of psychological aggression, and, for husbands, the positive dimension predicted partner reports of constructive communication. All findings were independent of both spouses’ marital satisfaction. The implications for understanding marital interaction and future research on forgiveness are discussed.
Forgiveness is increasingly popular in therapy as a way to facilitate healing, but there are definitional discrepancies and confusion regarding the degree to which it is conceptualized as either an interpersonal/relational or an independent/self-enhancing process. In this article forgiveness is conceptualized as an interpersonal process linked to apology or contrition on the part of the offender. Yet it is also independent. A model is described that was developed for the benefit of abuse victims whose offenders will not or cannot apologize. Using the model, victims can accomplish for themselves what would be accomplished for them through an apology.
This article proposes that Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) can be effectively utilized as a treatment modality for deliberate
self-harm or integrated with existing treatment approaches. A brief literature review examines evidence suggesting that attachment
and emotion regulation are important etiological variables associated with deliberate self-harm. EFT addresses these variables
by emphasizing the importance of the therapeutic relationship and assisting clients in the regulation and transformation of
negative, maladaptive emotions. The article describes the basic tenets of EFT, comparing and contrasting this approach with
therapeutic models most commonly used in the treatment of deliberate self-harm. Finally, it is recommended that future outcome
research utilize randomized clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of EFT and compare it with other treatment modalities.
The effect of modernization on the well-being of Bedouin women (n = 150) was investigated. Results show that the more modern the objective circumstances of the women's lives, and/or the more
modern the husbands' attitudes (as perceived by their wives), the greater their subjective well-being(SWB). The women's own
attitudes affected their SWB only via interaction with their husbands' attitudes and/or life circumstances. If the husbands'
attitudes were modern, their wives' attitudes were not significantly related to SWB. However, if the husbands' attitudes were
traditional, then the more modern the wives' attitudes, the lower their SWB. These findings repeated themselves, to a lesser
degree, with life circumstances. The results fit the latest theoretical developments on SWB, and reflect the changes taking
place within Bedouin society.
Providing a complete portal to the world of case study research, the Fourth Edition of Robert K. Yin's bestselling text Case Study Research offers comprehensive coverage of the design and use of the case study method as a valid research tool. This thoroughly revised text now covers more than 50 case studies (approximately 25% new), gives fresh attention to quantitative analyses, discusses more fully the use of mixed methods research designs, and includes new methodological insights. The book's coverage of case study research and how it is applied in practice gives readers access to exemplary case studies drawn from a wide variety of academic and applied fields.Key Features of the Fourth Edition Highlights each specific research feature through 44 boxed vignettes that feature previously published case studies Provides methodological insights to show the similarities between case studies and other social science methods Suggests a three-stage approach to help readers define the initial questions they will consider in their own case study research Covers new material on human subjects protection, the role of Institutional Review Boards, and the interplay between obtaining IRB approval and the final development of the case study protocol and conduct of a pilot case Includes an overall graphic of the entire case study research process at the beginning of the book, then highlights the steps in the process through graphics that appear at the outset of all the chapters that follow Offers in-text learning aids including 'tips' that pose key questions and answers at the beginning of each chapter, practical exercises, endnotes, and a new cross-referencing tableCase Study Research, Fourth Edition is ideal for courses in departments of Education, Business and Management, Nursing and Public Health, Public Administration, Anthropology, Sociology, and Political Science.
In pediatric hospitals, social work plays a central role in the prevention, identification, and management of child abuse. Children who are suspected of having been abused or neglected require an evaluation of their psychosocial situation. As an integral member of the health care team, the social worker is well placed to undertake comprehensive psychosocial assessments including information on the child's development, parental capacity, family, and community supports. Current practice approaches have seen a shift away from a narrow, "expert" approach to child protection. This article describes the development of an integrated model of social work service delivery to better respond to vulnerable and at-risk children in a pediatric hospital setting. Developing a new model of service required strategic planning, consultation, and endorsement from senior hospital management. The new model aimed to ensure a high quality, responsive social work service to children at risk of physical abuse, neglect, or cumulative harm. The change necessitated understanding of current research evidence, development of best practice guidelines, and effective communication with staff and external stakeholders. Policy development, implementation of practice guidelines, staff training, data collection, and service evaluation are described. The role of social work management and leadership were central in creating change. Visionary leadership is widely regarded as key to successful organizational change. The management approach included consultation with staff, building commitment to the need for change, addressing staff concerns, and providing a vision of enhanced client outcomes as a result of the change process. This article provides a candid overview of challenges and barriers to change. Change strategies described are easily transferable to other social work settings.