Coresidence is Not a Failure to Launch or Boomerang Children

Literature on emerging adults living with their parents has presented this concept as a problem and emphasized a White European-North American or individualistic voice through the use of terms such as “failure to launch” or “boomerang” children. The authors highlight an alternative term, coresidence, and perspectives from collectivistic cultures outside of the dominant view that have historically been marginalized and underrepresented in research. A case study of the first author's lived experiences as a representative from the Appalachian Highlands culture, provides one example to honor and create space for previously silenced, collectivistic voices in the literature.

Attached to Technology: Exploring Young Adults’ Attachments to Parents, Partners, and Phones

Cell phone use has become a mainstay in the lives of young adults, with 93% of Millennials owning a smartphone. With the increased accessibility of technology, individuals’ cell phone use may lead to personal distress in various facets of life. Specifically, problematic cell phone use may be the result of attempts to fulfill emotional needs or avoid connection with others. The present study used a systemic, attachment-based lens to investigate the roles of parental and romantic attachment in problematic cell phone use. A sample of 479 young adults (ages 18–26) completed an online survey gauging their cell phone use and attachment styles. Mediation analyzes were run to determine if adult attachment mediates the relationship from parental attachment to problematic cell phone use. The results found that attachment anxiety mediates the relationship between communication and alienation subscales for mother and alienation only for father to problematic cell phone use. Clinical implications are discussed with results informing assessment, prevention, and intervention efforts for individuals, families, and couples.

Effectiveness of Restoration Therapy in an Intensive Model

The present study represents one of the first empirical studies of an intensive model of Restoration Therapy (RT), an integrative couples’ therapy model built on attachment theory, mindfulness, and emotion regulation. We hypothesized that participation in intensive RT would be associated with increased marital satisfaction both at one-month and twenty-four months post-treatment. Using two-year longitudinal self-report data collected from heterosexual, married couples ( N = 118), the current study's findings extend previous work by demonstrating the effectiveness of RT performed in an intensive model to improve couples’ reported sense of marital satisfaction following completion of the intensive, a result that was sustained twenty-four months after completion of treatment.

Work Patterns, Training, and Clinical Supervision Demographics of Home-Based Professional Counselors

Home-based counseling is an emerging modality of providing mental health counseling services to clients across the lifespan. However, minimal graduate training programs and home-based agencies provide training and preparation for professional counselors. In addition, educational and professional requirements are currently ill defined. A nonexperimental pilot survey exploring home-based professional counselors work-based, and clinical supervision and training patterns was conducted. Results suggest home-based professional counselors serve diverse populations and have limited training regarding home-based competencies. Findings from the study are presented. Implications for training and practice for home-based counselors are discussed.

Family Resilience, Media Exposure, and Children's Mental Health in China During COVID-19

This study aims to describe children's mental health conditions in the time of COVID-19 and its associations with the risk factor (media exposure) and the protective factor (family resilience) during COVID-19. The study took place from February 13th to February 29th, 2020, at the peak of the outbreak all across China. In total 441 children (M = 11.83 years old, SD = 0.79) from Jiangxi province, China, filled out online surveys. The results showed that children's rates of depression were relatively high and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates were low. Based on the results of multiple linear regression analyses, family resilience was negatively associated with children's mental health issues including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and poor sleep quality counting the effects of children's age, gender, and media exposure. Children's media exposure to COVID-related news reports did not significantly contribute to the total variance of children's mental health symptoms. The findings guide the development of prevention and interventions to mobilize families’ strengths and resilience for reducing children's maladjustment during the occurrence of pandemics.

Attachments to Mother, Father, and Romantic Partner as Predictors of Life Satisfaction

Two correlational survey studies were conducted among adult samples (Ns = 205; 697) to test the effects on general life satisfaction of attachment to three close others: mother, father, and romantic partner. Results showed that attachment to mother and father also matter in adulthood, in that they are associated with adult life satisfaction. Secure attachments to mother and father were positively associated with life satisfaction, and anxious and avoidant attachments to mother and father were negatively associated with life satisfaction. Moreover, attachment to the romantic partner was also related to life satisfaction, so that secure attachment was positively related to life satisfaction, and anxious and avoidant attachments were negatively related to the outcome variable. Importantly, attachment to mother and father were still significant predictors of life satisfaction when effects of attachment to the current romantic partner were controlled for. The effects of parental attachments on life satisfaction were not mediated by attachment to the romantic partner. Theoretical and applied implications of the findings are discussed.

Family Resilience: Variations by Individual Psychological and Health Resources, Social Capital and Sociodemographic Characteristics

The purposed of this study was to investigate variations in family resilience across individuals’ sociodemographic characteristics, psychological and health resources, and social capital. Using the Tailored Design Method, survey data were collected from rural residents in a single U. S. state which yielded 812 responses and a 30% response rate. Family resilience was measured by the 2015 Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire. The other variables were measured by prevalent existing instruments and standard survey items. A three-model regression analysis was conducted. Results indicated that 37% of the variance in family resilience was explained by the independent variables of social capital, including trust, overall health, depressive symptoms, optimism and life satisfaction, and the control variables of socioeconomic-demographic characteristics. The strongest predictor of family resilience was optimism. In almost all instances, the control variables were weaker predictors than the independent variables, particularly depressive symptoms and social capital. The study sheds light on possible ways for helping professionals to guide families in becoming more resilient and calls for a social determinants of health, culturally sensitive and trauma-informed approach.

Eco-art Activities for Older Adults: Reducing Stress and Reframing Aging

Art coupled with nature provides numerous therapeutic benefits to reduce stress and reframe aging for older adults. This article outlines five eco-art activities to use in the context of individual or family counseling. Stress and the aging process is addressed, as well as the numerous therapeutic benefits of nature for the aging family. Nature combined with art increases self-expression, social engagement, and sensory stimulation. Nature-based activities decrease stress and anxiety and recreate purpose and meaning using the metaphors that exist in nature. The proposed activities focus on themes found in nature to reduce stress and reframe aging for individuals and families.

An Affair to Remember: A Mixed-Methods Survey Examining Therapists’ Experiences Treating Infidelity

In this mixed-methods study, we analyzed data from 351 couple therapists who completed our Therapists' Experiences Treating Infidelity (TETI) survey. The present survey is a follow-up of previous iterations that examined therapists' attitudes toward infidelity and affair recovery treatment. Our TETI survey provided additional questions pertaining to therapists' personal history with affairs and perceptions on current research and training standards. Results showed that various therapist and couple factors serve to impede affair recovery treatment. Additionally, this survey revealed several similarities in therapists' attitudes from prior surveys, despite decades having passed between when the present survey and previous versions. In this article, we (a) outline findings from this mixed-methods survey, (b) discuss implications for the field, and (c) offer directions for future research.

Characteristics and Experiences of Parents of Children with Learning and Attention Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Mixed Methods Study

Parents of children with learning and attention disorders (LAD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience chronic parenting stress due to the challenges in raising a child with special needs. We used a mixed methods design to examine characteristics and experiences of stress and coping among parents of children with LAD and ASD. We conducted 20 semi-structured focus group interviews with parents of children with LAD ( n = 11) and ASD ( n = 9) and administered a battery of self-report measures of stress and coping to parents of LAD ( n = 53) and ASD ( n = 51) enrolled in a pilot trial. Qualitative findings showed that parents of children with LAD and ASD largely experienced similar sources of stress, but with different intensities due to their children's different difficulties. Quantitative findings reflected high levels of distress among parents of children with LAD and ASD, with parents of children with ASD demonstrating higher distress and poorer overall sleep quality. Stressors experienced by parents of children with ASD arose from more overt challenges associated with having a child with more visible challenges. Parents of children with LAD experienced more subtle challenges of having a child who is less overtly impaired. Findings will aid in the development of targeted stress management interventions.