DOCSLIB.ORG

Exploring Relationship Dynamics in Polyamorous Families

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2019-12-20 Exploring Relationship Dynamics in Polyamorous Families Kaiser, Melody Anne Kaiser, M. A. (2019). Exploring Relationship Dynamics in Polyamorous Families (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. http://hdl.handle.net/1880/111374 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Exploring Relationship Dynamics in Polyamorous Families by Melody Anne Kaiser A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY CALGARY, ALBERTA DECEMBER, 2019 © Melody Anne Kaiser 2019 Running head: RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS IN POLYAMOROUS FAMILIES ii Abstract The practice of polyamory appears to be increasing in North America. If so, the number of children being raised in polyamorous families will also rise. The construct of polyamory is still being formulated and more quantitative studies are needed to define, measure, and examine polyamory over time. This study compared 117 polyamorous and 193 monogamous parents on measures of relationship stability, relationship health, communication styles during conflict, relationship satisfaction, and parenting styles. A new measure that gauges monogamous and polyamorous propensities, the Monogamy Polyamory Spectrum Questionnaire (MPSQ), was also examined for its use in future polyamory research. Analyses indicated that compared to monogamous parents, polyamorous parents reported (a) having healthier relationships with more social support, companionship, and less social distress from negative relationships; (b) using the constructive communication style of compromise more, and the destructive communication styles of emotional reactivity and domination less; (c) higher relationship satisfaction; and (d) using the authoritative parenting style to a greater extent. Gender differences were only found on the MPSQ, with men scoring significantly higher than women. The MPSQ demonstrated psychometrics evidence of high reliability, good construct validity, and strong predictive validity. This study provides evidence that polyamorous families may be just as healthy, if not healthier than monogamous families. These findings have implications for counselling and health professionals, as well as for marriage and family law to ensure policies and practices do not discriminate against those who practice polyamory. Researchers may use the MPSQ to improve upon participant self-categorization and examine the stability of polyamory over time. RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS IN POLYAMOROUS FAMILIES iii Acknowledgements It is difficult to articulate the scale of gratitude I have for all the individuals who provided priceless support to me along the arduous journey of bringing this work to completion. I feel so lucky to have had Dr. Lorraine Radtke as my primary supervisor, and the statistical expertise of my secondary supervisor, Dr. Man-Wai Chu, to help me navigate such an ambitious quantitative study. I learned more about the academic process of bringing a thesis from conceptualization to tangible actualization than I ever imagined possible. Your encouragement, belief in me, and commitment to seeing me through to the end helped me keep going when I wanted to quit. Lorraine, thank you for your unwavering guidance as I worked to complete this thesis while also overcoming some difficult life experiences. Through it all, you showed me kindness, understanding, patience, and reassured me that I was not alone in this. I am also incredibly fortunate to receive continued mentorship from my past Honours supervisor, Dr. Jan Cioe, who was the first to help me discover my academic wings in psychology and show me that I could fly. Thank you for reminding me that I can always fly higher if I want to. To my mom and step-dad, Barry, thank you for being my loudest cheerleaders. Barry, you always told me how strong I am. But it’s only now, almost two years after you’ve passed and after learning how to carry on without you that I finally believe in myself, love myself, and feel strong. I can just imagine your chuckle, as you’d reply, “Well it’s about time!” Thanks for being proud of me. To my best friends, Jennifer and Corinne, thank you for coming into my life at just the right time. It’s as if the universe knew that we would need each other during this chapter of our lives. To my rave family, and the music of Neon Steve, the Funk Hunters, and Lazy Syrup Orchestra, thanks for all of the dance therapy that helped heal and rejuvenate me so that I could keep going. To my cats, Chief and Lola, thank you for being so soft and sweet. RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS IN POLYAMOROUS FAMILIES iv This work is dedicated to anyone who’s had their grad studies derailed due to a major loss or trauma. Grad school is not for the faint of heart. Even if everything goes smoothly and no additional curve balls are thrown your way, it is still an enormous feat. When life does happen, grad school can feel overwhelming and as if it will never end. So if you’re struggling to find the motivation to finish, you are not alone. I believe in the tenacity of the human spirit, by which we are somehow able to show resilience through hardship and still accomplish great things. If I can do it, so can you. RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS IN POLYAMOROUS FAMILIES v List of Abbreviations ASRS – Adult Social Relationship Scale CM – committed monogamous CNM – consensually non-monogamous CSI – Couples Satisfaction Index DFA – Discriminant Function Analysis DW – Durbin-Watson EFA – Exploratory Factor Analysis GFI – Goodness of Fit Index IRT – Item Response Theory M – Mean MAP – Minimum Average Partial ML – Maximum Likelihood MPSQ – Monogamy Polyamory Spectrum Questionnaire RPCS – Romantic Partner Conflict Scale RMSR – Root Mean Square Residual PPQ – Parenting Practices Questionnaire Q-Q Plot – Quantile Quantile SD – Standard Deviation Sig – Statistical Significance, i.e., p-value SP – Shapiro Wilks SPSS – Statistical Package for the Social Sciences RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS IN POLYAMOROUS FAMILIES vi Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iii List of Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... v CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 Polyamory as a Relationship Type ............................................................................................. 2 Problems, Controversies, and Gaps in the Literature ................................................................. 7 Significance of the Research ..................................................................................................... 10 Aims and Objectives of the Thesis ........................................................................................... 11 Chapter Summary and Thesis Structure ................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................... 15 Explanations for Non-Monogamy ............................................................................................ 16 Who Practices Polyamory? ....................................................................................................... 22 Modernizing the Constructs of “Marriage” and the “Family” .................................................. 24 Unknown Facets of Polyamory: Questions to be Addressed in This Thesis ............................ 26 Summary of Variables, Research Questions, and Hypotheses of the Present Study ................ 44 METHOD ..................................................................................................................................... 47 Rationale for Research Methodology ....................................................................................... 47 Ethical Considerations .............................................................................................................. 48 Sampling Procedures and Data Collection ............................................................................... 48 Measures ................................................................................................................................... 50 Analytic Procedures .................................................................................................................. 65 RESULTS ..................................................................................................................................... 71 Participant Characteristics ........................................................................................................ 71 Analytic Results
Recommended publications
  • Monogamy's Law: Compulsory Monogamy and Polyamorous Existence

    Monogamy's Law: Compulsory Monogamy and Polyamorous Existence

    Columbia Law School Scholarship Archive Faculty Scholarship Faculty Publications 2004 Monogamy's Law: Compulsory Monogamy and Polyamorous Existence Elizabeth F. Emens Columbia Law School, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scholarship Part of the Family Law Commons, Law and Gender Commons, Law and Society Commons, Legal History Commons, Sexuality and the Law Commons, and the Supreme Court of the United States Commons Recommended Citation Elizabeth F. Emens, Monogamy's Law: Compulsory Monogamy and Polyamorous Existence, 29 N.Y.U. REV. L. & SOC. CHANGE 277 (2004). Available at: https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scholarship/410 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Publications at Scholarship Archive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Scholarship by an authorized administrator of Scholarship Archive. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MONOGAMY'S LAW: COMPULSORY MONOGAMY AND POLYAMOROUS EXISTENCE' ELIZABETH F. EMENSt I. Introdu ction .................................................................................................. 2 78 II. Com pulsory M onogam y ............................................................................... 287 A . M onogam y's M andate ....................................................................... 287 1. The Western Romance Tradition ................................................. 288 2. Stories from Biological Anthropology .......................................
  • Preliminary Questionnaire and Petition

    Preliminary Questionnaire and Petition

    Revised August 2019 OFFICE OF THE TRIBUNAL Phone (843) 261-0450 Diocese of Charleston 901 Orange Grove Road Charleston, SC 29407 INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRELIMINARY QUESTIONNAIRE AND PETITION Please note that altered templates of this form will be rejected and returned 1) The “Preliminary Questionnaire” is intended to help you, the petitioner, to present pertinent information to the Tribunal. The information you provide will be used to determine if there is a canonical basis for a case. The questions are formulated to reveal possible canonical grounds against the presumed validity of your marriage. The information you provide, therefore, is critically important for the determination of whether or not the Tribunal can consider your case. 2) If information about sexual or physical abuse of a child who is currently a minor is revealed in your testimony, you must provide written proof that this abuse has been reported to the proper authorities. In accord with civil law, no confidentiality can be given for any sexual or physical abuse of someone who is currently a minor. Cases revealing sexual or physical abuse of someone who is not currently a minor will be examined on an individual basis and may have to be discussed with you prior to moving forward depending on several factors. 3) If your case is accepted and it is a formal case, your former spouse, the Respondent, has the legal right to see the testimony and evidence that has been presented as proof of nullity. 4) All questions concerning the Respondent must be answered in full. Blank responses will not be accepted, please use “not applicable” or “unknown” as necessary.
  • Family Finding Evaluations: a Summary of Recent Findings APPENDIX Appendix A

    Family Finding Evaluations: a Summary of Recent Findings APPENDIX Appendix A

    Family Finding Evaluations: A Summary of Recent Findings APPENDIX Appendix A. Study overviews Ns Grant/funding Target population (for outcome Staffing Study Study ST Grantee Program Model Intervention goal Evaluator Design (T=treatment, Notes structure evaluation) structure enrollment end date C=control) • Establish meaningful, permanent Family Finding New to care and in care. Children Children’s Family Connection connections with relatives/kin who can Program for WI new to care or in care beyond 09/30/09‐ WI Services Society Discretionary Grant: Specialized. Kevin Campbell provide emotional and legal permanency Child Trends RCT T=83, C=92 9/29/2012 Youth in Out‐of‐ ASFA guidelines in Milwaukee 03/31/12 of Wisconsin Family Finding • Improve child safety, permanency and well‐ Home Care County (urban) being FF coaches were randomly • Help case managers integrate FF into daily assigned to casework units, practice Hillsborough Kids Central: Family Connection J.K. Elder and rather than children being Families for New to care and in care. All youth Other. Coaching • Improve youth connections with adult T=308, C=246 10/1/2009‐ 9/2012 FL Kids Central Discretionary Grant: Kevin Campbell Assoc., with RCT randomly assigned. T and C Florida’s Children in foster care in 6 counties. for caseworker relatives/kin Kids Central 12/31/2011 Hillsborough: Family Finding Child Trends groups all received FF; • Achieve permanency more quickly T=88, C=30 4/2012 evaluation tested the • Improve safety and well‐being outcomes assignment of a FF coach. • Identify and engage connections upon foster care (re‐)entry New to care and in care.
  • Examining the Associations Between Pornography Use and Relationship Outcomes

    Examining the Associations Between Pornography Use and Relationship Outcomes

    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of Waterloo's Institutional Repository Examining the Associations Between Pornography Use and Relationship Outcomes by Chantal Gautreau A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfilment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2016 © Chantal Gautreau 2016 Author’s Declaration I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. ii Abstract There has been a growing interest in understanding whether and how pornography use is associated with relationship quality and sexual satisfaction for individuals in long-tem, committed relationships. Past research examining this question has produced inconsistent findings. Moreover, the methodological limitations of past work make it difficult to draw any definitive conclusions. The current thesis consists of three key studies that focus on the relationship between pornography use and relationship outcomes (i.e., relationship quality and sexual satisfaction). In Study 1, I examined the associations between pornography use (an individual’s own use and estimates of partner’s use) and relationship outcomes for 780 adults in long-term committed relationships, while improving upon three significant methodological flaws that have been present in past research: underpowered studies, recruitment of biased samples, and use of unreliable measures. For women, only one significant association emerged: women who estimated that their partners used pornography more frequently reported lower quality in their relationship.
  • The Love Triangle: Reasons Romantic Relationships Don't Work and How to Attain a Relationship That Does Mary Beth Navo Regis University

    The Love Triangle: Reasons Romantic Relationships Don't Work and How to Attain a Relationship That Does Mary Beth Navo Regis University

    Regis University ePublications at Regis University All Regis University Theses Spring 2012 The Love Triangle: Reasons Romantic Relationships Don'T Work and How to Attain a Relationship that Does Mary Beth Navo Regis University Follow this and additional works at: https://epublications.regis.edu/theses Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons Recommended Citation Navo, Mary Beth, "The Love Triangle: Reasons Romantic Relationships Don'T Work and How to Attain a Relationship that Does" (2012). All Regis University Theses. 576. https://epublications.regis.edu/theses/576 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by ePublications at Regis University. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Regis University Theses by an authorized administrator of ePublications at Regis University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Regis University Regis College Honors Theses Disclaimer Use of the materials available in the Regis University Thesis Collection (“Collection”) is limited and restricted to those users who agree to comply with the following terms of use. Regis University reserves the right to deny access to the Collection to any person who violates these terms of use or who seeks to or does alter, avoid or supersede the functional conditions, restrictions and limitations of the Collection. The site may be used only for lawful purposes. The user is solely responsible for knowing and adhering to any and all applicable laws, rules, and regulations relating or pertaining to use of the Collection. All content in this Collection is owned by and subject to the exclusive control of Regis University and the authors of the materials.
  • The Relationship Between Sexual and Emotional Promiscuity and Infidelity

    The Relationship Between Sexual and Emotional Promiscuity and Infidelity

    Athens Journal of Social Sciences- Volume 4, Issue 4 – Pages 385-398 The Relationship between Sexual and Emotional Promiscuity and Infidelity By Ricardo Pinto † Joana Arantes The main aim of the present study is to relate, for the first time, the sexual and emotional sides of infidelity, that is characterized by any form of close physical or emotional involvement with another person while in a committed relationship with promiscuity, which is typically defined by the search for the maximum sexual pleasure or how easily and often someone falls in love. Another aim was to investigate potential sex differences within both domains. For that, 369 participants (92 males and 277 females) answered to an online questionnaire that collected information about infidelity and promiscuity. More specifically, participants were asked to complete the revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R), the Emotional Promiscuity (EP) Scale, and the Sexual and Emotional Infidelity (SEI) scale. In addition, some sociodemographic questions, as well as history of infidelity questions, were also asked. The analyses included Pearson correlations, ANOVA and t-tests. Results show that all domains are related, specifically sexual and emotional infidelity with sexual and emotional promiscuity. Keywords: Emotional promiscuity, Emotional infidelity, Sex differences, Sexual infidelity, Sexual promiscuity. Introduction In a world where infidelity and promiscuity are increasingly experienced (Brand et al. 2007, Jones and Paulhus 2012), few studies have focused on their emotional and sexual domains. The infidelity and the promiscuity can have an important impact on individuals and on intimate relationships (Silva et al. n.d., Vangelisti and Gerstenberger 2004). For example, the infidelity is one of the most common reasons for divorce and couple therapy (Glass and Wright 1992).
  • Incestuous Abuse: Its Long-Term Effects

    Incestuous Abuse: Its Long-Term Effects

    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 390 010 CG 026 765 AUTHOR Russell, Diana E. H. TITLE Incestuous Abuse: Its Long-Term Effects. SPONS AGENCY Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria (South Africa). REPORT NO ISBN-0-7969-1651-9 PUB DATE 95 NOTE 111p. PUB TYPE Books (010) Reports Research/Technical (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC05 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adult Children; *Child Abuse; *Family Violence; Females; Foreign Countries; *Incidence; Interviews; Parent Child Relationship; Qualitative Research; *Sexual Abuse; *Victims of Crime; Violence IDENTIFIERS South Africa ABSTRACT Despite the growing recognition of the prevalence of incest which is challenging-traditional views about the family as a safe haven for children, there is a serious paucity of scientific research on incest in South Africa in the new field of family violence. Almost a century after Sigmund Freud dismissed most women's reports of incest victimization as wishful fantasy, the extent of the damage done by this form of abuse remains controversial in South Africa, with some researchers maintaining that incest victims often suffer no severe effects. This report presents the findings of a qualitative study designed to explore the short- and long-term effects of incestuous abuse experienced by 20 adult women ince:-.t survivors. Although all but one of the in-depth interviews were conducted with women who at the time were residing in Cape Town, the places in which the incestuous abuse had occurred are dispersed throughout South Africa. The purpose of this study is to inform policy discussions on incestuous abuse, violence in South Africa, and violence against women in general. Includes information on prevalence of incestuous abuse, study methodology, characteristics of incestuous abuse, initial effects abuse; and long-terms effects.
  • Understanding Attraction, Behavior, and Identity in the Asexual Community

    Understanding Attraction, Behavior, and Identity in the Asexual Community

    Rowan University Rowan Digital Works Theses and Dissertations 6-2-2020 Understanding attraction, behavior, and identity in the asexual community Corey Doremus Rowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd Part of the Clinical Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Doremus, Corey, "Understanding attraction, behavior, and identity in the asexual community" (2020). Theses and Dissertations. 2801. https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/2801 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Rowan Digital Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Rowan Digital Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UNDERSTANDING ATTRACTION, BEHAVIOR, AND IDENTITY IN THE ASEXUAL COMMUNITY by Corey Doremus A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Psychology College of Science and Mathematics In partial fulfillment of the requirement For the degree of Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology at Rowan University May 13, 2020 Thesis Chair: Meredith Joppa, Ph.D. and DJ Angelone, Ph.D. © 2020 Corey Doremus Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my wife, whose tireless support and love can not adequately be put into words. Thank you for never doubting my ability, even when I did. Acknowledgments I’m unable to quantify my thanks for my incredible mentors Dr. Meredith Joppa and Dr. DJ Angelone. Without their guidance and patience there’s simply no way this thesis would exist. I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to benefit from their continued support of my personal and professional growth. iv Abstract Corey Doremus UNDERSTANDING ATTRACTION, BEHAVIOR, AND IDENTITY IN THE ASEXUAL COMMUNITY 2019-2020 Meredith Joppa Ph.D.
  • The Relation of Unwanted Consensual Sex to Mental Health and Relationship Variables: the Role of Motivations

    The Relation of Unwanted Consensual Sex to Mental Health and Relationship Variables: the Role of Motivations

    THE RELATION OF UNWANTED CONSENSUAL SEX TO MENTAL HEALTH AND RELATIONSHIP VARIABLES: THE ROLE OF MOTIVATIONS Maren Froemming A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY August 2020 Committee: Eric Dubow, Advisor Jeanne Novak Graduate Faculty Representative Anne Gordon Joshua Grubbs © 2020 Maren Froemming All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Eric Dubow, Advisor Unwanted consensual sex, when a person willingly consents to sexual activity that is unwanted in some way, is a largely understudied sexual behavior despite its relatively common prevalence. Many researchers have conceptualized unwanted consensual sex to be a negative sexual experience and even to lie on the spectrum of sexual coercion and violence. Previous research has demonstrated associations between unwanted consensual sex and poorer relationship quality and sexual satisfaction, but no research has investigated its potential association with psychological functioning. Additionally, there has been a lack of research on the role of motivations for unwanted consensual sex, though initial evidence suggests that reasons for having unwanted consensual sex may be differentially related to certain outcomes. Using an approach-avoidance motivational framework, I tested moderation models exploring how frequency of unwanted consensual sex relates to mental health and relationship variables, with either approach or avoidance motivations as moderators. A sample of 704 sexually active adults of varied age, gender, sexual orientation, and relationship status were surveyed using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Forty-four percent of the total sample endorsed engaging in unwanted consensual sex in the past year. Frequency of unwanted consensual sex was positively associated with mental health symptoms and negatively associated with well-being (marginally significant) and relationship quality.
  • Understanding Kinship Diversion and Its Relationship with Child Health and Behabior Problems

    Understanding Kinship Diversion and Its Relationship with Child Health and Behabior Problems

    CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Carolina Digital Repository UNDERSTANDING KINSHIP DIVERSION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH CHILD HEALTH AND BEHABIOR PROBLEMS Qi Wu A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Social Work Chapel Hill 2016 Approved by: Mark F. Testa Shenyang Guo Cecilia E. Casanueva Susan M. Snyder Eun Koh ©2016 Qi Wu ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT QI WU: Understanding Kinship Diversion and Its Relationship with Child Health and Behavior Problems (Under the direction of Mark F. Testa) During the past two decades, child welfare professionals have given kinship care priority as the preferred least-restrictive, most family-like placement option when a child has to be removed from his or her family. Given this preference, the number of children placed in kinship foster care steadily increased during the 1980s and 1990s, leveling off in the 2000s. Although kinship care has received research attention, much of the extant research has focused on kinship foster care and specific issues such as child safety, stability, permanency, and well-being. However, the available literature lacks investigation into what factors drive the decision to use kinship care, specifically an understanding of why some children are diverted from child welfare system (CWS) into unpaid kinship arrangements while other children enter the traditional foster care system. In addition, the literature lacks evidence that would advance the understanding of the short- and long-term effects of this kind of kinship diversion on child outcomes.
  • Love Is a Battlefield: Experience of Love in Relation to Depression

    Love Is a Battlefield: Experience of Love in Relation to Depression

    Modern Psychological Studies Volume 21 Number 1 Article 5 2015 Love is a battlefield: experience of love in relation to depression Laura Hill Abilene Christian University Cherisse Flanagan Abilene Christian University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.utc.edu/mps Part of the Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Hill, Laura and Flanagan, Cherisse (2015) "Love is a battlefield: experience of love in relation to depression," Modern Psychological Studies: Vol. 21 : No. 1 , Article 5. Available at: https://scholar.utc.edu/mps/vol21/iss1/5 This articles is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals, Magazines, and Newsletters at UTC Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Modern Psychological Studies by an authorized editor of UTC Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD I HILL & FLANAGAN Love is a Battlefield: Experience of Love in Relation to Depression Laura Hill and Cherisse Flanagan Abilene Christian University Depression is a debilitating mental illness that entails much more than just sadness. In an attempt to discover if there is a relationship between experience of love and depression, a survey was created to assess these variables. The survey included the Experience of Love Questionnaire (ELQ), an author-developed scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (Radloffi 1977). The ELQ consisted of three subscales measuring experience of love in family, friends, and romantic relationships. The hypothesis of this study was that there would be a negative correlation between experience of love and depression. The survey was completed by 103 participants and the results revealed a correlation between the two variables.
  • Therapy with a Consensually Nonmonogamous Couple

    Therapy with a Consensually Nonmonogamous Couple

    Therapy With a Consensually Nonmonogamous Couple Keely Kolmes1 and Ryan G. Witherspoon2 1Private Practice, Oakland, CA 2Alliant International University While a significant minority of people practice some form of consensual nonmonogamy (CNM) in their relationships, there is very little published research on how to work competently and effectively with those who identify as polyamorous or who have open relationships. It is easy to let one’s cultural assumptions override one’s work in practice. However, cultural competence is an ethical cornerstone of psychotherapeutic work, as is using evidence-based treatment in the services we provide to our clients. This case presents the work of a clinician using both evidence-based practice and practice- based evidence in helping a nonmonogamous couple repair a breach in their relationship. We present a composite case representing a common presenting issue in the first author’s psychotherapy practice, which is oriented toward those engaging in or identifying with alternative sexual practices. Resources for learning more about working with poly, open, and other consensually nonmonogamous relationship partners are provided. C 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Clin. Psychol. 00:1–11, 2017. Keywords: nonmonogamy; open relationships; polyamory; relationships; relationship counseling Introduction This case makes use of two evidence-based approaches to working with couples: the work of John Gottman, and emotionally focused therapy (EFT) as taught by Sue Johnson. Other practitioners may use different models for working with couples, but the integration of Gottman’s work and Sue Johnson’s EFT have had great value in the practice of the senior author of this article. Gottman’s research focused on patterns of behavior and sequences of interaction that predict marital satisfaction in newlywed couples (see https://www.gottman.com/).