THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
COURSE NUMBER:
SOWO 842 (Section 01, Tuesdays: 2-4:50 PM)
COURSE TITLE, SEMESTER AND YEAR: FAMILIES: THEORY AND PRACTICE, FALL ‘14
INSTRUCTOR:
Gary L. Bowen, Ph.D., ACSW
School of Social Work
Tate-Turner-Kuralt, Room 438
Phone: 919-962-6542 (O), 919-377-2999 (H), 919-448-4058 (M)
Email: glbowen@email.unc.edu
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday, 1-3:30 PM (By Appointment)
UNC-CH Safe Zone
COURSE DESCRIPTION: A review of explanatory and practice theories for understanding
and intervening with families and couples.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By course end, students will:
1. Understand the development and role of explanatory and practice theory in familycentered social work practice.
2. Understand concepts, selected theory, and research concerning family functioning
and interaction.
3. Understand family functioning and interaction in the context of race, ethnicity,
gender, age, socioeconomic status, and culture and history.
4. Apply models of family functioning and interaction to frame and inform social
interventions with couples and families.
5. Gain awareness of the field of family life education and review specific programs
focused on promoting strong families and effective parenting.
6. Review major clinical and community intervention strategies for working with
couples and families experiencing relationship problems or facing adversity and
positive challenge.
7. Develop skills in engaging, assessing, intervening, measuring progress, and ending
relationships with families that are culturally sensitive and relevant.
8. Examine family-centered social work practice in a variety of direct practice settings,
including health, mental health, schools, the U.S. military, and settings particularly
focused on child welfare.
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9. Recognize ethical dilemmas and employ decision-making skills for ethical practice
with families in agency and community based settings.
EXPANDED DESCRIPTION: This course includes a focus on both explanatory theories
(theories of change) for understanding variation in couple and family interaction and
practice theories (theories of action) for intervening to improve family member and
family system functioning. Students will gain experience in identifying critical
explanatory factors associated with strong and adaptive couple and family functioning
(resilience)—factors that function as leverage points in the design of social interventions.
Students will have the opportunity to prepare an integrative review of a social problem
for which family-related interventions have shown promise.
REQUIRED TEXTS/READINGS:
Main Text
Smith, S. R. & Hamon, R. R. (2012). Exploring family theories (3rd Ed.). New York:
Oxford University Press. (ISBN 978-0-19-986001-2) (softcover=$57.95)
Becvar, D. S. (Ed.). (2013). Handbook of family resilience. New York: Springer. (ISNB
978-1-4614-3799-4) (ebook=$69.99, softcover=$89.99)
Lipper, J. (2003). Growing up fast. New York: Picador. (ISBN 0-312-42223-9).
[Paperback]
Supplemental Texts
Boss, P. (2002). Family stress management: A Contextual Approach (2nd ed.). Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. (ISBN 0-8039-7389-X) [Paperback]
Fine, M. A. & Fincham, F. D. (Eds.). (2013). Handbook of family theories: A contentbased approach. New York: Routledge (Taylor & Francis). (ISBN 978-0-415-65722-8,
Paperback).
RELATED READINGS:
Boss, P. (2006). Loss, trauma, and resilience: Therapeutic work with ambiguous loss.
New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. (ISBN 0-393-70449-1) [Hardcover]
Boss, P. (1999). Ambiguous loss: Learning to live with unresolved grief. Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press. (ISBN 0-674-01738-2) [Paperback]
Boss, P. (Ed.). (2003). Family stress: Classic and contemporary readings. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage. (ISBN 0-7619-2612-7) [Paperback]
Bredehoft, D. J., & Walcheski, M. J. (2009). Family life education: Integrating theory
and practice. St. Paul, MN: National Council on Family Relations. (ISBN 0-916174-697) [Paperback]
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Revenson, T. A. Kayser, K., & Bodenmann, G. (2005). Couples coping with stress:
Emerging perspectives on dyadic coping. Washington, DC: APA.
Patterson, J., Williams, L., Grauf-Grounds, C., & Chamov, L. (1998). Essential skills in
family therapy: From the first interview to termination. New York: Guilford Press.
Piercy, F.P., Sprenkle, D.H., & Wetchler, J.L. (1996). Family therapy sourcebook (2nd
Ed.). New York: Guilford Press.
CLASS MEEINGS:
August 19, August 26, September 2 (no class), September 9, September 16, September
23, September 30, October 7, October 14, October 21, October 28, November 4,
November 11, November 18 (no class), November 25, December 2
TEACHING METHODS:
This course has been designed to maximize student involvement, and it will be facilitated
using a transformative learning model. From this model, students work with the instructor
as full partners in assuming responsibility for the success of the course. Students will
prepare lectures, lead class discussion, work in small groups, and provide peer review.
EXPECTATIONS FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS:
Students are expected to use high quality academic English; grades will be lowered for
poor grammar, syntax, spelling, or typos. Do proofread well! If students have difficulty
writing, they are strongly encouraged to use online resources of the campus Writing
Center (http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/) and/or seek assistance from our editors here
in the School of Social Work. There are many useful resources on the SSW website,
under Writing Resources. A brief explanation of APA style is contained there.
The School of Social Work faculty has adopted APA style as the preferred format for
papers and publications. All written assignments for this course should be submitted in
APA format. The web sites listed below provide additional information, though students
are encouraged to purchase the following text:
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association, 6th Edition. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological
Association.
http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html (APA Style for material in electronic formats)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html (general information about
documentation using APA style)
http://www.bartleby.com/141/ (electronic version of Strunk's The Elements of Style which
was originally published in 1918)
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/resources.html (The Writing Center, links to on-line
reference material and many other useful sites for authors)
q http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/ (The UNC writing center—on-line and tutorial help
at Phillips Annex 962-7710)
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CLASS ASSIGNMENTS:
Class Attendance
Students are expected to attend all class sessions, and classes will begin and end on time.
A roll sheet will be distributed at the beginning of each class. If there is some reason that
you cannot attend a class, please contact the instructor or leave a message for the
instructor at the School of Social Work. Students who miss two class sessions will be
penalized by one letter grade (special exceptions may apply). Students who miss three or
more class sessions will receive an "F" as their final grade for the class.
Email Accounts
All students are required to have a valid UNC email account. A valid UNC email address
has the following extension: @email.unc.edu.
Required Reading
To facilitate class involvement and discussion, students are expected to read all required
materials prior to class. As you will see, the reading list is rather extensive. The Professor
will provide guidance to students in setting priorities.
Class Participation
Students are expected to contribute "meaningfully" to class discussion. A peer evaluation
form may be used to evaluate team member performance in group exercises (see
Appendix B). The professor may call upon students to respond to assigned readings/class
discussion. Please let the professor know if you have particular concerns about being
called upon in class. At the beginning of each class session, time will be allocated to
address questions about readings and assignments.
Class Lecture
Students will have an opportunity to prepare and deliver a class lecture on an assigned
topic: a chapter from Becvar (2013), Handbook of family resilience; an article from the
Journal of Marital and Family Therapy; or a chapter from Smith and Hamon (2013),
Exploring family theories, which should be approximately 50 minutes in duration. In
most cases, students will work together in pairs to prepare the class lecture.1 Topics will
be assigned randomly after the first class session, although students may trade topics with
one other. Please develop questions to stimulate class discussion and integration.
For students presenting a chapter from the Handbook of family resilience or an article
from the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, please identify what you found most
instructive or helpful from the reading related to the class topic at hand and for your
social work practice with couples and families—information that you would like to share
with your class colleagues. This could be organized as a set of main points with
supplemental explanatory text. At the end of each article in the Journal of Marital and
Family Therapy, a clinician(s) responds. This is a good model for what I hoping for
rather than a point-by-point summary of the article.
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Please note. Depending on the number of students in the class, some students may be asked to work
individually. This will depend on the topic and the expectations for the assignment will be adjusted.
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For students presenting on a conceptual framework from Smith et al., please discuss the
history and development of the conceptual framework, including its principal
founders/developers, basic assumptions, core concepts, and subtheories. In what areas of
scholarship has this conceptual framework most often been applied? Please apply the
conceptual framework as a “lens” to understanding and examining teenage
pregnancy/parenthood (see Growing Up Fast). In relationship to teenage
pregnacy/parenthood, what becomes the central focus of your attention from the
perspective of the conceptual framework?
Please plan to schedule a meeting with the Professor in advance of your presentation to
discuss your strategy for the presentation. In the past, I have found this sharing of ideas
and presentation strategies to be helpful for students.
Please submit an electronic copy (email attachment) of the PowerPoint slides (15-25
slides) to the professor at least 12 hours in advance of the presentation who will post
them on Sakai. Please bring the presentation to class on a USB flash drive or memory
stick or other portable drive. A computer/LCD will be available for all presentations.
Feedback on the presentation will be requested from other class members via a structured
presentation evaluation form (See Appendix A) using the following scale: 60 = Poor
(60%), 70 = Fair (70%), 80 = Good (80%), 90 = Very Good (90%), and 100 = Clearly
Exceptional (100%) (see attached). The professor will prepare a summary critique,
including an assigned grade, which will be distributed to students in the class following
the presentation. Students’ critiques will be included. In most cases, students working
together will receive the same grade for the presentation. On some occasions, class
lecture grades are adjusted upward at the end of the semester in the context of other
lectures.
Due: Day of Presentation.
Assignment: Integrative Review (Due: Exam Date, although draft sections are due during
the semester)
The major deliverable for the course is the preparation of an integrative review of a social
problem for which family-based interventions have shown promise (approximately 20
double-spaced pages, excluding references, diagrams, and appendices). Please note that
the specific instructions for this assignment may evolve slightly during the semester on
the basis of students’ consultations and experiences.
Students will work on this paper during the course of the semester. Draft sections of
paper will be due throughout the semester. Please use the following headings in
preparation of the paper. Page number guidelines are offered.
a. Introduction. Provide an opening that introduces the topic (social problem), identifies
the focus of your review (the specific social problem), including the population of
interest (e.g., adolescent females), and provides the reader with a roadmap (outline)
for your review. (1.5 pages)
b. Statement of the social problem. Describe/illustrate the social problem (its
epidemiology). Present what is known about the scope of the problem (e.g., the
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c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
incidence and prevalence of the problem), its distribution in the population, and its
short- and long-term effects or consequences. (3.0 pages)
Significance of the problem. What relevance/implication does the social problem have
for social work and social intervention. (1/2 page)
Assessment. What quantitative tools or strategies exist to assess (e.g., determine,
monitor, or evaluate) the social problem (e.g., validated measures). As Jordan and
Corcoran (2003) state, “Quantitative measures are simply numerical indicators of a
particular aspect of client functioning” (p. 71). Standardized measures can be used to
open discussions with families, to help determine a family’s level of need, to support
the choice of specific interventions, and to demonstrate growth (or lack of growth) or
change over time. Please identify and discuss at least two such measures, including
attention to the validity and reliability of these measures. Please include a copy of
these measures as an appendix. (2 pages plus the appendix)
Explanatory theoretical perspectives. A presentation and critical analysis of two
explanatory theories or conceptual perspectives that have been applied to the study of
the social problem. This analysis may involve the use of conceptual frameworks (e.g.,
social exchange theory) and/or substantive models (e.g., ABC-X model of family
stress). Rather than review the theories/models per se, apply the theory/model to your
topic at hand, although it is important to specify the central focus and key
assumptions and concepts from each theory/model that frames and informs your
analysis. (4-6 pages)
Critical success variables. Identify at least three CSV (antecedents or correlates to
achievement of the desired result and resolution of the social problem, which are
central and malleable factors or mediators ala Fraser & Galinsky, 2010) that are
consistent with your explanatory theoretical perspectives. Please provide a brief
review of the research literature that associates each CSV with variation in the social
problem (directly or indirectly), including a discussion of the cultural and/or ethnic
relevance of these CSVs. (3 pages)
Practice theory perspectives. Critical review of two family-based intervention
programs, strategies, or approaches for addressing the social problem through
interventions that are consistent with or target one or more of the critical success
variables identified above. Please be specific and identify the name of each
intervention and its developer(s). By what means and to what extent have these
interventions received support for their efficacy/effectiveness? Please discuss the
cultural and contextual relevance of these interventions for your population of
interest. (3 pages)
Conclusion. Discuss limitations in the application of explanatory and practice theory
in this content area and offer suggestions for the better use of theory, including your
recommendations for theoretical refinement and application. (2 pages)
References. Format all references using APA guidelines.
Appendices/Tables/Figures
Integrative Collage
Please develop a collage (images and words from magazines) on an approximately 22”
by 28” poster board or heavy-duty card stock paper that describe your understanding of
and perspective toward working with couples and families in the context of our work this
semester (theory and practice). Reflect back on our discussion on the first day of class. Of
all the concepts and assumptions that we have reviewed, which ones have most
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influenced your perspective—try to represent this in developing your collage. The same
for people—which authors had a particular impact on your perspective? Please attempt to
represent how your family history, gender and racial/ethnic/cultural heritage contributes
to your integrative perspective. Please be prepared to explain your collage to a colleague.
Bring a “sticky pad” (2” x 2”) to class to attach comments on other collages. You will be
able to keep your collage.
Due: (Week 16)
Final Integrative Experience
Prepare a 7-to-8 page, written essay that summarizes your integrative perspective for
understanding variation in family-related outcomes at the beginning of the course (1
page); your integrative perspective at this point (2-3 pages); a discussion of how your
perspective is influenced by your family history, gender and racial/ethnic/cultural
heritage (1 page); implications of your analysis for your social work practice with
families (2 page); and strengths and weaknesses in your integrative perspective for social
work practice and the implications of your analysis for informing your work next
semester (1 page). Please edit your papers carefully.
Due: Exam Date
GRADING SYSTEM:
The core assignments and their relative weights in the grading system are listed below:
Class Lecture
Integrative Review
Collage
Final Integrative Experience
Peer Review/Class Participation
25.0%
45.0%
07.5%
15.0%
07.5%
Each assignment/requirement will be graded using the following numeric system:
H = 94-100
P = 80-93
L = 70-79
F = 69 and below
To qualify for a grade of Clear Excellence (H), students will need to complete all
assignments with a grade of 70% or better, with an average grade of 94% or better.
POLICY ON INCOMPLETES AND LATE ASSIGNMENTS:
Unless negotiated in advance with the professor, assignments are due on the date
specified in the syllabus. All assignments must be completed to receive a Passing Grade
for the course (H/P/L). Students will receive 0 credit for assignments submitted past the
due date.
POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
Please refer to the APA Style Guide, The SSW Manual, and the SSW Writing Guide for
information on attribution of quotes, plagiarism and appropriate use of assistance in
preparing assignments. All written assignments should contain a signed pledge from you
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stating that, "I have not given or received unauthorized aid in preparing this written
work".
In keeping with the UNC Honor Code, if reason exists to believe that academic
dishonesty has occurred, a referral will be made to the Office of the Student Attorney
General for investigation and further action as required."
POLICY ON ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
Students with disabilities that affect their participation in the course and who wish to
have special accommodations should contact the University’s Disabilities Services and
provide documentation of their disability. Disabilities Services will notify the instructor
that the student has a documented disability and may require accommodations, Students
should discuss the specific accommodations they require (e.g. changes in instructional
format, examination format) directly with the instructor.
POLICIES ON THE USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN THE CLASSROOM:
Do not engage in activities unrelated to the course including, but not limited to:
• completing assignments for other courses
• checking email during class
• communication unrelated to in-class activities (i.e., voice, email, text messaging,
etc.)
• surfing the web or visiting websites unrelated to in-class activities
• playing games, listening to music or watching videos
Do not distract others
• Set all devices including all sound alerts to “vibrate” or “mute” during class
• Do not place or accept calls or text messages during class
• Arrive with sufficient time to set up laptops, etc., before class begins. Set-up must
be completed before class begins.
• Be aware of potentially distracting typing or clicking
Prohibited use of computers and other wireless devices includes:
• Special events or guest speakers
• Presentation or role-play demonstration by classmates
• While viewing videotapes
• Any other time designated by the instructor
ALWAYS respect the request of a classmate or the instructor to cease the use of any and
all electronic/wireless devices.
BAD WEATHER POLICY:
Please check your email by 7:00 a.m. on the day of class in case of snow, ice or other
threatening and/or unsafe conditions. Use your best judgment about travel safety if you
are driving to Chapel Hill from surrounding areas that have snow, ice or other threatening
and/or unsafe conditions.
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READINGS AND COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1: August 19
Introductions and Course Overview
Introductions
Definitions
Family Demographics
Course Review
Logistics
Class Discussion: This course is titled Families: Theory and Practice. What is your
working definition of a family/a couple?
Class Discussion/Small Group Exercise: What social problems or issues are you most
interested in addressing through planful, purposeful, and effective family-based
intervention strategies. Please describe your perspective toward conceptualizing social
problems to inform interventions. What particular theories, models, or empirical findings
have most influenced your perspective? The same for people—what theorists,
researchers, or practitioners have had a particular impact on your perspective? What
assumptions and concepts anchor your perspective and provide coherence to your
presentation of self and ideas in professional exchanges? What particular family-based
intervention strategies are you most interested in learning more about?
Family Demographics
Cherlin, A. (2010). Demographic trends in the United States: A review of research in the
2000s. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72, 403-419.
Biblarz, T. J., & Stacey, J. (2010). How does the gender of parents matter? Journal of
Marriage and Family, 72, 3-22.
Supplemental Reading (Optional)
Bowen, G. L., & Kilpatrick, A. (1995). Marriage/partners. In R. L. Edwards (Ed.),
Encyclopedia of Social Work (pp. 1663-1674). Washington, DC: National Association of
Social Workers.
Week 2: August 26
An Intervention Research Perspective
Intervention Research
Fraser, M. W., & Galinsky, M. J. (2010). Steps in intervention research: Designing and
developing social programs. Research on Social Work Practice, 20, 459-466.
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Galinsky, M. J., Fraser, M. W., Day, S. H., & Richman, J. M. (2012). A primer for the
design of practice manuals: Four stages of development. Research on Social Work
Practice, 23, 219-228.
Kazdin, A. E. (1997). A model for developing effective treatments: Progression and
interplay of theory, research, and practice. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 26, 114129. (Optional Reading)
Kazdin, A. E. (2007). Mediators and mechanisms of change in psychotherapy research.
Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 3, 1-27.
Adler-Baeder, F., Higginbothan, B., & Lamke, L. (2004). Putting empirical knowledge to
work: Linking research and programming on marital quality. Family Relations, 53, 537546.
A Theory of Change Example
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
Building Adult Capabilities to Improve Child Outcomes: A Theory of Change
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urU-a_FsS5Y#t=302
The Role of Explanatory Family Theories
Smith et al. (2012). Introduction (pp. 1-10).
Knapp, S. J. (2009). Critical theorizing: Enhancing theoretical rigor in family research.
Journal of Family Theory & Review, 1, 133-145.
Hoffman, K. L., & Edwards, J. N. (2004). An integrated theoretical model of sibling
violence and abuse. Journal of Family Violence, 19, 185-200.
Class Assignment and Supplemental Readings (Small Group Exercise)
The first two articles examine the influence of specific interventions. For each, please
identify what is considered to be the central mediators of change? The last article reports
the results from a research study examining the association between social support
networks and several measures of resiliency. On the basis of these results, what particular
variables may be targeted as central mediators for planful interventions? Note: One-third
of the class will be assigned to review each article in advance of class.
Fraser, M. W., Day, S. H., Galinsky, M. J., Hodges, V. G., & Smokowski, P. R. (2004).
Conduct problems and peer rejection in childhood: A randomized trial of the making
choices and strong families programs. Research on Social Work Practice, 14, 313-324.
Woolley, M. E., Rose, R. A., Orthner, D. K., Akos, P. T., & Jones-Sanpei, H. (2013).
Advancing academic achievement through career relevance in the middle grades: A
longitudinal evaluation of CareerStart. American Education Research Journal, 50, 13091335.
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Farrell, A., Bowen, G. L., & Swick, D. (2014). Network supports and resiliency among
US military spouses with children with special health care needs. Family Relations, 63,
55-70.
Week 3: September 22
No Class
Week 4: September 9
A Family Resilience Framework
Class Preparation
In the context of adversity or positive challenge (risk), what distinguishes those families
who are able to demonstrate resilience – they maintain, regain, or establish successful
role performance over time (i.e., they get the job done)—from those that do not? In
responding to this question, please propose a definition of family resilience.
Family Resilience
Nichols, W. C. (2013). Roads to understanding family resilience: 1920s to the twentyfirst century. In D. S. Becvar (Ed.), Handbook of family resilience (pp. 3-16). New York:
Springer. (Focus Review on pp. 1-6; we will cover models of family stress later in the
semester.)
Walsh, F. (2003). Family resilience: A framework for clinical practice. Family Process,
42, 1-18.
or
Walsh, F. (2002). A family resilience framework: Innovative practice applications.
Family Relations, 51, 130-137.
Walsh, F. (2013). Community-based practice: Applications of a family resilience
framework. In D. S. Becvar (Ed.), Handbook of family resilience (pp. 65-82). New York:
Springer.
McCubbin, L. D., & McCubbin, H. I. (2013). Resilience in ethnic family systems: A
relational theory for research and practice. In D. S. Becvar (Ed.), Handbook of family
resilience (pp. 175-195). New York: Springer.
(Student Presentation)
Bermudez, J. M., & Mancini, J. A. (2013). Familias fuertes: Family resilience among
Latinos. In D. S. Becvar (Ed.), Handbook of family resilience (pp. 215-227). New York:
Springer. (Note: Modifies/Expands Walsh’s Family Resilience Framework)
Hollingsworth, L. D. (2013). Resilience in Black families. In D. S. Becvar (Ed.),
Handbook of family resilience (pp. 229-243). New York: Springer. (Note: Modifies
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Please use this time to focus on your readings for September 9.
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/Expands Walsh’s Family Resilience Framework)
Boss, P. (2013). Resilience as tolerance for ambiguity. In D. S. Becvar (Ed.), Handbook
of family resilience (pp. 285-297). New York: Springer.
Week 5: September 16
Family-based Intervention Research: An Overview3
Family Check-Up, Child and Family Center, University of Oregon. (Service Menu:
Parent groups, Family therapy, Child interventions, School-based interventions,
Ecological management and advocacy)
http://cfc.uoregon.edu/intervention-fcu.htm
Doherty, W. J. (1995). Boundaries between parent and family education and family
therapy: The levels of family involvement model. Family Relations, 44, 353-358.
Ooms, T. (2010). Marriage and relationship education and couples and marriage
therapy/counseling: What’s the difference? Oklahoma City, Ok: National Healthy
Marriage Resource Center.
Leslie, L. A. (1995). The evolving treatment of gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation
in marital and family therapy. Family Relations, 44, 359-367. (Optional Reading)
Hawkins, A. J., Carroll, J. S., Doherty, W. J., & Willoughby, B. (2004). A comprehensive
framework for marriage education. Family Relations, 53, 547-558.4
Jakubowski, S. F., Milne, E. P., Brunner, H., & Miller, R. B. (2004). A review of
empirically supported marital enrichment programs. Family Relations, 53, 528-536.
or
Halford, W. K., Markman, H. J., & Stanley, S. (2008). Strengthening couples’
relationships with education: Social policy and public health perspectives. Journal of
Family Psychology, 22, 497-505.
Sprenkle, D. H. (2012). Intervention research in couple and family therapy: A
methodological and sustantive review and an introduction to the special issue. Journal of
Marital and Family Therapy, 38, 3-29.
Szapocznik, J., Schwartz, S. J., Muir, J. A., & Brown, C. H. (2012). Brief strategic family
therapy: An intervention to reduce adolescent risk behavior. Couple and Family
Psychology: Research and Practice, 1, 134-145.
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I will assign students to be primary discussion leaders of these readings. In this role, students will be
asked to carefully review the readings and be able to summarize key points.
4 The National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) sponsors a Certification for Family Life Educators
(CFLE). For more information, (see http://www.ncfr.org/cert/)
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Hollingsworth, W. G. (2011). Community family therapy with military families
experiencing deployment. Contemporary Family Therapy, 32, 215-228.
Farrell, A.F., Bowen, G.L., & Goodrich, S.A. (In press). Strengthening Family
Resilience: A Community Capacity Approach. In J.A. Arditti (Ed.), Family Problems:
Stress, Risk, & Resilience. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley/Blackwell.
Supplemental Reading5
Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council (NRC). 2014.
Strategies for scaling effective family-focused preventive interventions to promote
children’s cognitive, affective, and behavioral health: Workshop summary. Washington,
DC: The NationalAcademies Press. (Pre-Release Version)
Week 6: September 23
Week 7: September 30 (1st half of Class)
The Interplay of Theory, Research, and Practice: An Example
Social Problem: Late-Life Divorce
Bowen, G. L., & Jensen, T. (in review). Late-life review and post-divorce adult
subjective well-being.
Hawkins, D. N., & Booth, A. (2005). Unhappily ever after: Effects of long-term, lowquality marriages on well-being. Social Forces, 84, 445-465.
Conceptual Framework: Social Exchange Theory
Smith et al., (2012). Social Exchange Theory (pp. 249-267).
Middle-Range or Substantive Theory
Previti, D., & Amato, P. R. (2003). Why stay married? Rewards, barriers, and marital
stability. Journal of Marriage and Family, 65, 561-573.
Basic Research Review
Montenegro, X. P. (2004). The divorce experience: A study of divorce at midlife and
beyond. Washington, DC: AARP.
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“The Forum on Promoting Children’s Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Health convened its
first workshop on Strategies for Scaling Tested and Effective Family-Focused Preventive
Interventions to Promote Children’s Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Health on April 1-2, 2014
in Washington, DC. The workshop featured presentations on and discussion of successes and
challenges experienced by developers and implementers of family-focused preventive
interventions that have been successfully brought to scale; considerations related to the
implementation of preventive programs in settings—such as pediatric practices and schools—that
are emerging as important points of intervention; and the role of intermediary organizations in
scale-up, among other topics. This document summarizes the workshop.” (From the Website)
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Family-based Intervention Research Review
*Lebow, J. L., Chambers, A. L., Christensen, A., & Johnson, S. M. (2012). Research on
the treatment of couple distress. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 38, 145-168.
(Student presentation topic: September 23)
*Markman, H. J., & Rhoades, G. K. (2012). Relationship education research: Current
status and future directions. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 38, 169-200.
(Student presentation topic: September 30)
Practice Application (September 30)
Bowen, G. L. (1992). Navigating the marital journey. New York: Praeger. (Chapters
2/3).
Optional Readings (Highly Recommended)
Gordon, K. C., Baucom, D. H., & Snyder, D. K. (2008). Optimal strategies in couple
therapy: Treating couples dealing with the trauma of infidelity. Journal of Contemporary
Psychotherapy, 38, 151-160.
Sheras, P. L., & Koch-Sheras, P. R. (2008). Commitment first, communication later:
Dealing with barriers to effective couples therapy. Journal of Contemporary
Psychotherapy, 38, 109-117.
Week 7: September 30 (2nd half of Class)
Integrative Review: Step 1
Social Problem Section of Integrative Review Due (Draft)
Introduction. Provide an opening that introduces the topic (social problem), identifies the
focus of your review (the specific social problem), including the population of interest
(e.g., adolescent females), and provides the reader with a roadmap for your review. (1.5
pages)
Statement of the social problem. Describe/illustrate the social problem (its epidemiology).
Present what is known about the scope of the problem (e.g., the incidence and prevalence
of the problem), its distribution in the population, and its short- and long-term effects or
consequences. (3.0 pages)
Significance of the problem. What relevance/implication does the social problem have for
social work and social intervention. (1/2 page)
Assessment. What quantitative tools or strategies exist to assess (e.g., determine, monitor,
or evaluate) the social problem (e.g., validated measures). As Jordan and Corcoran (2003)
state, “Quantitative measures are simply numerical indicators of a particular aspect of
client functioning” (p. 71). Standardized measures can be used to open discussions with
families, to help determine a family’s level of need, to support the choice of specific
interventions, and to demonstrate growth (or lack of growth) or change over time. Please
identify and discuss at least two such measures, including attention to the validity and
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reliability of these measures. Please include a copy of these measures as an appendix. (2
pages)
Instructions for Students: Small Groups then Larger Group Discussion
Week 8: October 7
Preparing to Review Explanatory Theories
Explanatory Theory Section Examples
Demo, D. H., & Buehler, C. (2013). Theoretical approaches to studying divorce. In M. A.
Fine & F. D. Fincham (Eds.), Family theories: A content-based approach (pp. 263-279).
New York: Routlege (Taylor & Francis).
(Student Presentation)
Teenage Parenthood
Lipper, J. (2003). Growing up fast. New York: Picador.6
Supplemental Reading (Optional)
Bowen, G. L., Martin, J. A., & Mancini, J. A. (2013). The resilience of military families:
Theoretical perspectives. In M. A. Fine & F. D. Fincham (Eds.), Family theories: A
content-based approach (pp. 417-436). New York: Routlege (Taylor & Francis).
Week 9: October 14
Explanatory Theories: Student Presentations
Symbolic Interactionism Theory (Student Presentation)
Smith et al. (2012). Symbolic Interactionism Theory (pp. 11-28).
Family Development Theory (Student Presentation)
Smith et al. (2012). Family Development Theory (pp. 69-91).
Family Systems Theory (Student Presentation)
Smith et al. (2009). Family Systems Theory (pp. 123-139).
Olson, D. H., & Gorall, D. (2003). Circumplex model of marital and family systems. In
F. Walsh (Ed.), Normal family processes (3rd ed., 514-544). New York: Guilford.
6
A video will be shown in class.
15
Week 10: October 21
Explanatory Theories: Student Presentations
Human Ecological Theory (Student Presentation)
Smith et al. (2012). Human Ecological Theory (pp. 185-200).
Bowen, G. L. (2009). Preventing school dropout: The Eco-Interactional Developmental
Model of School Success. The Prevention Research, 16(3), 3-8.
Feminist Family Theory (Student Presentation)
Smith et al. (2012). Feminist Family Theory (pp. 291-308).
George, J., & Stith, S. M. (2014). An updated feminist view of intimate partner violence.
Family Process, 53, 179-193.
Biosocial Theory (Student Presentation)
Smith et al. (2012). Biosocial Theory (pp. 328-340).
Samek, D., Koh, B. D., & Rueter, M. A. (2013). Overview of behavioral genetics
research for family researchers. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 5, 214-233.
Ellis, B. J., & Boyce, W. T. (2008). Biological sensitivity to context. Current Directions
in Psychological Science, 17, 183-187.
Week 11: October 28
Explanatory Theories: One More
Family Stress Theory
Smith et al. (2012). Family Stress Theory (pp. 114-132).
Nichols, W. C. (2013). Roads to understanding family resilience: 1920s to the twentyfirst century. In D. S. Becvar (Ed.), Handbook of family resilience (pp. 3-16). New York:
Springer.
Patterson, J. M. (2002). Integrating family resilience and family stress theory. Journal of
Marriage and Family, 64, 349-360. (Optional Reading)
The MEES Model: Recognizing Racial/Cultural Diversity
Peters, M. F., & Massey, G. (1983). Mundane extreme environmental stress in family
stress theories: The case of black families in white America. In H. I. McCubbin, M. B.
Sussman, & J. M. Patterson (Eds.), Social stress and the family: Advances and
developments in family stress theory and research (pp. 193-218). New York: The
Haworth Press.
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Ambiguous Loss
Smith et al. (2012). Sample Reading: Ambiguous Loss and the Family Grieving Process
(pp. 133-144).
Week 12: November 4
Integrative Review: Step 2
Explanatory Theory/Critical Success Variables Section of Integrative Review Due
(Draft)
Explanatory theoretical perspectives. A presentation and critical analysis of two
explanatory theories or conceptual perspectives that have been applied to the study of the
social problem. This analysis may involve the use of conceptual frameworks (e.g., social
exchange theory), and/or substantive models (e.g., ABC-X model of family stress).
Rather than review the theories/models per se, apply the theory/model to your topic at
hand, although it is important to specify the central focus and key assumptions and
concepts from each theory/model that frames and informs your analysis. (4-6 pages)
Critical success variables. Identify at least three CSV (antecedents or correlates to
achievement of the desired result and resolution of the social problem, which are central
and malleable factors or mediators ala Fraser & Galinsky, 2010) that are consistent with
one or more of your explanatory theoretical perspectives. Please provide a brief review of
the research literature that associates each CSV with variation in the social problem
(directly or indirectly), including a discussion of the cultural and/or ethnic relevance of
these CSVs. (3 pages)
Instructions for Students: Small Groups then Larger Group Discussion
Week 13: November 11
Let’s Return to Practice
Family-based Interventions
Henggeler, S. W., & Sheidow, A. J. (2012). Empirically supported family-based
treatments for conduct disorders and delinquency in adolescents. Journal of Marital and
Family Therapy, 38, 30-58.
(Student Presentation)
Stith, S. M., Amanor-Boadu, Y., Smith D. (2012). Systemic perspectives on intimate
partner violence treatment. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 38, 220-240.
(Student Presentation)
Chenail, R. J., St. George, S., Wulff, D., Duffy, M., Scott, K. W., & Tomm, K. (2012).
Clients’ relational conceptions of conjoint couple and family therapy quality: A grounded
formal theory. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 38, 241-264.
(Student Presentation)
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Supplemental Readinings (Optional)
Carr, A. (2009). The effectiveness of family therapy and systemic interventions for adultfocused problems. Journal of Family Therapy, 31, 46-74.
Carr, A. (2009). The effectiveness of family therapy and systemic interventions for childfocused problems. Journal of Family Therapy, 31, 3-45.
McCollum, E. E., & Gehart, D. R. (2010). Using mindfulness to teach beginning
therapists therapeutic presence: A qualitative study. Journal of Marital and Family
Therapy, 36, 347-360.
Week 14: November 187
No Class
(NCFR Conference)
Week 15: November 25
Integrative Review: Step 3
Practice Theory Perspectives Section of Integrative Review Due
Practice theory perspectives. Critical review of two family-based intervention programs,
strategies, or approaches for addressing the social problem through interventions that are
consistent with or target one or more of critical success variables identified above. Please
be specific and identify the name of each intervention and its developer(s). By what
means and to what extent have these interventions received support for their
efficacy/effectiveness? Please discuss the cultural and contextual relevance of these
interventions for your population of interest. (3 pages)
Instructions for Students: Small Groups then Larger Group Discussion
Week 16: December 2
Bringing it all Together: I hope
A Personal Integrative Perspective (Collage)
Final Integrative Experience Discussion
Final Exam
Final Integrative Review Due
Final Integrative Experience Due
7
Please go to the National Council on Family Relations website (http://www.ncfr.org) and review the
conference program. What topics are receiving significant focus and discussion by family scientists and
practitioners.
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Class Lecture Assignments8
09/09 Chapter: Resilience in ethnic family systems: A relational theory for research and
practice.
09/23 Article: Research on the Treatment of Couple Distress
09/30 Article: Relationship Education Research: Current Status and Future Directions
10/07 Chapter: Theoretical Approaches to Studying Divorce
10/14 Chapter: Symbolic Interactionism Theory
10/14 Chapter: Family Development Theory
10/14 Chapter: Family Systems Theory
10/21 Chapter: Human Ecological Theory
10/21 Chapter: Feminist Family Theory
10/21 Chapter: Biosocial Theory
11/11 Article: Empirically Support Family-Based Treatments for Conduct Disorders and
Delinquency
11/11 Article: Systemic Perspectives on Intimate Partner Violence Treatment
11/11 Article: Clients’ Relational Conceptions of Conjoint Couple and Family Therapy
Quality
8
You may trade presentation topics and partners.
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Appendix A
Presentation Evaluation Form
Presentation:___________________________________________________________________
Presenter(s):__________________________________________________________________
Please rate the group presentation in the following areas with:
60 = Poor, 70 = Fair, 80 = Good, 90 = Very Good, and 100 = Clearly Exceptional.
Content:
Overall review/integration of assigned reading
60
70
80
90
100
Use of examples to clarify presentation material
60
70
80
90
100
Application to teenage pregnancy/parenthood, if applicable
60
70
80
90
100
60
70
80
90
100
Organization—Use of transitions, flow of content in a logical
manner, and good use of time
60
70
80
90
100
Visual aids—PowerPoint Slides
60
70
80
90
100
Interaction with class—Answering questions, requests for class
participation, receiving feedback from class members
60
70
80
90
100
Enthusiasm—Communicated ideas with fervor
70
80
90
100
Style/Delivery:
Creativity—Use of innovative ways to convey information
60
Please identify two strengths of the presentation:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Please provide at least one recommendation for improvement:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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Appendix B9
Peer Evaluation for Group/Team Exercises
Team Name:
Your Name:
Complete the following statements about each of your team mates. Choose the ONE best
response to each statement.
1. Team member’s name:
a. Preparation. On the basis of his/her input to group process/discussion, this team
member . . .
Had reviewed all assigned materials before class.
Had reviewed most or all assigned materials before class.
Was NOT familiar with all of the assigned materials.
b. Participation. Overall, this team member . . .
Contributed appropriately to team activities and discussions.
Contributed too much to team activities and discussions.
Contributed too little to team activities and discussions.
Participated but contributions were often not of high substantive quality.
c. Team work. This team member . . .
Consistently contributed to a positive team spirit and functioning.
Often contributed to a positive team spirit and functioning.
Neither contributed to nor detracted from positive team spirit and functioning.
At times inhibited positive team spirit and functioning.
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Adapted from SOWO 916: Natasha K Bowen
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