Marriage Guidance Counsellors Research Articles

Being married, doing gender: a critical analysis of gender relationships in marriage

In one of the first psychological studies of women in heterosexual relationships, Caroline Dryden examines the social context of their experiences and emotional struggles. Unlike the developmental literature in which women are studied only as mothers, or the clinical literature which has little theoretical basis, Being Married, Doing Gender places case study material in the context of the power balance between women and men. Caroline Dryden finds that there are contradictions between stereotypical gender roles and the maintenance of an equal partnership that can cause problems for both women and men. Being Married, Doing Gender will be valuable to students studying psychology or gender and women's studies and to marriage guidance counsellors and psychotherapists.

‘Reformed Pastors’ and Bons Curés: the Changing Role of the Parish Clergy in Early Modern Europe

Over the last half century, a number of sociologists on both sides of the Atlantic have tried to define the contemporary role of the ministry. Among the ideas which emerged from their work, three are relevant for our purpose here. The first was that a number of roles which well-intentioned if not always well-qualified clergy had tried to play in the past had been lost or were being lost to rival professions, few of whose members were in holy orders: doctors and psychiatrists, marriage guidance counsellors and social caseworkers, solicitors and schoolteachers. Sociologists detected a sense of what was called ‘role uncertainty’ among the English clergy, and a feeling that in future they should be trained in new skills such as counselling. Allied to this disquiet was another concern, that the administrative and organizational side of the minister’s work was threatening to swamp the more important traditional roles of priest, pastor, and preacher. A third suggestion was that in an increasingly secular society the status of the ministry was declining. For centuries, it was argued, the clergy had enjoyed a unique place in society because of their sacerdotal functions and special skills, but this was now changing: the value of the Christian ministry in the eyes of the laity was falling behind that of more ‘useful’ professions such as medicine and the law.

Marriage guidance counselling in general practice in London

Abstract People with marital difficulties are more likely to contact their GP for help than any other social service. In recent years, a number of attachments of marriage guidance counsellors to general practice have been set up to encourage doctors to refer patients directly. This paper describes the results of a postal survey of general practitioners and counsellors in attachments in the area covered by the London Marriage Guidance Council. While the results were very positive, with few disadvantages mentioned, it must be remembered that the majority of GPs involved were a highly self-selected and atypical group, usually with a special interest in psychotherapy.

Marriage guidance counselling in general practice in London

Abstract People with marital difficulties are more likely to contact their GP for help than any other social service. In recent years, a number of attachments of marriage guidance counsellors to general practice have been set up to encourage doctors to refer patients directly. This paper describes the results of a postal survey of general practitioners and counsellors in attachments in the area covered by the London Marriage Guidance Council. While the results were very positive, with few disadvantages mentioned, it must be remembered that the majority of GPs involved were a highly self-selected and atypical group, usually with a special interest in psychotherapy.

Book Reviews : Marriage Guidance Counsellors in the Medical Setting by Marianne de Groot. Published by National Marriage Guidance Council, 1985. Price: £1.50. Paper cover. Pp 31. ISBN: 0 85351 071 7

Book Reviews : Marriage Guidance Counsellors in the Medical Setting by Marianne de Groot. Published by National Marriage Guidance Council, 1985. Price: £1.50. Paper cover. Pp 31. ISBN: 0 85351 071 7

Training non‐psychologists in the treatment of sexual dysfunction with special reference to the training of marriage guidance counsellors

This paper describes a study in which marriage guidance counsellors were trained in the treatment of sexual difficulties. This study is discussed in the wider context of the literature concerned with training issues in the treatment of sexual function problems. The results of the training programme give clear evidence that non-professionals can be trained to produce results similar to those of a professional and it is argued that issues discussed in the literature concerning the training of professionals in the treatment of sexual difficulties are also applicable to non-professionals.

Responses to Marriage Counselling

Abstract The experiences of clients who received marital counselling from trained volunteer marriage guidance counsellors were investigated. Fifty-one clients from 42 marriages were interviewed and questioned about why they chose the agency, what expectations they held, what happened during counselling, how they felt about the counsellor, and what if anything was achieved through counselling. They were also asked how they had fared since. Rating scales were used after the interview to evaluate satisfaction with counselling, benefit from counselling, aspects of the counselling relationship, etc. The clients were also asked to do a card-sort of statements about counselling to determine what aspects had been valuable and disappointing. Some of the preliminary results of the study are presented and discussed.

Counselling and the schizophrenias

Abstract Schizophrenia is the collective name given to allied psychiatric disorders each of which has received a number of different professional interpretations. A primary counselling task is to help staff resolve conflicts over treatment, and give them support during their care of patients. Counselling patients and families, particularly through opportunities provided by self-help groups, is also discussed. The specialised work of genetic, psychoanalytical and behavioural counselling is considered, and stress is laid on the importance of counselling the adolescent schizophrenic for whom early help is vital to prevent deterioration. The article focuses on those areas where marriage guidance counsellors, social workers and probation officers are most likely to be consulted.

Communication in counselling marital problems: A survey

This paper collates responses to a questionnaire sent out to marriage guidance counsellors associated with the Scottish Marriage Guidance Council. The results are analyzed in terms of the counsellors' years of service, and, where possible, the paper makes reference to a similar survey conducted with general practitioners. Its scope includes communication problems with clients, based both on client types and on conveying information (e.g., patient referral) to clients, counselling situations found most difficult by counsellors, and problems experienced in interviewing. The final sections deal with training methods, their effectiveness and limitations as seen by the counsellors.

The work of marriage guidance counsellors.

The work of marriage guidance counsellors.

Features of psychiatric relevance at an experimental multi-disciplinary social casework centre in Edinburgh

A brief description of an experimental multidisciplinary social casework centre in Edinburgh where a psychiatrist is part of the team is presented, as well as findings of psychiatric relevance about clients who used the Centre over a three-month period. The Centre, set up in anticipation of the Social Work Scotland (1968) Act, serves a defined geographical area of Edinburgh with a disproportionate share of the city's social and medico-psychological problems. One hundred and twenty eight new clients made contact with the centre over the three month period studied with self-referrals accounting for 39% of the cohort. Females, people aged 20–44 years, married or divorced people and people from social class 5 were significantly over-represented by comparison with the population from which the clients were drawn. Most clients ad had previous (and sometimes multiple) contacts with social work and other agencies, and 22% of the clients had made previous contacts with psychiatric hospitals. Slightly more than one third of the clients came from families without a parent or spouse, and the possible future consequences of this on their children are discussed. No significant association was found between recent change of accommodation and emotional or psychological problems among clients. Forty percent of the clients were found by the social workers to have psychological, marital or interpersonal problems. The psychiatrist, marriage guidance counsellors and mental health officers received 42% of the allocated cases, with the psychiatrist receiving the largest number of individual allocations. Clients mainly asked for material help even when psychological or emotional problems were found to be present by social workers. Clients allocated to the psychiatrist differed from those of other workers only with respect to social class distribution. The clients allocated to the psychiatrist are described and the role of the psychiatrist at the Centre discussed. The study underlines the widespread emotional disorder often associated with social problems and the need for psychiatric guidance to social workers. The findings from the Centre will be of interest to a variety of workers as it is the first multi-disciplinary social casework centre, where a psychiatrist is part of the team that includes social workers from statutory departments and voluntary organisations.