Contextuele Bibliografie

Spanish Adaptation of the Relational Ethics Scale (1)

Contextual therapy posits that a truly comprehensive grasp of human existence is composed of individual and relational realities. The Relational Ethics Scale (RES) is the only validated instrument to measure relational ethics, one of the relational realities’ four dimensions, which was theorized by Boszormenyi-Nagy. The RES measures people’s perception about constructs of loyalty, entitlement, trust and justice in their family of origin and in their current and significant relationships. Relational ethics has been shown to have implications for mature development, psychological health and family functioning. The aim of this research was to adapt the RES for use with Spaniards residing in Spain (N = 1181). Psychometric properties were analyzed, and construct validity was assessed using the Spanish-Differentiation Self Inventory. Results obtained indicate the Spanish Relational Ethics Scale (S-RES) is a valid and reliable tool for relational ethics assessment in Spanish populations. Couple and family counselors in Spain may consider the clinical assessment of relational ethics using the S-RES in order to explore issues of fairness, trust, roles, and re-balance when working to support complex family systems. Future research directions using the newly validated S-RES are discussed.

Encouraging Encounters. Reframing time by dialogue in the intergenerational pastoral process

Relational Ethics as Enrichment of Social Justice: Applying Contextual Therapy to Social Work

This article applies insights of the contextual theory and therapy, developed by Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy, to the body of knowledge and practice of social work. Social work and contextual therapy share their focus on justice. In social work, it is mainly elaborated as social justice, placed in the discourse of politics and action. Contextual therapy however, elaborates justice as relational ethics; a fundamental element of human relationships, expressed in an innate tendency to care for each other. According to the contextual theory, evoking this reciprocal care enhances human wellbeing. Therefore, next to the focus on social justice on macro level, this article introduces a focus on relational justice on micro level. Relational justice aims at restoring and enhancing relationships within the family, with those who are relevant for the wellbeing of the family, and with the family’s context. A focus on relational justice encompasses a promising resource for human wellbeing, and a constructive framework for a contextual social work approach. Subsequently, applicable interventions from the contextual therapy, derived from a previously conducted qualitative research on the practice of contextual therapy, are tailored to the social work practice. Conclusively, this article states that justice within family relationships is an important element for successfully realizing of social justice.

Strengthening Connectedness in Close Relationships: A Model for Applying Contextual Therapy

This article presents a model for conducting contextual therapy with the aim of contributing to the further development of contextual therapy. Its founder, Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy, introduced the core of this approach, relational ethics, as a new paradigm for family therapy, which has been received well. The authors presume that the training of (upcoming) contextual therapists and conducting contextual therapy itself can benefit from more concrete guidelines and a phased structure. It can also enhance the further development, research, and accountability of this approach. Therefore, using a design-oriented method, the authors developed a model that helps to shape a contextual therapy process and the applicable contextual interventions. It is based on strengthening connectedness in close relationships, using relational ethics as its compass. The framework of the model consists of three phases: exploring connectedness in close relationships, modifying connectedness in close relationships, and reinforcing connectedness in close relationships, whereby the goals of each of these phases are defined as process elements and expanded into guidelines for 19 interventions. The ingredients for these interventions are derived from two recent studies on the practice of Nagy and on the practice of current contextual therapists. The model is explained and substantiated

Door Corona liggen familieruzies op de loer

Protective Factors Associated with Alcohol Use among College Students: A Contextual Perspective

Artikel in Turks verschenen onder de titel: Üniversite Ögrencilerinde Alkol Kullanimini Yordayan Koruyucu Etkenlerin Baglamsal Kuram Üzerinden Arastirilmasi.Abstract Utilizing Boszormenyi-Nagy and Krasner’s (1986) Contextual Theory, the current study investigated the association between frequency of alcohol use, relational ethics, empathy, coping skills, and volunteering. The sample included 220 college students in Istanbul, recruited through an online survey study. Results indicated that youth who volunteered in social responsibility projects, had functional coping strategies and high levels of empathy, consumed alcohol less frequently, as compared to their counterparts. In addition, youth’s role in the family as well as perceived loyalty and fairness to their families-of-origin were protective factors against frequent alcohol use. Current findings reveal the utility of considering youth’s relational patterns in his/her family-of-origin and level of civic engagement as protective factors in alcohol abuse prevention programs, targeting emerging adults.Het artikel zelf bevat een uitgebreide Engelstalige samenvatting.

Healing through Parenting: An Intervention Delivery and Process of Change Model Developed with Low-Income Latina/o Immigrant Families

Low-income Latinas/os are exposed to widespread mental health disparities in the United States. Most recently, a resurgence of anti-immigration narratives has led vulnerable Latina/o immigrants to experience considerable contextual stressors with multiple deleterious consequences for their overall well-being, including significant disruptions to their parenting practices. Within this context of adversity and despite the multiple benefits associated with parent training (PT) prevention interventions, the availability of contextually and culturally relevant PT interventions remains limited in underserved Latina/o communities. This paper constitutes a contribution to this gap in knowledge by presenting a model of intervention delivery utilized in the dissemination of culturally adapted versions of the evidence-based intervention known as GenerationPMTO.© The proposed model also describes a process of change that we have documented in empirical research with low-income Latina/o immigrant parents who have been exposed to the adapted interventions. The manuscript is organized in four sections. First, an overview of the model is discussed, along with a brief summary of major theories. Next, the core components of the model are described, complemented by the presentation of a case study. Finally, implications for prevention and clinical intervention are discussed.

Transmission of Intergenerational Migration Legacies in Korean American Families: Parenting the Third Generation

Therapists are expected to practice cultural awareness. However, there is limited guidance on what this means when working with second or third generation families. This grounded theory study used a social constructionist life course perspective to understand how second generation Korean American parents locate themselves in the sociopolitical context and draw on these intergenerational experiences to construct a parenting ideology. Semi-structured interviews with 20 parenting couples of children between 0 and 10 years of age showed parents engage in three major socio-contextual processes: (a) looks back on first generation parents’ experience of survival and marginalization, (b) explores meaning of being second generation Korean American parents, and (c) fosters contextual awareness of third generation children. Parenting intents appeared fueled by felt awareness of their increased societal power compared to their parents. Findings help family practitioners contextualize parenting experiences within the larger social context and suggest a nuanced, process-oriented approach to sociocultural attunement that attends to multiple interconnecting contexts, fluid across time and place.