PSYCHOLOGY 499: Psychology of Marriage and the Family



Psychology of Marriage and the Family (Psyc 464)

Brian Baucom, Ph.D.

Spring, 2009

Instructor: Brian Baucom, Ph.D.

Office: SGM 922

Office hours: Tuesday 3:00-4:00 and by appointment

Phone: 310-625-9267

Email: baucom@usc.edu

TA: Esti Iturralde

Office: SGM 921

Office hours: T 2:00 – 3:30pm

Email: iturrald@usc.edu

Lectures: GFS 118, Monday & Wednesday, 12:00-1:50pm

Final Exam: Monday, 5/11/09, from 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Course description and goals:

This course is designed to examine scientific study and scholarship on family relationships. Individuals develop within a complex network of relationships, with family relationships being highly significant due to their centrality and longevity. This course focuses on the psychological theories and methods that have been used to examine fundamental issues in family relationships as well as psychotherapeutic interventions for working with couples and families including:

how intimate relationships develop and change,

how marriage and parenting influence one another,

how culture serves as an important context for families,

what are precursors and outcomes of family violence,

how families are affected by the special needs of individuals,

what is the impact on individual family members when family relationships end due to divorce or death, and

what are current psychotherapeutic interventions for working with couples and families and how are these interventions used to address a wide array of individual and relational difficulties.

The interface between individual development and family development is a theme that spans these various topics.

The course has three major goals: (a) to give students in-depth exposure to psychological theories and contemporary psychological research on the family; (b) to increase students’ understanding of research methods used to study the family; and (c) to enhance students’ abilities to think critically about psychological issues related to the family.

Assigned Reading:

Readings for the course will come from two sources: a textbook and a bound set of readings drawn from psychology journals and professional books. Reading the assigned material prior to each class is strongly recommended since class discussion is encouraged and expected, and students can earn extra credit points for their written reactions to the readings.

Required Texts:

Anderson, S. A., & Sabatelli R. M. (2007). Family interaction: A multigenerational developmental perspective. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Referred to below A & S.

A packet of course readings can be purchased at Magic Machine, University Village, 3309 S. Hoover Avenue, 213-744-1511.

Course Policies

Blackboard – I will use Blackboard to post slides, assignments, announcements, and exam grades as promptly as possible. Please monitor your scores and keep all returned, graded assignments until final grades have been determined. You will need to bring a graded assignment in as proof if it was incorrectly entered into Blackboard. All score corrections must be requested prior to the scheduled final exam period. No changes will be made after that date and time.

Deadlines – All deadlines are firm; being absent the day an assignment is due, given, or amended does not grant you an extension. Written work must be printed (not emailed), unless told otherwise, and turned in to your TA’s mailbox by 4:30pm on the due date. Please do not timestamp your work with the administrators in the Psychology office. Extensions will not be granted without a justifiable absence (defined below).

Justifiable absences – Only the following qualify as justifiable absences: 1) serious illness, 2) personal/family emergency, 3) school-related activity, and 4) scheduled graduate school or job interview with proof from the school or company. I must have in writing from a doctor or an appropriate staff person a statement that you could not possibly attend class on the specific dates that includes the lab/due date. Your extension is one lecture session for every session you were excused. One day is assumed unless your note states otherwise. Show me your excuse the first class day after it expires.

Activities, Assignments, and Grading:

Exams – There will be one mid-term (covering the first half of the course) and one final exam (covering the second half of the course) given during lecture sessions. Each exam will assess your understanding of the concepts discussed in lecture sessions as well as in your reading assignments. Questions will be based primarily on material covered during lecture and will emphasize understanding of major conceptual issues. Each exam will be a mix of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. Unexcused missed exams will receive a score of 0. Make up exams will be given with written documentation of a justifiable absence and then only at the professor’s discretion.

Reaction Papers: Two reaction papers (each limited to three double spaced typed pages) are to be submitted and discussed in class. The first reaction paper is due before the mid-term and the second reaction paper is due between the mid-term and the final. Each reaction paper should focus on one or two aspects of the reading for that day and should involve critical analysis of the information presented in the reading. For example, you might discuss additional factors that would be important to consider in understanding a topic or alternative explanations for understanding results presented in a paper. You can write each paper about any topic that you would like but one must be submitted before the mid-term and the second must be submitted between the mid-term and the final.

Annotated Bibliography/Paper: An annotated bibliography and research proposal is assigned to explore a topic from the course in depth. The topic selected should be an extension of a topic that appears on the syllabus. The topic and a 1-2 sentence description of the topic needs to be submitted in writing for approval by February 4. The annotated bibliography and research proposal are due on April 22. The annotated bibliography should include full references (APA style), one paragraph descriptions of each of the 5 articles, and a xerox copy of each article. The research proposal (maximum length = 6 double spaced pages) should include a clear statement of the problem, and integrated review of the 5 articles, and a brief description of methods. More information about how to do this project will be distributed.

Class Participation: Participation in break-out groups during class discussion will be awarded.

EXTRA CREDIT: There are two extra credit opportunities, both of which are worth 20 points. You can do either one but you can only do one. If you chose JEP, you must complete the entire 8 weeks in order to get credit.

1) Joint Education Project (JEP): JEP gives you the opportunity to apply the material we are learning in class in a real world setting by placing you in one of a number of service organizations that assist families. JEP will work with you to figure out what you are interested in learning more about and will do their best to match your interests to an existing opportunity. Additional details about the extent of the commitment and specific opportunities will be available when the JEP coordinators present in the next couple of weeks. If you decide to do JEP, you will also be allowed to write your research paper about an issue that comes up during that experience whether or not it is one of the topics that we cover in lecture.

2)Written comments on the readings and lectures: Brief written comments, replies, and questions about course material will accepted at the beginning of each class on Monday. Each submission is worth up to 5 points per class and can be submitted for 4 classes (total possible points = 20). Two submissions will be accepted prior to the midterm and two submissions will be accepted following the midterm.

Grading -

You final grade in the course will be based on a weighted average of attendance, homework, and exams using the scales below:

Weights for exams and assignments:

Exams (150 points each X 2): 300

Reaction papers (25 points each X2) 50

Annotated bibliography 50

Research proposal 75

Class participation 25

Total possible points: 500

Grading scale (grades are rounded to the nearest percent):

A (93%+) A- (92-90%) B+ (89-88%) B (87-83%) B- (82-80%) C+(79-78%)

C (77-73%) C- (72-70%) D (69-60%) F (59% or lower)

Academic integrity:

Cheating during an exam will result in a score of 0 on that exam. A score of zero will be assigned if a student has displayed a test for others to see, looked at another student’s exam, or attempted to communicate in any manner with another student during the exam. You are not allowed to leave the testing room and return once the exam has been distributed. No cell phones, pda’s, computers, or other electronic devices may be out or on during an exam.

Gross dishonesty on any graded portion of the course, including exams and assignments, will result in a grade of F for the entire course. Gross dishonesty includes behaviors such as, but not limited to, using tests, notes, or answer sheets during an exam, having someone else take an exam for you, or submitting written assignments which are not solely your own work. If you have any questions about what practices are acceptable, ask the professor before an assignment is due.

Disability services and programs statement:

Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me (or to your TA) as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. DSP’s phone is (213) 740-0776.

For-Profit Non-USC Websites: Course overheads are the intellectual property of the instructor. The instructor expressly does not consent to these overheads or their content being posted on a non-USC, for-profit website.

Course topics by class period

|Date |Topic |Readings |

|1/12 |Introduction and course overview. |None |

|1/14 |Definitions of family |A&S Ch. 1 |

|1/19 |Martin Luther King Jr. Day: no class |None |

|1/21 |Family strategies |A&S Ch. 2 |

|1/26 |Structural models of family functioning |A&S Ch. 3 |

|1/28 |Intergenerational models of family functioning|A&S Ch. 4 |

|2/2 |Contextual models of family functioning |A&S Ch. 5 |

| | | |

| | |Hines, P. M., Preto, N. G., McGoldrick, M., Almeida, R., & Weltman, S. (1999).|

| | |Culture and the family life cycle. In B. Carter & M. McGoldrick (Eds.) The |

| | |expanded family life cycle (pp. 69-87). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. |

| | | |

| | |Repetti, R. L. (1994). Short-term and long-term processes linking job |

| | |stressors to father-child interaction. Social Development, 3, 1-15. |

|2/4 |Methods for studying families |Ickles, W. (1994) Methods of studying close relationships. In A. L. Weber, & |

| | |J. H. Harvey (Eds.) Perspectives on close relationships. Boston: Allyn & |

| | |Bacon, pp. 18-44. |

| | | |

| | |Noller, P., & Feeney., J. (2004). Studying family communication: Multiple |

| | |methods and multiple sources. In. A. Vangelisti (Ed.), Handbook of family |

| | |communication. (pp. 31-52). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. |

|2/9 |The transition from adolescence to adulthood |A&S Ch. 6 |

|2/11 |Mate selection |A&S Ch. 7 |

| | | |

| | |Surra, C. A., Gray, C. R., Cottle, N., & Boettcher, T. M. J. (2004). Research |

| | |on mate selection and premarital relationships: What do we really know? In A. |

| | |L. Vangelisti (Ed.), Handbook of family communication. (pp. 53-82). Mahwah, |

| | |NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers. |

|2/16 |President's Day: no class |None |

|2/18 |The transition to marriage |A&S Ch. 8 |

|2/23 |Positive aspects of marital functioning |A&S Ch. 9 |

| | | |

| | |Koski, L. R., & Shaver, P. R. (1999). Attachment and relationship satisfaction|

| | |across the lifespan. In R. J. Sternberg & M. Hojjat (Eds.) Satisfaction in |

| | |close relationships (p. 26-55). New York: Guilford. |

|2/25 |Marital dysfunction & infidelity |Karney, B. R., & Bradbury, T. N. (1995). The longitudinal course of marital |

| | |quality and stability: A review of theory, methods, and research. |

| | |Psychological Bulletin, 118(1), 3-34. |

| | | |

| | |Atkins, D. C., Baucom, D. H., & Jacobson, N. S. (2001). Understanding |

| | |infidelity: Correlates in a national random sample. Journal of Family |

| | |Psychology, 15, 735-749. |

|3/2 |Marital conflict |A&S Ch. 10 |

| | | |

| | |Kelly, A. B., Fincham, F. D., & Beach, S. R. H. (2003). Communication skills |

| | |in couples: A review and discussion of emerging perspectives. In J. O. Greene,|

| | |& B. R. Burleson (Eds.), Handbook of communication and social interaction |

| | |skills. (pp. 723-751). |

|3/4 |Marital power |Huston, T. L. (1983). Power. In H. H. Kelley et al. (pp. 169-219). Close |

| | |relationships. New York: Freeman |

|3/9 |Marriage and health |Robles, T. F., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2003). The physiology of marriage: |

| | |Pathways to health. Physiology & Behavior, 79(3), 409-409. |

|3/11 |Mid-term exam | |

|3/16 |Spring Break: no class | |

|3/18 |Spring Break: no class | |

|3/23 |The transition to parenthood |A&S Ch. 11 |

|3/25 |Parent-child relationships |A&S Ch. 12 |

| | | |

|3/30 |Mid- & later-life families |A&S Ch. 13 & 14 |

|4/1 |Marriage, parenting, and children |Margolin, G., Christensen, A., & John, R. (1996). The continuance and |

| | |spillover of everyday tensions in distressed and nondistressed families. |

| | |Journal of Family Therapy, 10, 304-321. |

|4/6 |Death, loss, & bereavement |A&S Ch. 15 |

|4/8 |Divorce |A&S Ch. 16 |

| | | |

| | |Amato, P. R. (2000). The consequences of divorce for adults and children. |

| | |Journal of Marriage & the Family, 62(4), 1269-1269. |

|4/13 |Single parent families |A&S Ch. 17 |

|4/15 |Remarriage & stepparenting |A&S Ch. 18 |

|4/20 |Family violence |Barnett, O. W., Miller-Perrin, C. L., & Perrin, R. D. (1997) Family violence |

| | |across the lifespan. pp. 1-38. |

| | | |

| | |O’Leary, K. D. (1999). Developmental and affective issues in assessing and |

| | |treating partner aggression. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 6, |

| | |400-414. |

|4/22 |Family factors in psychopathology |Jones, D. J., Beach, S. R. H., & Fincham, F. D. (2006). Family relationships |

| | |and depression. In A. L. Vangelisti, & D. Perlman (Eds.), The cambridge |

| | |handbook of personal relationships. (pp. 313-327). New York, NY, US: Cambridge|

| | |University Press. |

| | | |

| | |Miklowitz, D. J. (2004). The role of family systems in severe and recurrent |

| | |psychiatric disorders: A developmental psychopathology view. Development and |

| | |Psychopathology, 16(3), 667-688. |

|4/27 |Couples therapy |Snyder, D. K., Castellani, A. M., & Whisman, M. A. (2006). Current status and |

| | |future directions in couple therapy. Annual Review of Psychology, 57, 317-344.|

| | | |

| | |Williams, K., Garza-Mercer, F., & Christensen, A. (2009). Integrative |

| | |behavioral couple therapy. In A. Roberts (Ed.), Social Workers’ desk |

| | |reference. (pp. 467 – 473). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. |

|4/29 |Family therapy |Lebow, J. L. (2008). Couple and family therapy. In J. L. Lebow (Ed.), |

| | |Twenty-first century psychotherapies: Contemporary approaches to theory and |

| | |practice. (pp. 307-346). Hoboken, NJ, US: John Wiley & Sons Inc. |

| | | |

| | |Aponte, H. (2009). Structural family therapy. In A. Roberts (Ed.), Social |

| | |Workers’ desk reference. (pp. 442 – 446). New York, NY: Oxford University |

| | |Press. |

|5/11 |Final Exam |2:00 - 4:00 |

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