Students and faculty of the MFT doctoral program area were well represented at the 2018 annual conference of the National Council on Family Relations, which was held from November 7 – 10 in San Diego, California.

LGBTQ+ Youth

  • “Caregivers of LGBTQ+ Youth: Attitudes Toward an Attachment-Informed Family Treatment Approach,” Jamie Dellinger, Kaylin Bailey, Katherine Stockhecker, Jody Russon
  • “Experiences of Support and Rejection From Siblings and Extended Family Members: Perspectives From Transgender Youth and Young Adults,” Lauren Smithee, Erika Grafsky, Jenifer McGuire
  • “Past, Present, and Ideal Sexual Identities of Rural Appalachian Queer Youth,” Lauren Smithee, Lea El Helou, Melece Meservy, Erika Grafsky

Couple and Romantic Relationships

  • “Emerging Adult Men’s Communication With Parents About Romantic Relationship Maintenance and Dissolution,” Lea El Helou, Jameson Natwick, April Few-Demo
  • “Relationship Satisfaction Trajectories Among Low-Income Ethnic Minority Couples After Intervention,” Xun Liu, Naomi Wheeler, Michael Broda, Andrew Daire, Vanessa O’Hare, Sandy-Ann Griffith, Jenene Case Pease
  • “Work Out Harder or Longer? Exploring the Impacts of Exercise on Couples’ Daily Relationships,” Samantha Simpson, Lee Johnson, Shayne Anderson, Sam Ryland, Emily Stephens

Family Therapy

  • “Family Engagement Strategies for Educators and Providers: Supporting Suicidal Youth,”Jody Russon, Guy Diamond
  • “Rehabilitative Change Among Incarcerated Persons Enrolled in a Prison-Equine Program (PEP): Implications for Reentry Into Family and Community Life,” Joyce Arditti, Amy Morgan, Sara Spiers
  • “Where Do We Go From Here? Approaches to Integrating Advocacy Into the Family Therapist Identity,” Amy Morgan, Lorien Jordan, Jessica Goodman

Family Processes

  • “American Indian Adoptees/Fosterees: Barriers to Tribal Enrollment,” Ashley Landers, Amy Morgan, Sharon Danes, Carolyn Liebler, Sandy White Hawk
  • “Associations Between Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among Depressed Youth: Parental Interaction Quality as a Buffer,” Bora Jin, Jody Russon, Guy Diamond
  • “Does Reunification Matter? Social Connection and Tribal Enrollment of American Indian Adoptees,” Ashley Landers, Amy Morgan, Sharon Danes, Sandy White Hawk

Research Methods

“Beyond Interviews: The Use of Aesthetic Forms of Data in Research,” Hoa Nguyen, Erika Grafsky, Jennifer Lambert-Shute, Tabitha McCoy