Personality in Intimate Relationships

Four decades of contributions to personality theory and family practice have earned Luciano LAbate a worldwide reputation for therapeutic insights. Now he expands on his pathbreaking relational theory of personality to apply it to the twenty-first-century family in all its configurations. Personality in Intimate Relationships showcases LAbates trademark elegant style and provocative ideas in his most accessible work to date. Based on Axes I and II of the DSM-IV, the book describes relationships along a readily identifiable continuum ranging from optimal functionality to severe pathology, linking the authors conceptual framework to specific diagnostic strategies, therapeutic interventions, and prevention programs. LAbates theory not only integrates individual and family theories and seemingly disparate schools of thought, but is also inclusive of nontraditional relationshipsgrandparent/grandchild dyads, adoptive families, same-sex couples, and othersthat are often left out of the family literature. Among the key areas explored in the book: Selfhood and self-differentiation Confrontation and sharing of hurt feelings Negotiating, bargaining, and problem-solving Dealing with distance and closeness Intimacy and the ability to love In addition, the reader is referred to complementary online appendices that supply helpful questionnaires, workbooks, and ideas for further applications. Personality in Intimate Relationships offers fresh perspective to all frontline practitioners as well as investigators in this area. It is also ideal for graduate courses in abnormal psychology and personal development.