PREPARE THYSELF A former participant enjoys one of our workshops

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PREPARE THYSELFA former participant enjoys one
of our workshops!
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Developing a Treatment Framework for Internet
Infidelity Cases

• Katherine M. Hertlein, Ph.D.
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Department of Marriage and Family Therapy
• Timothy S. Nelson, Ph.D.
• Friends University
• Master of Science in Family Therapy Program

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Almost everybody is on the Web!
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Learning Objectives

• WHAT?What Is Internet Infidelity
• What Do We Know About It? (Learning Objectives 1
  2)
• SO WHAT? What Should/Do Therapists Know About
  Internet Infidelity Treatment? (Learning
  Objective 3)
• NOW WHAT?What Will Your Treatment Framework For
  Internet Infidelity Cases Look Like? (Learning
  Objective 4)

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WHAT?
What Is Internet Infidelity? What Do We Know
About It?
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Querulous Questions

• 1. How do Internet relationships compare to
  face-to-face relationships?
• 2. How do Internet infidelity cases compare to
  face-to-face infidelity cases?

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Face-to-Face vs. Internet Relationships

• Differences
• Self-presentation edited
• Manner in which data is shared (i.e., CMC vs FTF)
• Non-verbals through emoticons ( ?,?,)
• Internet is the medium to conduct the ritual
• Everydayness is structured (i.e., choice)

• Similarities
• Self-presentation
• Emotional intimacy
• Shared time/interests
• Shared data
• Shared non-verbals
• Development of rituals
• Everydayness occurs

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Face-To-Face vs. Internet Affairs

• Differences - 4 As
• Anonymity I can present whoever I want to be
  privacy
• Accessibility Easy, convenient, and everywhere
• Affordability Cheap to stay connected
• Approximation Estimate a real-world context,
  fantasy, etc.

• Similarities
• Pain betrayal
• Secrecy
• Emotional intimacy
• Sexual chemistry (in some cases)
• Broken trust self/partner
• Affair can be used to create a better union
• An environment where spouses can share is needed
• Boundaries

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SO WHAT?

• What Should/Do Therapists Know About Internet
  Infidelity Treatment?

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Tims Method

• 20 experts in extramarital affairs and sex
  addiction reviewed the 3 vignettes were asked
• To list the critical issues in each case
• What intervention strategies they would use
• How their responses might be different if the
  genders were changed in each vignette
• Experts then rated each others answers

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Lets Log On Part I

• View the video clip
• Discuss with a pal/palette
• Why does this couple have these issues in their
  marriage (i.e., what are the critical issues in
  this case)?

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Findings-1. Experts Reported Little Consensus

• Not one expert mentioned the Internet as a
  critical issue
• Little agreement across specific critical issues,
  intervention strategies, and gender differences
• Differential treatment is occurring in Internet
  infidelity cases
• Differential treatment different values?

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Findings-2. Your Stance on Key Issues Affects
What Youll Do Next

• Should I hold a secret that one spouse tells me?
• Should I meet with one or both partners?
• What amount type of information is helpful for
  the non-involved spouse to know?
• Should I encourage the non-involved spouse to
  monitor their partners activities after the
  infidelity is discovered or disclosed?
• Should I handle an Internet infidelity case
  differently than I would a face-to-face affair
  (i.e., are different theoretical approaches more
  effective)?

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Lets Log On Part II

• Using the video, choose any continua and discuss
  with a pal/palette how your placement affects
  what you do next?
• For example, how does your placement on the
  secrecy continuum affect what you will do?

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Kats Method

• Phase I
• 504 clinical members of AAMFT
• Participants visited one of two websites (gender)
• 3 vignettes depicted Internet infidelity
  scenarios
• Eleven assessment and treatment items followed
  each vignette
• Phase II
• Follow up interviews conducted with a select
  group of volunteers from Phase I
• Interview solicited more detailed treatment
  strategies

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Lets Log On Part III

• Using the video, discuss with a pal/palette
• Group 1 What client background characteristics
  (i.e., age of the client, etc) affect what you do
  next?
• Group 2 What therapist background
  characteristics (i.e., marital status) affect
  what you do next?

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Findings-3. Personal Variables Affect What You Do
Next

• Clients background characteristics
• Men higher degree of sex addiction
• Greater individual focus on male clients
• Therapists background characteristics
• Younger therapists focus treatment on environment
• Female therapists connect problem to larger
  issues in the couple relationship
• More religious therapists put greater focus on
  environment and individual issues
• The more negative your infidelity experience with
  your partner, the greater focus on relational
  issues

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Lets Log On Part IV

• Using the video, discuss with a pal/palette
• What are your treatment strategies for this
  specific case?

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Findings-4 First Order Strategies Prescribed for
Second Order Problems

• Therapists commonly use first order change
  strategies to manage the 4 As
• 4 As are not critical factors in treatment
  decisions
• Therapists create second order case
  conceptualizations
• Therapists make first order change strategies

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Syntax Error!

• This is problematic because
• Second Order conceptualizations do not match with
  First Order treatment strategies
• Use the 4 As for case conceptualization
• Use other elements for treatment

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NOW WHAT?

• What Will Your Treatment Framework For Internet
  Infidelity Cases Look Like?

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Developing Your Own Framework
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Building Your Hard Drive

• Components
• Identify your CPU
• Identify how your installed software affects how
  your CPU runs
• Intervene from a second order perspective
• Running the Program (How will you use the
  software?)
• Output (How will your clients benefit from the
  program?)

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Lets Log On LAST TIME

• View the video clip
• Discuss with a pal/palette
• Why you think this couple had this problem
• How might your placement on the divisive issues
  affect what you do?
• How might social background characteristics
  affect what you do?
• How might the 4 As affect what you do?
• Given the things above, what will your treatment
  framework look like?

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Our Last Byte

• No one right way
• Very important variables can affect your
  treatment
• Know where you stand on divisive issues/continua
• Know where you stand on how your personal
  variables might affect your treatment
• Attend to both the CLIENT and THERAPIST systems

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Questions? Comments?