FOCCUS

1
FOCCUS

• Facilitating Open Couple Communication,
  Understanding Study

2
What is the FOCCUS?

• Examines issues involved in a successful
  marriage 156 basic statements 33 specialized
  ones (answer agree, disagree, or uncertain each
  has a preferred response)
• A tool to identify the extent of couples
  awareness of agreement/disagreement regarding the
  issues and then discuss
• Not a test
• Not a predictor of success or failure

3
6 FOCCUS Content Areas

• Match (4 categories)
• Skills (2 categories)
• Bonders (5 categories)
• Integrators (2 categories)
• Summary Categories (3 categories)
• Special Issues (3 categories)

4
FOCCUS Content Areas Categories

• Match
• Life Style Expectations (Background)
• Friends and Interests (Background)
• Personality Match (Compatibility)
• Personal Issues (Compatibility)
• (Overview of background and compatibility)

5
FOCCUS Content Areas Categories (Contd)

• Skills
• Communication
• Problem Solving
• (Modes of direct couple interaction)

6
FOCCUS Content Areas Categories (Contd)

• Bonders
• Religion Values
• Parenting
• Extended Family
• Sexuality
• Finances
• (Bring a couple together or pull them apart)

7
FOCCUS Content Areas Categories (Contd)

• Integrators
• Readiness
• Marriage Covenant
• (Higher level bonders)

8
FOCCUS Content Areas Categories (Contd)

• Summary Categories
• Key Problem Indicators
• Family of Origin
• Dual Career
• (On printout, repeats select questions around
  important themes)

9
FOCCUS Content Areas Categories (Contd)

• Special Issues
• Interfaith Marriage Couples
• Remarriage Couples
• Cohabiting Couples
• (33 special questions categories unique to some
  couples)

10
Three Levels of FOCCUS

• First level taking the inventory and discussion
  before receive results
• Second level Discussing with a facilitator
  patterns, discuss, problem solve
• Third level Two types of referrals
• Specialized assistance
• Educational or skills training programs

11
Steps in Using the FOCCUS

• 1) Introduce (first level)
• 2) Administer (first level)
• 3) Process Answer Sheets (first level)
• 4) Study Printout (second level)
• 5) Discuss with Couple (second level)
• 6) Educational Opportunities/Referrals (third
  level)

12
Step 1 Introduce

• Stress not a test, but facilitate discussion be
  aware of issues
• Take separately, but discuss after
• Answer agree, disagree, or uncertain
• Answer honestly confidential
• Note special sections Interfaith Remarriage
  Cohabiting

13
Step 2 Administer

• Individual or group meeting
• Provide booklet of statements, answer sheets, and
  2 pencils
• Tell to read instructions on back of booklet
• No discussing answers while taking
• 45-60 minutes average time to take

14
Step 3 Process Answer Sheets

• Scoring Options
• National Scoring Service sent to Omaha and
  printout returned a fee send green form
• Hand scoring packet (template overlay)
• Computer software
• License to operate limited scoring service
  (dioceses/other countries might send to your
  home diocese)

15
Step 4 Study Printout

• Biographical summary at top of first page note
  differences
• Percent of agreement graph of agreement scores
  on first page
• Measure of agreement with each other and with
  preferred responses
• 75 and abovearea of strength
• 40 and belowarea of special attention

16
Step 4 Study Printout (contd)

• Examine each categorys statements (abbreviated
  statements full in booklet)
• Areas for discussion (answers do not match with
  each other, or if match, not neither answered
  with preferred response)
• Areas of agreement
• Note especially answers to key problem indicators
  (noted by asterisk, then gathered in one section
  on page 6 of printout all capitalized in special
  sections)
• Berror in answering (skipped, lightly marked)

17
Step 4 Study Printout (contd)

• High scores of agreement in the categories of
  Personality Match, Personal Issues,
  Communication, and Problem Solving Like each
  other and should work well in discussing and
  solving
• Low scores in these categories Often do not like
  each other much fewer skills to handle problem
  areas
• Different answers Real disagreement or just not
  yet discussed?
• In Facilitators Handbook Patterns for Couple
  StudyExamine if disagreement falls into any of
  these

18
Step 5 Discuss with Couple

• Let express their reactions to taking and how
  much they discussed with each other after taking
• Might show them the graph some facilitators do
  not
• Give each a copy of the Questions by Categories
  Booklet

19
Step 5 Discuss with Couple Step (Contd)

• Point out areas of strength can reality test
  (What does it mean that you agree?)
• More time spent on discussing areas of
  disagreement
• Do not have to review absolutely every question
  but let couples know which ones disagreeany
  especially want to discuss

20
Step 5 Discuss with Couple Step (Contd)

• Facilitator points out important ones that need
  to be discussed (e.g., in Problem Solving--The
  behavior of my future spouse sometimes frightens
  me.)
• Discern degree of concern Tell your future
  spouse/ Tell me why you answered the way you
  did. (drives fast drinks too much yells
  at me physically assaults me)

21
Step 5 Discuss with Couple Step (Contd)

• Facilitator performs two roles
• Facilitate
• Teach
• Facilitate get couple to discuss with each other
  and to own issues and struggle facilitator helps
  them to listen to each other, to share thoughts
  and feelings, and to find solutions and
  compromises
• Teach giving examples of solutions giving
  directions but be careful not to teach too
  early can integrate catechizing for sacrament of
  Marriage and other religious/spiritual issues

22
Step 5 Discuss with Couple Step (Contd)

• Integrating catechizing when teach (examples)
• Lifestyle Expectations--husband/wife roles what
  are your goals (Ever think of helping each other
  to heaven?)
• Sexuality Issuescontraception and NFP
  unconditional commitment of marriage/
  faithfulness
• Marriage Covenantimportance of prayer

23
Step 5 Discuss with Couple Step (Contd)

• If stuck in disagreement homeworkmight give
  questions from Facilitator Notebook and have
  report at next meeting
• When finished with whole FOCCUSseek couple to
  commit to growth and change, to reaching
  resolution of difficult issues
• Do not let them keep printout destroy after
  marriage takes place

24
Step 6 Educational Opportunities/Referrals

• Direct to educational opportunities
• Refer to persons/agencies that can help them in
  problem areas

25
Further Comments

• 6-8 Meetings
• Some couples realize that they are not ready for
  marriage after FOCCUS
• Some couples can tell you what they know you
  want to hear
• Stress honesty tell are free to say no to
  marriage now
• See Executive Summary handoutFOCCUS
  headquarters follows couples
• See Building for Ministry catalog REFOCCUS