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Research on the Treatment of Couple Distress
Abstract
This article reviews the research on couple therapy over the last decade. The research shows that couple therapy positively impacts 70% of couples receiving treatment. The effectiveness rates of couple therapy are comparable to the effectiveness rates of individual therapies and vastly superior to control groups not receiving treatment. The relationship between couple distress and individual disorders such as depression and anxiety has become well established over the past decade. Research also indicates that couple therapy clearly has an important role in the treatment of many disorders. Findings over the decade have been especially promising for integrative behavioral couples therapy and emotion-focused therapy, which are two evidence-based treatments for couples. Research has also begun to identify moderators and mediators of change in couple therapy. Finally, a new and exciting line of research has focused on delineating the principles of change in couple therapy that transcends approach.
... In the case of marital therapy, there is a therapeutic alliance divided into couples. The literature indicates that when one partner has a significantly different level of therapeutic alliance from the other, problems in treatment and outcomes often arise (Lebow et al., 2011). Therefore, it is essential to devote considerable attention to the challenging task of balancing the therapeutic alliances of each member of the couple. ...
... This state of demoralization with which couples enter treatment often leads to questions such as "Can this relationship be helped?" The data from the research carried out by Lebow (2011) allows for a strong and unequivocal answer: "Yes, you may not feel hopeful right now, but three out of four couples who complete the therapeutic process come out of their relationship much happier." In a world where people increasingly want evidence to enable them to make realistic assessments of their current circumstances, there is evidence that most treatments help and that relationships in conflict can actually improve (Lebow, 2011). ...
... The data from the research carried out by Lebow (2011) allows for a strong and unequivocal answer: "Yes, you may not feel hopeful right now, but three out of four couples who complete the therapeutic process come out of their relationship much happier." In a world where people increasingly want evidence to enable them to make realistic assessments of their current circumstances, there is evidence that most treatments help and that relationships in conflict can actually improve (Lebow, 2011). These results are in line with what was reported in the current study. ...
Human beings have an inherent need and desire to build relationships and, When these relationships are healthy, they can lead to better mental health and well-being emotional. A satisfactory marital relationship brings a number of benefits to the individual, such as life satisfaction and emotional health. Research suggests that social support and The emotional impact of a committed relationship can be a buffer against stress, which can be stressed. It can contribute to happiness. The present study aims to understand the Usefulness and practicability of a therapeutic notepad for married couples, composed of by inspirational quotes and tasks underlying happiness and well-being, elaborated and materialized by the first author in the course of her 30 years of clinical practice. A total of 60 couples participated in this study, with a total of 120 individuals, aged between 28 and 64 years (M=43.34; SD=12.43), equally distributed by sex. Firstly, a sociodemographic questionnaire was applied to collect personal data; then the Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS) was administered ENRICH (Assessment and Nurturing of Relationship, Communication, and Happiness Issues), which translates into a fifteen-item instrument: ten of the items on the scale survey ten marital quality domains, while the other items compose a scale of marital conventionalization to correct the tendency to endorse descriptions unrealistically positive marriage. Finally, a semi-structured interview was conducted to understand the functionality of the therapeutic notepad for couples. The results showed, both qualitatively and quantitatively, that the agenda can be assumed as a resource that promotes the happiness and well-being of a couple, as well as the reduction of the negative mood of both each individual and each other. This study focuses on the the importance of well-being and happiness in the daily life of a marital relationship. This is a This is an important contribution, as it allows us to assess that the therapeutic notebook for couples can lead to positive and encouraging results when applied.
... The findings of this study shed light on important considerations regarding African American couples' help-seeking behaviors and the role of informal support systems, particularly religious counsel, in marital issues. While existing literature does not indicate that African American couples are at a lower risk of marital problems compared to White couples, it is evident that they are less likely to seek professional assistance (Awosan et al., 2011;Lebow et al., 2012;Vaterlaus et al., 2015). This discrepancy raises important questions and underscores the need to understand the factors influencing help-seeking behaviors among African American couples. ...
... This may involve collaborating with church leaders and incorporating culturally sensitive approaches within counseling practices. By strengthening relationships and mitigating negative outcomes associated with unhealthy relationships, therapy practitioners can contribute to the well-being and resilience of African American couples (Awosan et al., 2011;Lebow et al., 2012;Vaterlaus et al., 2015. Furthermore, future research should delve deeper into the role of church leaders in promoting trust and bridging the gap between African American couples and formal counseling services. ...
... Exploring strategies to challenge white privilege within marriage counseling and examining the impact of church leaders in facilitating trust-building can provide valuable insights into addressing disparities in help-seeking behaviors and improving outcomes for African American couples. Additionally, studies focusing on the intersectionality of race, gender, and religious beliefs would enhance our understanding of the complex dynamics within African American couples' relationships and inform culturally sensitive interventions (Awosan et al., 2011;Lebow et al., 2012;Vaterlaus et al., 2015. This study underscores the need to address the underutilization of formal counseling services among African American couples and highlights the role of informal support systems, such as religious counsel, in their help-seeking behaviors. ...
Mistrust of the medical community lies not only in the shadows of history but also in the shadows of present day. As a consequence of that mistrust, African Americans are not as likely to seek the help of clinicians when experiencing challenges in their marriages; they underutilize the clinical/therapy route (Nightingale in J Fam Psychother 30(3):221–244, 2019). When strife emerges, some couples do seek professional help and use therapy as a way to mitigate couple distress (Lebow in in J Marital Fam Ther 38(1):145–168, 2012); however, others, particularly African Americans, tend to seek help from God, religious leaders, or friends (Tulane in Marriage Fam Rev 47(5):289–310, 2011; Vaterlaus in Contemp Fam Ther 37(1):22–32, 2015). One study reported that less than 10% of African Americans in their sample sought therapy as a means of dealing with marital problems (Vaterlaus in Contemp Fam Ther 37(1):22–32, 2015). Although much is known about help-seeking behaviors, that research is largely centered around samples of White couples; relatively, little is known about help-seeking among marginalized married populations. We aim to fill this gap in the literature. This topic is important because relational distress is negatively associated with mental health and negatively associated with general well-being (Lakey in Psychol Rev 118(3):482–495, 2011). In 2016, over one million African Americans experienced depression, and only 6 out of 10 who met criteria for depression received treatment (for review, see Nguyen in J Affect Dis 253:1–7, 2019). Given the connections between relational distress and mental health, exploring what couples (particularly African American couples) do when they are experiencing relational strife is critical.
... A secure and supportive partner relationship can bolster individuals in dealing with daily distress (Lebow et al., 2012). Problems and tension in one's relationship, however, can undermine the ability to cope with physical and, in particular, with emotional challenges. ...
... The stages together comprise nine steps, respectively;, assessment of issues, identification of negative interaction cycle, promoting access to unacknowledged feelings, redefining problems in terms of underlying feelings, promoting identification with needs and feelings, promoting acceptance of each other's experiences, facilitating expression of needs, establishing emergence of new solutions, and consolidating new positions. Process studies have identified two crucial active elements of EFCT for restoring the attachment bond (Lebow et al., 2012). One element involves repairing negative emotional experiences in the first stage of therapy. ...
... These results imply that EFCT for cancer survivor couples who experience relational and sexual problems has positive effects on the participants' expression of attachmentbased emotional needs and on the responsiveness of partners to each other's needs. These findings align with other research findings in the field of EFCT (Lebow et al., 2012;Wiebe and Johnson, 2016;Johnson, 2019b), showing that EFCT improves dyadic coping by improving the secure bond between couples. ...
Objective
The current research examined the effect of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) on perceived intimacy, affect, and dyadic connection in cancer survivor couples with relationship challenges.
Method
In this longitudinal replicated single-case study, positive and negative affect, intimacy, partner responsiveness, and expression of attachment-based emotional needs were reported every 3 days before and during treatment. Thirteen couples, with one partner having survived colorectal cancer or breast cancer, participated for the full duration of the study. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using randomization tests, piecewise regression, and multilevel analyses.
Results
Adherence to the therapeutic protocol was tested and found adequate. Compared with baseline, significant positive effects on affect variables were found during the therapeutic process. Positive affect increased and negative affect decreased. Partner responsiveness, perceived intimacy, and the expression of attachment-based emotional needs improved, but only in the later phase of treatment. Results at the group level were statistically significant, whereas effects at the individual level were not.
Discussion
This study found positive group-level effects of EFCT on affect and dyadic outcome measures in cancer survivors. The positive results warrant further research, including randomized clinical trials, to replicate these effects of EFCT in cancer survivor couples experiencing marital and sexual problems.
... Within couple therapy, empirically supported models have been developed to alleviate couple distress, including Traditional Behavioral Couple Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Couple Therapy, Integrative Couple Therapy, and Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (Lebow et al., 2011). The large body of work has given us a plethora of information to help many couples, and research shows that couple therapy helps a large majority of clients. ...
... The large body of work has given us a plethora of information to help many couples, and research shows that couple therapy helps a large majority of clients. Research has consistently shown that approximately two-thirds of couples benefit from couple therapy (Lebow et al., 2011;J. Lebow & Snyder, 2022;Whisman & Snyder, 1997;Wittenborn & Holtrop, 2022). ...
Relationship improvement and the treatment of mental health problems in a relational context focuses on what we can observe or is self-reported. This leads to a focus on interaction patterns between couples or partners’ perceptions in relationships. Advances in assessing neurological and physiological processes have expanded observable relationship processes, but most MFT models have not yet integrated this knowledge. We propose an intervention model based on the idea that relationship interactions are influenced by pre-conscious physiologic processes around the perceived threat of situations. When a situation is perceived as threatening, partners’ innate response is based on survival and self-protection, which inhibits the physiologically based social engagement system. This model describes interventions to: (1) improve navigation of pre-conscious, and conscious processes through increasing positive emotional regulation, (2) reduce the influence of negative past events on current relationships, and (3) work toward having more connecting interactions and fewer protecting interactions in relationships.
... Nevertheless, usually interventions for couples concentrate on the dysfunctions and problems and how to solve them and less on how to raise the developmental potential of the individuals in the couple or well-being within the couple (Antoine et al., 2020;Bolier et al., 2013;Kauffmann & Silberman, 2009). As mentioned in the sections on experience of romantic love and link between relations and development, there is a large body of evidence on how marital dissatisfaction can affect people's health, personal growth, and well-being (Bookwala, 2016;Iveniuk et al., 2014;Lee et al., 2012;Hoppmann et al., 2011b;de Jong Gierveld et al., 2009;Umberson et al., 2006) as well as what problems can contribute to unhappiness within the marriage (Henry et al., 2005;Crowley, 2019;Lebow et al., 2012;O'Rourke et al., 2011). Thus, it comes as no surprise that several couple interventions targeted marriage unhappiness, negative communication patterns within the couple or relationship distress (Bodenmann et al., 2014;Lebow et al., 2012;Schmidt et al., 2016;Baucom et al., 2015). ...
... As mentioned in the sections on experience of romantic love and link between relations and development, there is a large body of evidence on how marital dissatisfaction can affect people's health, personal growth, and well-being (Bookwala, 2016;Iveniuk et al., 2014;Lee et al., 2012;Hoppmann et al., 2011b;de Jong Gierveld et al., 2009;Umberson et al., 2006) as well as what problems can contribute to unhappiness within the marriage (Henry et al., 2005;Crowley, 2019;Lebow et al., 2012;O'Rourke et al., 2011). Thus, it comes as no surprise that several couple interventions targeted marriage unhappiness, negative communication patterns within the couple or relationship distress (Bodenmann et al., 2014;Lebow et al., 2012;Schmidt et al., 2016;Baucom et al., 2015). Several therapeutic traditions constituted the frame for these couple interventions such as imago couple therapy (Schmidt et al., 2016), behavioural couple therapy (Baucom et al., 2015), integrative behavioural couple therapy (Christensen & Doss, 2017) and emotion-focused therapy (Johnson, 2004). ...
Our love relationships define us as individuals and shape our personal growth across the lifespan in all developmental domains (i.e. cognitive, emotional, physical, social, personality). Love relations evolve across the later stages of life as the individuals within a couple change. In this chapter, I will focus on romantic relationships and their impact on individual development in midlife and older age. First, I will discuss definitions of love and marital satisfaction, theories that explain love and what instruments were developed to measure love and fulfilled romantic relations. Second, I will examine what middle-aged and older people think about love and relationships and what are the positive and negative characteristics of romantic relationships in midlife and older age. In this context, I will discuss the potentials and pitfalls of the empty nest syndrome, grey divorces and bereavement. Third, I will analyse the relation between romantic relationships and personal development in all life domains. Finally, I will reflect on how positive psychology principles and developmental resources can be applied to help middle-aged and older individuals to achieve their desired relationships as well as foster their developmental potential.
... Relationship problems are not only widespread, with about 40% of couples suffering from serious relationship dissatisfaction at some point during their relationship (Conradi et al., 2025), but also have deleterious consequences. Relationship distress causes psychological and somatic problems in partners and psychological problems and academic setbacks in children involved (Lebow et al., 2012), while society at large faces significant costs due to separations (Schramm, 2006). Fortunately, several empirically supported therapies are available that aim to reduce relationship discord (see Doss et al., 2022 for a thorough review of evidence between 2010 and 2019) including Traditional Behavioural Couple Therapy (TBCT; Jacobson & Margolin, 1979), Integrative Behavioural Couple Therapy (IBCT; Jacobson & Christensen, 1998) and Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT; Johnson, 1996). ...
Several evidence‐based couple therapies are available for reducing relational discord. Among these are Traditional Behavioural Couple Therapy (TBCT), Integrative Behavioural Couple Therapy (IBCT) and Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT), each propagating a different treatment focus. TBCT aims to increase the frequency ratio of positive to negative partner behaviour, IBCT aims to enhance acceptance of partner behaviour and EFCT aims to make the underlying attachment bond more secure. To date, the explanatory power of the theoretical accounts underlying these therapies has never been directly compared. Therefore, we conducted a cross‐sectional examination of the variances explained of relationship satisfaction and instability, by frequency and acceptance of partner behaviour and attachment, using Actor‐Partner Interdependence Modelling in a convenience sample of 539 heterosexual couples. We found that all three conceptualizations were associated with relationship functioning. Acceptance and attachment explained the largest proportions of variance in satisfaction, whereas attachment explained the greatest portion of instability.
... By elucidating the complex relationship between partnership dynamics and STB, we can develop more targeted interventions that address relationship factors as part of comprehensive suicide prevention strategies [18]. Couples therapy, relationship education, and interventions that strengthen social support within intimate relationships may serve as valuable approaches to reducing suicide risk [19]. Understanding these connections is particularly crucial given that individuals experiencing relationship distress often seek help from relationship counselors rather than mental health professionals, creating important opportunities for suicide prevention outside traditional mental health settings [20]. ...
Background: Intimate partner relationships significantly influence suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB), yet research examining these complex dynamics has been fragmented. This study investigated the pathways through which relationship factors influence suicidality by analyzing 120 cases with diverse relationship experiences and suicidal histories. Methods: Using a mixed-methods approach, we collected data through structured clinical interviews, standardized relationship assessments, in-depth qualitative interviews, timeline follow-back calendars, and ecological momentary assessment. Quantitative analyses included multivariate regression and path analysis models, while qualitative data underwent constructivist grounded theory analysis, followed by an integrated case typology development. Results: Four distinct relationship-suicide pathways emerged: crisis-triggered (30.8%), characterized by acute relationship ruptures; chronic deterioration (35.8%), marked by ongoing conflict and communication breakdown; abusive control (23.3%), involving power imbalance and entrapment; and attachment vulnerability (10.0%), defined by intense fears of abandonment. Timeline data revealed rapid progression (0-3 days) from certain relationship events to suicidal crises. Significant mediating mechanisms included thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, emotional dysregulation, and entrapment. Qualitative analysis identified five themes: relationship as identity, entrapment and hopelessness, relationship as safe haven, relational self-blame, and cyclical crisis patterns. Conclusions: This study advances understanding of intimate partner relationship influences on suicidality by identifying distinct relationship-suicide pathways, temporal dynamics, and psychological mechanisms. Findings suggest the need for differentiated clinical approaches based on relationship patterns and targeted interventions addressing specific mediating mechanisms. Integrating relationship counseling wit
... Among people who are currently in a relationship, half of US adults, as well as a higher proportion of UK adults, do not seek advice for relationship issues from any source (not even web-based searches), and among those who do, the most common sources are friends and family [17]. Rigorously evaluated interventions such as couple therapy [18,19] and couple relationship education [20] (terms we use to include marital therapy and marital relationship education, respectively) are underused compared to less evaluated sources of advice (eg, self-help books; or talking with family, friends, or religious leaders) [21]. Possible reasons include accessibility, cost, social stigma, and the need for both partners' simultaneous participation [22,23]. ...
Background
Despite the effects of poor relationship quality on individuals’, couples’, and families’ well-being, help seeking often does not occur until problems arise. Digital interventions may lower barriers to engagement with preventive relationship care. The Paired app, launched in October 2020, aims to strengthen and enhance couple relationships. It provides daily questions, quizzes, tips, and detailed content and facilitates in-app sharing of question and quiz responses and tagged content between partners.
Objective
To explore the potential of mobile health to benefit couple relationships and how it may do this, we examined (1) Paired’s impact on relationship quality and (2) its mechanisms of action.
Methods
This mixed methods evaluation invited Paired subscribers to complete (1) brief longitudinal surveys over 3 months (n=440), (2) a 30-item web-based survey (n=745), and (3) in-depth interviews (n=20). For objective 1, survey results were triangulated to determine associations between relationship quality measures and the duration and frequency of Paired use, and qualitative data were integrated to provide explanatory depth. For objective 2, mechanisms of action were explored using a dominant qualitative approach.
Results
Relationship quality improved with increasing duration and frequency of Paired use. Web-based survey data indicate that the Multidimensional Quality of Relationship Scale score (representing relationship quality on a 0-10 scale) was 35.5% higher (95% CI 31.1%-43.7%; P=.002), at 7.03, among people who had used Paired for >3 months compared to 5.19 among new users (≤1 wk use of Paired), a trend supported by the longitudinal data. Of those who had used Paired for >1 month, 64.3% (330/513) agreed that their relationship felt stronger since using the app (95% CI 60.2%-68.4%), with no or minimal demographic differences. Regarding the app’s mechanisms of action, interview accounts demonstrated how it prompted and habituated meaningful communication between partners, both within and outside the app. Couples made regular times in their day to discuss the topics Paired raised. Daily questions were sometimes lighthearted and sometimes concerned topics that couples might find challenging to discuss (eg, money management). Interviewees valued the combination of fun and seriousness. It was easier to discuss challenging topics when they were raised by the “neutral” app, rather than during stressful circumstances or when broached by 1 partner. Engagement seemed to be enhanced by users’ experience of relationship benefits and by the app’s design.
Conclusions
This study demonstrates proof of concept, showing that Paired may have the potential to improve relationship quality over a relatively short time frame. Positive relationship practices became embedded within couples’ daily routines, suggesting that relationship quality improvements might be sustained. Digital interventions can play an important role in the relationship care ecosystem. The mixed methods design enabled triangulation and integration, strengthening our findings. However, app users were self-selecting, and methodological choices impact our findings’ generalizability.
... These tools aimed to gather detailed accounts of the students' experiences and impressions of using the application for learning vocabulary. A questionnaire is a self-reporting data gathering tool that is utilized as research by product and is assessed by each researcher, according to (Lebow et al., 2012). To further comprehend the findings, a word-for-word transcription of the interview data is provided. ...
The qualitative study investigated vocabulary knowledge is considered an important tool in language learning. Online learning applications are one technology that can be used to learn languages. Learning among students using applications will increase the use of digital technology in education. Through the internet, students can obtain learning resources. Therefore, this research focuses on using the Cake application as learning vocabulary. data was collected through questionnaires and interviews with students who had used it app for vocabulary improvement. The results show that students find this application useful for learning new vocabulary and very effective. Research reveals that the online Cake application can improve students' language learning experiences and outcomes by increasing students' knowledge. It is said that using the Cake application program can serve as a solution to words understanding problems.
... Relations between a couple can be a significant source of well-being and support but, on occasion, they can also give rise to stressful situations (Givertz et al., 2013;Guerrero et al., 2009;Lebow et al., 2012;Peters et al., 2014). Within relationships, every couple faces a series of tasks and challenges that demand a continuous effort of adaptation, both as individuals and as a couple. ...
Forgiveness plays an important role in couple relationships, as it is essential in overcoming interpersonal offenses and related to the well‐being of the relationship. To date, no valid instruments are available for Spanish populations to evaluate forgiveness within marital relationships. This study aims to adapt and evaluate the Marital Offense‐Specific Forgiveness Scale (MOFS), comparing the behavior of the scale in two cultural contexts: Spain and the United States.
Two studies were conducted: the first with 389 participants to evaluate the behavior of the scale and to explore the dimensionality of the Spanish version of the MOFS using exploratory factor analysis (EFA); the second study used a sample of 361 Spanish and 119 American participants, conducting a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and an invariance factor analysis.
The EFA revealed two factors: Avoidance–Resentment and Benevolence. Using CFA, the factorial structure of the MOFS was confirmed, with results indicating that the proposed model presents a similar fit to the original version.
... This approach acknowledges that a person's mental health has a direct impact on the dynamics of relationships and that unresolved personal concerns frequently show up as conflict in relationships (Christensen et al., 2010). Couples participating in ITCP can recognize and tackle fundamental problems contributing to marital difficulties, including attachment styles, past traumatic experiences, and maladaptive behaviors (Lebow et al., 2012). ITCP also promotes self-awareness and emotion regulation, both of which are necessary for productive dialogue and cooperative conflict resolution (Gurman, 2011). ...
... The participants' experiences are related to the study by Amato and Cheadle (2005), which suggested that individuals who had experienced parental divorce or family disruptions often become cautious about relying on others and develop a sense of selfsufficiency. On the contrary, Lebow et al. (2012) argue that broken families may develop a greater appreciation for the importance of interdependence and support in relationships. It suggested that the experience of a broken family can foster a deeper understanding of the need for reliance on others, leading to a more cautious and intentional approach to building and maintaining relationships. ...
This study explored, portrayed, and understood the impact of broken families on the academic performance of college students from different levels and programs within the College of Education at Jose Rizal Memorial State University-Main Campus, Dapitan City, Philippines. Specifically, the study focused on college students who have experienced at least six years of living in broken families. Six participants from different majors within the College of Education were selected using the Snowball Sampling technique to participate in the study. This study provided a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of individuals in broken families. The research highlighted the detrimental effects of parental neglect, which contributed to feelings of abandonment and significantly impacted the emotional well-being of these students. Living in a broken family presented constant challenges as individuals endured pain, trauma, and other mental issues due to their family situation. The mental and physical toll of these experiences was overwhelming, making every aspect of life difficult for them. Furthermore, financial constraints became an additional burden as they often needed to work after school to meet their basic needs, particularly educational expenses. These emotional struggles might have resulted in behavioral problems that hindered their socialization. The findings emphasized the importance of a holistic and compassionate approach to supporting students from broken families. Educational institutions and communities must prioritize addressing these young individuals' emotional, financial, and social needs. Creating welcoming and supportive environments that recognized and addressed their unique circumstances and strengths was crucial in helping them reach their full potential and become the best versions of themselves. By offering comprehensive support, we could empower these students to overcome obstacles and thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.
... Christensen & Heavey, 1999;Lebow & Gurman, 1995;Pinsof & Wynne, 1995;Sexton, Robbins, Hollimon, Mease, & Mayorga, 2003), revisiones sistemáticas (e.g. Alexander & Barton, 1995;Gollan & Jacobson, 2002;Lebow, Chambers, Christensen, & Johnson, 2012;Tseliou, Burck, Forbat, Strong, & O'Reilly, 2020), y meta-análisis (e.g. Baucom, Shoham, Mueser, Daiuto, & Stickle, 1998;Shadish & Baldwin, 2003Shadish, Ragsdale, Glaser, & Montgomery, 1995;Roddy, Walsh, Rothman, Hatch, & Doss, 2020) realizados en los últimos treinta años, reconocen la eficacia de la terapia de pareja para (a) aumentar la satisfacción marital (e.g. ...
Given the need to move towards transtheoretical perspectives in the investigation of change processes in couple therapy, this single case study sought to empirically verify 36 Indicators of Relational Change (RCI) described by expert therapists in an ongoing investigation by Rivera et al. The analysis process was carried out by a team following sequential stages of observation, coding and analysis. The presentation, frequency and trajectory of each of the 20 coded RCIs were described, and a new proposal for the list of ICRs was constructed, seeking to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice.
... Přehledové studie a metaanalýzy potvrzují účinnost párové terapie při snižování vztahových potíží (Bradbury & Bodenmann, 2020;Doss et al., 2022;Lebow et al., 2012;Roddy et al., 2020;Shadish & Baldwin, 2003). Kognitivněbehaviorální párová terapie, integrativní behaviorální párová terapie a emočně zaměřená párová terapie mají dostatečné důkazy, aby mohly být považovány za specifické a dobře doložené způsoby léčby vztahových problémů. ...
Tento článek přináší kritickou analýzu a syntézu současného stavu a nového vývoje v současné párové terapii. Jejím hlavním tématem je vývoj párové terapie do podoby významné intervenční modality a uceleného souboru postupů. Přehled začíná úvahami o silných empirických základech této oblasti odvozených z výzkumu párové terapie a základních vztahových věd. Párová terapie zahrnuje široce uznávanou metodu redukce vztahových potíží a zvyšování kvality vztahu. Kromě toho, jako samostatná intervence ve spojení s jinými formami léčby, získaly párové intervence značnou empirickou podporu pro svou účinnost při řešení širokého spektra specifických vztahových dysfunkcí i individuálních emočních a fyzických zdravotních problémů. Vyzdvihujeme slučování metod prostřednictvím společných faktorů, sdílených strategií a pozoruhodně podobných uspořádání napříč přístupy. Náš přehled také poukazuje na klíčové rozdíly mezi přístupy, na důležitost rozpoznání příslušných silných stránek a omezení spojených s těmito rozdíly a na využití rozdílů mezi modely při výběru a přizpůsobení intervencí pro daný pár. V závěru diskuse se zabýváme nejnovějšími trendy v této oblasti, včetně vlivu telehealth a souvisejících digitálních technologií, rozšíření specifických léčebných postupů pro konkrétní problémy a různé skupiny obyvatel, propojení párové terapie se vztahovou výchovou a přetrvávajících výzev i nových příležitostí, které se zabývají širší systémovou a globální dynamikou.
... ThE UNdERLyING ChANGE PROCESS EFT-C has evolved into two approaches that both provide researchvalidated models for working with couples (Lebow, Chambers, Christensen, & Johnson, 2012). Susan Johnson's approach (1996Johnson's approach ( , 2004 uses the original nine-step model (Greenberg & Johnson, 1988), which she later organized into three stages (Johnson, 2004), and focuses on establishing secure attachment as the goal of therapy. ...
... Incorporating marriage counseling into employer-sponsored health plans could be an innovative way to support romantic relationships. Despite evidence that relationship quality plays an important part in mental and emotional health (Lebow et al., 2012), this form of mental health care service is frequently excluded from these plans. Since it was discovered that relationship quality is important to the recovery process, there is a compelling argument for organizations to reconsider this exclusion. ...
With rude and discourteous encounters in the workplace becoming more
common, Workplace incivility (WI) is at an all-time high. As such, workers experience
levels of burnout from these negative social interactions. The literature concedes that the
results of these interactions lead to mounting burnout, causing negative physical and
emotional outcomes at the individual and organizational levels. Considering that the
literature also supports that employees have the potential to recover from burnout
symptoms through rest, obtaining the perception of control of their circumstances, and
cognitive reframing, the time and activities a worker spends at home carry the potential
for minimizing burnout from daily incivility. Recognizing the potential of home-based
activities and support to minimize burnout, this research emphasizes romantic partner
support as a means to manage stress. This study, grounded in the Conservation of
Resources Theory, explores the moderating effect of romantic partner support on the
relationship between daily WI and burnout recovery. Using a diary study method over
five consecutive workdays with 277 participants, the findings reveal a nuanced
interaction between workplace stressors and personal relationships. Individual differences
in romantic partner support were found to moderate the influence of WI on burnout
recovery. These results have real-world implications, especially in demanding work
environments, and extend previous research on WI, romantic partner support, and
exhaustion recovery. The study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of
navigating workplace challenges and fostering resilience and well-being, concluding with
a discussion of findings and suggestions for practice and future research.
... Social relationships are crucial for humans. So far, studies investigating ways to enhance relationships have mainly focused on romantic couples [1][2][3][4] or on intergroup conflict 5,6 . Ways to improve tense interpersonal relationships with people who are not romantic partners are rarely explored, even though they are prevalent. ...
Evidence-based interventions to favor more harmonious interactions in difficult relationships remain scarce. This study examined whether compassion training may have beneficial effects in an ongoing tense relationship with a disliked person, by reducing schadenfreude toward them and increasing felt interpersonal closeness. 108 participants were assigned to one of three 5-week trainings in a longitudinal randomized controlled study: compassion training, reappraisal training (emotion regulation control condition), or Italian language training (neutral active control condition). The disliked person was not targeted during the trainings to test potential transfer effects. Misfortune scenarios and a measure of interpersonal closeness were used to test whether schadenfreude and closeness feelings toward a disliked person changed from pre- to post-training, across different experimental and control groups. Only compassion and reappraisal trainees reported a decrease of schadenfreude feelings toward the disliked person compared to their pre-training ratings, no changes were observed in the Italian language training. Importantly, feelings of closeness toward the disliked person increased in the compassion training group compared to the other two groups. This increase of closeness feelings could be a central mechanism for improving social interactions. These transfer effects open new perspectives concerning emotion regulation interventions in conflict resolution.
... Similar findings regarding improvement in marital satisfaction, facilitation of change during therapy and long-term outcomes are reported in a meta-analysis spanning nineteen years by Beasley & Ager (2019). A decade-long outcome study by Denton et al. (2012) further expands the effectiveness of EFT in major depression coexisting with relationship distress (Lebow et al., 2012). ...
... Within the family context, both partners can influence each other, determining repercussions on their own psychophysical well-being, but also on the partner (Lebow et al., 2012), which makes a dyadic approach to the study of the constructs that can interact and influence the functioning of couples of fundamental importance. To allow for a greater and more complete understanding of the dynamics of the parental couple, it is necessary to pay attention to the close interdependence between the partners, hence the need to underline not only the individual elements, but also the interpersonal ones; therefore, the Actor Partner Interdependence (APIM) model turns out to be the most suitable analysis strategy. ...
The traditional family, today, is outclassed by the spread of dual-career families (Gahlawat et al., 2019), hence the need to seek a balance in the management of work and family and to pay attention to what can affect individual well-being. Through attention to the quality of contexts, it is possible to study those constructs considered fundamental for psychological functionality as motivation and basic psychological needs. This study, therefore, analyzes a model that validates the mediating role of needs between work and family motivation and work and family satisfaction, in 208 dual-career parenting couples. Analyzes have shown that needs mediate the effect of motivations on satisfaction outcomes. Motivation, encouraging needs satisfaction, contributes to results of greater satisfaction in the domains of interest. These results, in line with the most recent SDT contributions (Ryan & Deci, 2017), confirm the mediation role of needs as a guarantee of greater well-being results.
... The field of psychotherapy has long recognized the significance of addressing relationship difficulties in both individual and group therapy, given the profound impact of interpersonal dynamics on clients' psychological well-being (Lebow et al., 2012;Gurman, 2015;Ioannidis, 2021;Ioannidis &Alvanou, 2021). A growing body of theoretical and empirical literature has explored factors such as attachment (Bowlby, 1988;Ioannidis, 2023;Mikulincer& Shaver, 2016), the influence of family and relational history (Hare-Mustin, 1978), and the impact of therapist factors on therapeutic outcomes (Ackerman &Hilsenroth, 2003). ...
This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a structured clinical supervision program designed to enhance therapists' understanding of their own relational experiences and their potential impact on the therapeutic process. The study included 30 therapists who were assigned to either the intervention group or a control group, taking into consideration their demographics and experience levels to ensure balanced groups. Pre-and post-intervention assessments measured self-awareness, reflexivity, therapist self-efficacy, and perceived effectiveness in working with clients presenting relationship difficulties. Clients' satisfaction with therapy and therapeutic alliance were also assessed. Results indicated significant improvements in self-awareness, reflexivity, therapist self-efficacy, and perceived effectiveness among therapists in the experimental group, as well as significant improvements in client outcomes (client satisfaction and therapeutic alliance).
... The therapist's stance The alliance, key in all clinical work, is more complex in couple therapy with partners' conflicting needs and narratives (Lebow et al., 2012). When couples enter therapy in a blame mode, each claiming that the other is in the wrong, they may look to the therapist as judge. ...
Distressed couples often become polarized and caught up in power struggles, with competing claims and perspectives. When escalated, partners may become reactive and unkind. The competitive‐individualistic worldview of the Euro‐American culture feeds polarization between partners. This article explores relational views of the self and relational ethics developed in philosophy, psychology, feminist theory, neurobiology, and couple and family therapy that counter this individualistic view. A major focus is on the ways in which partners impact each other's identity and well‐being for better or worse, and the ethical responsibility this entails. The discussion addresses couple relational ethics within the larger sociocultural context that privileges power and competition. The paper offers applications to couple relationships and couple therapy, with interventions to promote mutual responsibility, fairness, dialogue, and care—helping partners to identify their higher values and interact with greater intentionality. A case example is offered to illustrate therapeutic techniques to enhance relational ethics in couples.
... Couples therapy is one of the important components of health services and it has been shown that couple therapy is a useful treatment option to reduce marital conflicts (Lebow, Chambers, Christensen, & Johnson, 2012). One of the several couple therapy techniques used to reinforce couples' relationships is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ...
Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Aceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and schema therapy on forgiveness and fear of intimacy in conflicting couples. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted using a pre-test, post-test design with a control group. The participants were selected from the conflicting couples who were referred to counseling and psychological service centers in districts 1 and 5 of Tehran in 2019. Of the couples who scored high on the Fear-of-Intimacy Scale and obtained a low score on the Interpersonal Forgiveness Inventory, 30 couples (60 people) were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the schema therapy group (10 couples), the ACT group (10 couples), and the control group (10 couples). Then, the participants in each of the intervention groups attended eight 90-minute therapy sessions based on ACT and Schema therapy techniques. After the interventions, the participants in the three groups completed the questionnaires again and were followed up after three months. Results: The results showed that both ACT and schema therapy had a significant effect on fear of intimacy and forgiveness. Upon controlling the pre-test score, significant differences were found between the two ACT and schema therapy groups in terms of reconnection and revenge control (P<0.01), but the two groups were not significantly different in terms of resentment control, realistic perceptions, and fear of intimacy and schema couple therapy was more effective than ACT in controlling conflicting couples’ revenge and improving reconnection and this greater effectiveness was still retained in the follow-up phase. Conclusion: ACT and schema-based couple therapies can be used by psychologists and counselors as effective approaches to increase forgiveness and reduce fear of intimacy in couples. However, schema couple therapy is more effective than ACT in controlling negative emotions and treating them in couples.
This article reports a study on the impact of online mindfulness sessions in improving marital quality, satisfaction, and happiness of couples from South Asian and African home countries in long‐distance marriages due to work‐related migration of partners either within domicile countries or overseas (pre‐test n = 96, post‐test n = 85) compared to a control group (pre‐test n = 83, post‐test n = 76). Mindfulness sessions were effective, and post‐test scores on marital quality, satisfaction, and happiness outcomes were higher for dyads who had postgraduate or professional degrees, salaried jobs, Hindus and Christians, who had children and whose intervention compliance was high (≥ 64% sessions attended and homework posts completed). Intervention adherence had fairly strong predictor effects. Actor‐partner interdependence analyses confirmed associated and interdependent effects on outcomes. The online mindfulness sessions were effective for commuter couples with some modifications needed for male partners, dyads with lower formal education, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, and Muslim dyads, and childless couples.
This twenty‐fifth anniversary review updates previous similar papers published in JFT in 2000, 2009, 2014 and 2019. It presents evidence from meta‐analyses, systematic reviews and controlled trials for the effectiveness of couple therapy and systemic interventions for adults with a range or relationship and mental physical health problems. The evidence supports the effectiveness of systemic interventions, either alone or as part of multimodal programmes, for relationship distress, psychosexual problems, intimate partner violence, anxiety and mood disorders, alcohol problems, schizophrenia and adjustment to chronic physical illness. Systemic interventions are as effective as evidenced‐based individual psychotherapeutic interventions for all of these problems, and more effective than individual therapy for some, including for relationship distress, situational intimate partner violence and delaying relapse in schizophrenia.
Introduction: Infidelity is a common challenge in couple therapy and requires nuanced understandings and interventions tailored to the underlying motivations of the affair. Areas covered: This paper offers a practical framework for addressing infidelity by integrating Woolley’s (2011) motivation-based typology of affairs into the practice of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Attachment Injury Repair Model (AIRM). The typology categorizes infidelity into three broad categories, and seven specific types based on motivations, offering a lens through which couple therapists can focus their approach. Expert opinion: This article provides both general and specific treatment recommendations for each of the motivational types, which can help clinicians more effectively assist in ending affairs, reducing blaming, healing emotional wounds, creating safe emotional connection, and preventing future infidelity. Conclusion: This article helps fill these gaps by laying out how the Woolley (2011) motivational typology can be used to guide treatment.
The present study utilized a sample of 374 distressed couples seeking therapy to investigate: (1) how partners' adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and shared religious/spiritual (R/S) practices are associated with their relationship satisfaction at intake and (2) the rate and shape of change in relationship satisfaction over the first six sessions. The results from multilevel modeling (MLM) demonstrated that males' ACEs were negatively associated with both their own and their partners' relationship satisfaction at intake, whereas females' ACEs were negatively associated only with their own satisfaction, not their partners'. Regarding shared R/S practices, only females' reports were positively associated with both their own and their partners' satisfaction at intake; no effects were observed for males' reports. Lastly, changes in relationship satisfaction from sessions one through six were found to be curvilinear, with more rapid change occurring initially, followed by a slowdown as therapy progressed.
Couples appear to frequently experience relationship problems, yet estimates of the prevalence and prediction of three distinct help‐seeking steps, (1) recognition of serious relationship dissatisfaction, (2) considering help, and (3) receiving relationship help, are unknown for representative population samples. This is unfortunate as such knowledge may inform policy makers in the development of strategies to motivate couples to seek help. The prevalence of these steps along with reasons for not acquiring help was studied in a representative population sample of 1014 Dutch heterosexual couples. Multilevel Actor‐Partner Interdependence Modeling (APIM) analyses estimated the extent to which static socio‐demographic factors were predictive of help‐seeking behaviors. Of all partners, 28.6% reported having ever been seriously dissatisfied with their relationship (step 1), of which 86.2% had told their partner they were dissatisfied, on average 1.5 years after onset of the dissatisfaction. Of the seriously dissatisfied partners 36.4% considered professional relationship help (step 2) and 19.5% eventually received help (step 3), on average 3.7 years after the onset of dissatisfaction. Of these, 88.5% consulted a (couple) therapist. Main reasons for not acquiring help were that “things got better” (48.8%) and “the partner did not want relationship help” (35.4%), whereas financial considerations and shame were rarely endorsed. Although serious relationship dissatisfaction was common (i.e., 40.1% of all couples consisted of at least one partner who was ever dissatified), few couples sought help and they did so rather late. Waxing and waning of dissatisfaction often guided the decision to not seek help. Women and younger partners were more proactive in help‐seeking. Marital status, having children, and education were largely unrelated to help‐seeking.
Levels of motivation and help‐seeking impact the effectiveness of couple relationship education (CRE), as those with greater help‐seeking and motivation are more likely to attend more sessions and remain engaged. Less is known about what impacts the association between motivation and help‐seeking between partners in a couple engaging in CRE. The current study aims to examine (a) the effect of couples' self‐stigma for help‐seeking on their own or partner's motivation to complete the relationship education program and (b) whether the effects differ between service modality (i.e., online and in‐person). We sampled 276 heterosexual couples who participated in a relationship education program. A multiple‐group actor–partner interdependence model analysis revealed that women and men with higher self‐stigma for seeking help exhibited lower motivation to complete the program in both settings. Higher self‐stigma in men for help‐seeking significantly enhanced the motivation of their female partners to complete the online relationship education program.
Aim: Caregiving is fundamental to human relationships and plays a crucial role in the quality and stability of marital relationships. The present study aimed to explain the concept of couple caregiving. Methods: This qualitative research was conducted in 2021, adopting a grounded theory approach. For this purpose, ten couples residing in city of Aligudarz (Iran) were selected based on inclusion criteria and purposive sampling. The sampling continued until data saturation was reached. These individuals were examined through semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin’s (2014) method and the MAXQDA20 software. Findings: The data analysis led to the identification of 78 open codes and 13 axial codes in the form of causal conditions: life history, conscious marriage; contextual conditions: individual and couple contexts; efficient couple relationship; Intervening conditions: behavioral and cognitive facilitating factors; obstacles: personal and environmental stressors; Strategies for sustaining and improving care, and persona; outcomes for the caregiver and care recipient and couple outcomes and the central theme of “reciprocal couple caregiving” was chosen. Conclusions: The findings indicated that factors influencing couple caregiving extend to the time before marriage. Couple caregiving involves conscious marriage and proactive and constructive actions of the couple. It is an interactive and reciprocal process that enhances the insight and awareness of the couple, and the use of care-seeking and caregiving receptivity strategies significantly contributes to its continuity.
African American couples experience greater levels of relationship distress than other racial/ethnic groups, but they are less likely to seek formal couple counseling. Existing literature highlights the importance of community support in the form of Church, family, and friends. While the literature suggests African Americans encounter unique barriers, we do not know how racism and discrimination impact the couple help-seeking process. This study seeks to address this gap and better understand unique barriers in the African American couple help-seeking (AACHS) process via a grounded theory-informed qualitative study. Findings from interviews with 11 African American individuals in committed relationships highlighted mistrust as a significant barrier to AACHS, while community supports are frequently sought out. Our findings add to current understandings about AACHS and highlight important areas for future research. In the clinical implications section, the authors outline tangible steps that clinicians can take based on the findings from this study.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of emotion-oriented couple therapy and compare it with structural couple therapy on marital justice and relationship maintenance strategies in conflicting couples. Method: The present study was a quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test with a two-month control and follow-up group; The statistical population of the present study was 205 couples referring to counseling centers in Shiraz in the last six months of 1399. After screening with the Sanai Marital Conflict Questionnaire (2008), 60 couples who received more than 150 points from the cut-off point were selected by available means. They answered the Marital Justice Questionnaire and Relationship Strategies (Stafford, Dinton and Haas, 2000) and in the experimental group of emotion-focused couple therapy (10 couples), the experimental group of structural couple therapy (10 couples) and the control group (10 couples) were randomly replaced. Both experimental groups underwent Johnson (2004) emotion-focused couple therapy and Minochin (1974) structural couple therapy intervention for eight 90-minute sessions, and the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measures mixed variance analysis. Results: The results showed that emotion-oriented couple therapy (F = 8.97 and P = 0.005) and structural couple therapy (F = 10.04 and P = 0.003) on increasing marital justice and emotion-oriented couple therapy (0.60). F = 59 and P = 0.001) and structural couple therapy (F = 19.29 and P = 0.001) are effective in maintaining relationship strategies in conflicting couples and this effect was stable in the follow-up phase; The results of post hoc test also showed that the difference between the two groups of emotion-oriented couple therapy and structural couple therapy in marital justice variables and strategies for maintaining the relationship is not significant. Conclusion: The results of the research suggest evidence that the intervention of emotion-oriented couple therapy and structural couple therapy is a suitable method for increasing marital justice and relationship maintenance strategies in spouses suffering from marital conflict
Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of combined emotionally focused couple therapy and compassion therapy in improving the quality of marital life and dimensions of attachment of couples who visited counseling centers in Isfahan. Methods: The present study had a one-case experimental design and was conducted in 2019. The statistical population consisted of all couples who visited psychological centers and clinics in Isfahan. Sampling was performed on all couples who visited centers and clinics of Isfahan in winter 2019 for marital problems, and three couples were selected using the convenience method according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After initial sampling, three couples were included in the combined group of emotionally focused therapy and compassion therapy. The Marital Quality of Life Questionnaire (Marital Relationships) and the Collins and Read adult attachment Scale were used to collect data. The participants underwent combined emotionally focused couple therapy and compassion therapy in a session per week (12 sessions). Data were analyzed using the visual mapping, reliable change index, and recovery percentage formula. Results: Data analysis indicated the effectiveness of therapy in couples who were underwent combined emotionally focused couple therapy and compassionate therapy. Conclusion: The combination of emotionally focused couple therapy and compassion therapy affected the quality of marital life and dimensions of couple attachment, and thus the approach can be utilized to improve relationships and reduce divorce in society.
Background
Marital distress is a risk factor for a panoply of mental and physical health disorders. One of the causes of marital distress that is increasingly gaining relevance is attachment injuries in the marital relationship. Emerging from the confluence of adult attachment theory and emotionally focussed couples therapy, attachment injuries refer to tears in the relationship bond caused by abandonment or betrayal in the marriage, especially at times of critical need when attachment needs are salient.
Objective
The objective of this study was to investigate how therapists in India conceptualise and assess attachment injuries in marital relationships.
Method
A qualitative design was used, whereby in‐depth interviews were conducted with 13 therapists and the transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis.
Results
The analysis resulted in two overarching themes. The first was ‘Attachment Injuries are a Common Phenomenon in Couples undergoing Marital Distress’, which included themes related to markers of attachment injuries, injurious events, the gendered nature of attachment injury experiences and the impact of attachment injuries. The second overarching theme was ‘Therapists Utilize Diverse Methods for the Crucial Process of Identification of Attachment Injuries’, which included themes related to the methods used for assessment, the significance of attachment lens, the role of early experiences and the utility of identifying attachment injuries.
Conclusion
The results highlighted how attachment injuries, originating from various injurious events, are often a component of marital distress in couples accessing therapy. The findings also pointed towards the need for therapists to develop competency in assessing and addressing attachment injuries, irrespective of their primary therapy orientation.
Çift ilişkisi, bireyin yaşam doyumu ve öznel iyi oluşu üzerinde önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. İlişkideki güçlükler ve sorunlar, fiziksel ve psikolojik sağlığı olumsuz yönde etkileyebilmektedir. Aynı zamanda, kişinin sahip olduğu bireysel psikopatolojiler de ilişki ve eş üzerinde olumsuz etkilere yol açabilmektedir. Son yıllarda bu etkileşimsel döngü nedeniyle bireysel psikopatolojilerin tedavisinde de çift ilişkisini ele alan yaklaşımların kullanılmaya başlandığı görülmektedir. Aynı zamanda çift müdahaleleri kanser, infertilite gibi çeşitli kronik hastalıkların tedavi sürecinde de kullanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada çift müdahalelerinde kullanılan yaklaşım ve uygulamaların neler olduğunun gözden geçirilmesi ve güncel durumlarına ilişkin bilgi sağlanması amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmanın bir diğer amacı ise çift müdahalelerinin kullanım alanlarını, bireysel ve kronik sağlık sorunlarında sürece nasıl dahil edildiğini ve ne tür kazanımlar sağladığını incelemektir. Elde edilen sonuçların, çift ve bireysel terapi alanında çalışan klinisyenler açısından fikir verici olması beklenmektedir.
Why do people fall in love? Does passion fade with time? What makes for a happy, healthy relationship? This introduction to relationship science follows the lifecycle of a relationship – from attraction and initiation, to the hard work of relationship maintenance, to dissolution and ways to strengthen a relationship. Designed for advanced undergraduates studying psychology, communication or family studies, this textbook presents a fresh, diversity-infused approach to relationship science. It includes real-world examples and critical-thinking questions, callout boxes that challenge students to make connections, and researcher interviews that showcase the many career paths of relationship scientists. Article Spotlights reveal cutting-edge methods, while Diversity and Inclusion boxes celebrate the variety found in human love and connection. Throughout the book, students see the application of theory and come to recognize universal themes in relationships as well as the nuances of many findings. Instructors can access lecture slides, an instructor manual, and test banks.
Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine MHL and RHL in a sample of college students in the United States, and to explore linkages among literacies and related constructs. Participants: Participants were 169 (N = 169) participants who were adult college students at a state university in the southern United States. Participants were recruited through an online recruitment management system that allows college students to participate in research studies for participation credit. Method: We analyzed online survey data using descriptive analysis. In effort to develop a measurement tool to measure relational mental health literacy, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis on the Relational Health Literacy Scale (RHLS) that was developed for the present study. Results: Results suggest that college students would be willing to seek mental health resources from some professional sources. Participants were able to more easily identify symptoms of anxiety and depression, and struggled to accurately identify symptoms of mania, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Respondents also demonstrated some awareness of relationship health issues. Conclusions: Implications for further research, practice and policy making are presented and discussed.
This special section represents a collection of papers on recruitment and retention of couples from underrepresented backgrounds in couple intervention research. Research shows that couples from underrepresented backgrounds tend to be missing from intervention research. This gap is concerning; conclusions about the effectiveness of these interventions are not being drawn from diverse and representative samples and it may be that scholars are inadvertently creating inappropriate and inaccessible services for these couples. Recruiting and retaining these couples require specialized efforts and attention. In this summary paper, we describe (a) the origins of this special section, (b) the existing research on recruitment and retention in couple intervention research, (c) an overview of the papers in this special section, and (d) future recommendations and directions for this aspect of methodology in couple research. This collection of papers elevates the need to involve community members from the beginning, reduce barriers to access, and create recruitment materials and a service delivery environment that is specific for the target population.
This article focuses on how teachers are coping with stress in their schools during and after COVID-19. Teachers’ work by nature is stressful having to deal with various aspects such as ensuring that lesson notes are completed, students are performing as they should, and handling paperwork. This is combined with the lack of necessary resources to work efficiently. In their line of duty, teachers also face the dilemma of handling problematic behaviours of certain learners and there is a lot of work that must be done to protect teachers. The study adopted an interpretivism paradigm using the Social Cognitive Theory in which thematically analysed data was collected through interviews from 15 purposely selected participants from Chris Hani East Education in South Africa (CHEDE). The analysis of data revealed that learners are using drugs, which leads to a change in their behaviour at school, something that negatively affects the learning process and the teachers themselves. It also emerged from the data analysis that teachers have a lot of paperwork to deal with, with insufficient resources, teachers can use, especially during the time of COVID-19. This study found that teachers used WhatsApp groups, church services, and family support to cope with stress during COVID-19. The article recommends that the Department of Basic Education employs security measures to handle safety and protect students and teachers from the effect of illicit drug usage on the premises of schools which increases the stress levels of teachers. New programmes and policies must be formulated to equip students with enough knowledge about the danger of using drugs. The Department of Basic Education must also supply all schools with devices that can be used by teachers for online teaching and learning to facilitate learning. Keywords: Teachers’ Stress, Stressors, Anxiety, Burnout, Alarm, and Frustration
The author reviews all articles on relationship, couples, and marriage psychotherapy and counseling published in the Transactional Analysis Journal (TAJ) between 1970 and 2021 to determine whether transactional analysis has a substantive model of relationship psychotherapy. He synthesizes the content in search of a coherent, integrated, systematic approach to this practice and to determine whether it is informed by contemporary theory and practice. Since the 1970s, the publication in the TAJ of papers on relationship psychotherapy has steeply declined as the broader relationship psychotherapy field has become enlivened. Discussion focuses on the significant work needed to develop this area of practice.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of couple therapy based on Gottman's theory on Emotion Regulation in married women. The research method is a semi-experimental design and the design used in this study is a pre-test and post-test design with control group. The statistical population of this study was all married women referred to counseling centers in Tehran in 1396. The sample consisted of 30 married women who were randomly assigned into two groups of 15. The selection of the sample group was available in two groups randomly. The couple therapy based on Guttmann's theory was conducted in 7 sessions of 90 minutes in two months for the experimental group. The instrument of the study was Emotion Regulation Garnefski et al (2001) Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using covariance analysis. The findings showed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and the post-test in the experimental group as well as in the control group (p <0.05). These findings indicated the effectiveness of couples training in Gottman's way on Emotion Regulation in married women in Tehran.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of couple therapy based on Gottman's theory on marital satisfaction in married women. The research method is a semi-experimental design and the design used in this study is a pre-test and post-test design with the control group. The statistical population of this study was all married
women referred to counseling centers in Tehran in 1396. The sample consisted of 30 married women who were randomly assigned into two groups of 15. The selection of the sample group was available in two groups randomly. The couple therapy based on Gottman's theory was conducted in 7 sessions of 90 minutes in two months for the experimental group. The instrument of the study was Enrique Marital Satisfaction (1997) Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using covariance analysis. The findings showed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and the post-test in the experimental group as well as in the control group (p <0.05). These findings indicated the effectiveness of couples training in Gottman's way on marital satisfaction in married women in Tehran.
This study examined whether humiliating marital events (HMEs; husbands’ infidelity, threats of marital dissolution) precipitated Major Depressive Episodes (MDEs) when controlling for marital discord. Participants were 25 women who recently experienced an HME and 25 control women who did not experience an HME. Both groups reported similar levels of marital discord. Results indicated that HME participants were 6 times more likely to be diagnosed with an MDE than control participants. These results remained even after controlling for family and lifetime histories of depression. HME participants also reported significantly more symptoms of nonspecific depression and anxiety than control participants. However, HME and control participants did not report significantly different numbers of anhedonic depression and anxious arousal symptoms. The research and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
The dyadic adjustment and substance use of couples with a drug-abusing husband (n = 94), couples with a drug-abusing wife (n = 36), couples in which both partners abused drugs (n = 87), and non-substance-abusing conflicted couples (n = 70) were examined. For couples with 1 drug-abusing partner, a higher percentage of days abstinent during the year before treatment for drug abuse was associated with a higher level of relationship satisfaction. When both partners abused drugs, the relationship between percentage of days abstinent and relationship satisfaction became stronger and more negative as the time partners spent together using drugs increased. A higher percentage of days abstinent was associated with relationship stability for couples with 1 drug-abusing partner during and 1 year after treatment; for couples in which both partners abused drugs, a higher percentage of days abstinent was associated with relationship instability.
This article evaluates the efficacy, effectiveness, and clinical significance of empirically supported couple and family interventions for treating marital distress and individual adult disorders, including anxiety disorders, depression, sexual dysfunctions, alcoholism and problem drinking, and schizophrenia. In addition to consideration of different theoretical approaches to treating these disorders, different ways of including a partner or family in treatment are highlighted: (a) partner–family-assisted interventions, (b) disorder-specific partner–family interventions, and (c) more general couple–family therapy. Findings across diagnostic groups and issues involved in applying efficacy criteria to these populations are discussed.
Four-year follow-up data regarding marital status and marital accord were obtained for 59 couples receiving either behavioral (BMT) or insight-oriented (IOMT) marital therapy in a controlled outcome study. Although no significant group differences had been observed between the 2 treatment conditions at either termination or 6-month follow-up, by 4-year follow-up a significantly higher percentage of BMT couples had experienced divorce (38% for BMT couples compared with 3% for IOMT couples). Results are compared with previous outcome research in this area, and recommendations are made for further research.
The purpose of this study was to compare cognitive–behavioral therapy (CT; n = 20), behavioral marital therapy (BMT; n = 19), and a treatment combining BMT and CT (CO; n = 21) in the alleviation of wives' depression and the enhancement of marital satisfaction. BMT was less effective than CT for depression in maritally nondistressed couples, whereas for maritally distressed couples the two treatments were equally effective. BMT was the only treatment to have a significant positive impact on relationship satisfaction in distressed couples, whereas CO was the only treatment to enhance the marital satisfaction of nondistressed couples. On marital interaction measures CO was the only treatment to significantly reduce both husband and wife aversive behavior and to significantly increase wife facilitative behavior.
The recent growth in dual-income families has led to new configurations of domestic work distribution among family members. Because working parents are required to spend a great deal of time and energy at their respective jobs outside the home while also managing parenting responsibilities and household tasks, a high premium is placed on how partners negotiate and enact the division of labor inside the home. This paper draws from videotaped interviews and naturally occurring interactions in the home to explore working couples' perspectives on the challenges of managing household work and parenting. Transcripts of these videotapes are presented to examine couples' ongoing negotiation of responsibilities and expectations, with particular reference to the requests that partners make of one another and subsequent responses to these requests. Findings suggest that the degree of ambiguity in the models governing couples' expectations for and performance of housework responsibilities affects the behaviors that working parents exchange. Clear models appear to facilitate efficient management of household tasks, minimize bids for influence, and enable partners to feel effective and respected, while ambiguous models entail continued negotiation of responsibilities, repeated demands and directives, and tension within the dyad. The value of studying marital interaction in natural settings with observational methods, using principles from psychology and anthropology, is emphasized.
• Based on a 15-year study of psychotherapists' experiences and careers, this book is written equally for practicing therapists, clinical educators, and mental health researchers. The authors and their collaborators collected richly detailed reports from nearly 5,000 psychotherapists of all career levels, professions, and theoretical orientations in more than a dozen countries worldwide. Here the authors sensitively explore the complex nature and interrelatedness of psychotherapeutic work and professional development through a series of systematic, controlled, clinically and theoretically informed analyses--and, in so doing, establish a solid foundation for empirically supported programs of training and supervision. This landmark work emphasizes to researchers the importance of the psychotherapist's contribution to effective treatment, offers guidance to teachers and supervisors of psychotherapists, and--not least--promises to satisfy the curiosity of therapists at all career levels about how their own experiences of work and growth compare with those of their peers and colleagues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)
• Based on a 15-year study of psychotherapists' experiences and careers, this book is written equally for practicing therapists, clinical educators, and mental health researchers. The authors and their collaborators collected richly detailed reports from nearly 5,000 psychotherapists of all career levels, professions, and theoretical orientations in more than a dozen countries worldwide. Here the authors sensitively explore the complex nature and interrelatedness of psychotherapeutic work and professional development through a series of systematic, controlled, clinically and theoretically informed analyses--and, in so doing, establish a solid foundation for empirically supported programs of training and supervision. This landmark work emphasizes to researchers the importance of the psychotherapist's contribution to effective treatment, offers guidance to teachers and supervisors of psychotherapists, and--not least--promises to satisfy the curiosity of therapists at all career levels about how their own experiences of work and growth compare with those of their peers and colleagues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)
Couples who seek therapy for marital distress often do so because they have suffered an attachment injury, characterized by an abandonment or betrayal during a time of critical need. This follow-up assessed the efficacy of the newly developed Attachment Injury Resolution Model based in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Twelve couples with attachment injuries who received EFT were assessed to determine if the significant improvement in relationship distress observed in resolved couples at post-treatment would be maintained at 3-year follow-up. Results demonstrated that improvements in dyadic adjustment, trust, and forgiveness, as well as decreases in the severity of the attachment injury, were maintained over time. This follow-up study provides initial evidence of the long-term benefits of the Attachment Injury Resolution Model.
The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a brief version of behavioral couples therapy (B-BCT) with substance-abusing patients (n = 184) and their nonsubstance-abusing intimate partners. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment conditions: (a) B-BCT, (b) standard behavioral couples therapy (BCT), (c) individual-based therapy (IBT), or (d) a psychoeducational attention control treatment (PACT). Equivalency testing revealed that, compared to BCT, B-BCT had equivalent posttreatment and 12-month posttreatment substance use outcomes. In addition, during the 12-month follow-up period, participants in the B-BCT condition had significantly higher dyadic adjustment and significantly lower substance use frequency than those in IBT or PACT. B-BCT was found to be more cost-effective than BCT, IBT, or PACT. Demonstration of clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of B-BCT addresses one of the major barriers to diffusion of behaviorally oriented couples therapy into treatment programs.
This article presents the basis for, and the research on, emotionally focused couples therapy (EFT), now recognized as one of the most researched and most effective approaches to changing distressed marital relationships. Drawing on attachment theory and the research on interactional patterns in distressed relationships, we describe the theoretical context of EFT. We then outline the nature of the clinical interventions used in EFT and the steps hypothesized to be crucial to couple change. The central role of accessing and working with emotional issues in the relationship context is highlighted. Following this presentation, we review both the outcome and process research on EFT and present meta-anarytic data from randomized clinical trials to substantiate the clinical impact of EFT on couple adjustment. Finally, the empirical and clinical challenges facing EFT are summarized.
Using data from 198 couples, this study examines whether associations between stress occurring outside of the dyad and key indicators of relationship functioning are mediated by stress arising within the dyad. Findings suggest that relationship satisfaction and sexual activity are governed by hassles and problems experienced within the dyad that are in turn related to stress arising outside the dyad. Associations between external stress and relationship functioning are stronger for daily hassles than for critical life events. Higher levels of daily stress predicted less sexual activity for maritally dissatisfied women and more sexual activity for maritally dissatisfied men. Self-reports of stress covaried with self-reported indexes of satisfaction and sexuality, suggesting that contextual influences are broadly influential in intimate relationships.
How to maintain relatedness in the context of being harmed by an intimate other poses a particular challenge. Forgiveness provides a way of meeting this challenge as it removes the barrier to relatedness caused by a transgression. This article therefore offers an analysis of forgiveness and how it can be studied in close relationships. The chapter concludes by discussing avenues of future research and practice.
Due to methodological limitations, past meta-analytic research was not able to identify which treatment was most effective for specific marital distress levels. By converting pre-and post-test scores from marital research into equivalent Dyadic Adjustment Scale scores, it was possible to isolate mild, moderate, and severe levels of mar-ital distress. Results show that Emotionally Focused Therapy is sig-nificantly more effective than isolated Behavioral Marital Therapy interventions for the treatment of moderate marital distress. Future directions of outcome research are also discussed. Over the years, researchers in the field of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) have attempted to validate the profession's existence through out-come studies and meta-analyses. The results of these studies did exactly what they were designed to do, they took a wide-angled snapshot of the field and everyone looked good from a distance. All meta-analyses to date have shown positive results when MFT has been compared to no treatment (e.g.
In the past 15 years schema therapy developed into a distinct therapy method within Cognitive Behavioural Therapies. As a specific contribution it explains current maladaptive behaviour based on early acquired schemas distorting the personality structure and operating behind the clinical symptoms. Thus many aspects of psychodynamic therapeutic concepts enter behaviour therapy, especially leading to a change in the comprehension of therapy relationship. The article introduces the 3 core elements of a schema therapy: The biographical model, the activating experiential techniques, and the therapy relationship, whilst taking into consideration an accepting attitude.
Emotionally focused couple therapy with intercultural couples In the past three decades, there has been an unprecedented increase in the number of intercultural marriages worldwide (Frame, 2004; Molina, Estrada, & Burnett, 2004; Waldman & Rubalcava, 2005). Intercultural relationships typically refer to a union between partners from different racial, ethnic, national, or religious backgrounds (Ho, 1990). Although all couples negotiate their individual differences to a certain extent, intercultural couples are faced with a “synergy of differences” that often taxes the relationship (Sullivan & Cottone, 2006). Despite the prevalence of intercultural marriages and the unique stresses of such relationships, including higher rates of divorce and a greater tendency to be in second marriages compared with intracultural couples (Gaines & Agnew, 2003; Gaines & Ickes, 1997; Gaines & Liu, 2000; Waite, Bachrack, Hindin, Thomson, & Thornton, 2000), the impact of cultural factors in couple therapy has largely been ignored, with a few notable ...
Chapter 18 discusses integrative problem-centered therapy (IPCT), and covers its central tenets, how assessment, diagnosis, or problem formulation is organized around four concepts: the presenting problem, the patient system, the adaptive solution, and the problem maintenance structure, the process of change (ongoing intervention and assessment), guiding premises, the therapy relationship, empirical research, and future directions.
Intimate emotional and sexual relationships outside of marriage or a committed relationship occur with high frequency in both community and, particularly, clinical populations. Infidelity is the most frequently cited cause of divorce and is described by couple therapists as among the most difficult problems to treat. In this article, the authors describe a three-stage model for helping couples move past an affair, including (a) dealing with the initial impact, (b) exploring contributing factors and finding meaning, and (c) reaching an informed decision about how to move on—whether together or apart. This intervention draws on the theoretical and empirical literature regarding traumatic response as well as interpersonal forgiveness and incorporates empirically supported interventions from both cognitive-behavioral and insight-oriented approaches to treating couple distress. Preliminary empirical findings support the efficacy of this affair-specific intervention.
Emotions seem to come and go as they please. However, we actually hold considerable sway over our emotions: We influence which emotions we have and how we experience and express these emotions. The process model of emotion regulation described here suggests that how we regulate our emotions matters. Regulatory strategies that act early in the emotion-generative process should have quite different outcomes than strategies that act later. This review focuses on two widely used strategies for down-regulating emotion. The first, reappraisal, comes early in the emotion-generative process. It consists of changing how we think about a situation in order to decrease its emotional impact. The second, suppression, comes later in the emotion-generative process. It involves inhibiting the outward signs of emotion. Theory and research suggest that reappraisal is more effective than suppression. Reappraisal decreases the experience and behavioral expression of emotion, and has no impact on memory. By contrast, suppression decreases behavioral expression, but fails to decrease the experience of emotion, and actually impairs memory. Suppression also increases physiological responding in both the suppressors and their social partners.
Previous research has shown that spousal materialism is negatively associated with marital satisfaction. However, researchers have yet to determine if this association is due to value differences between spouses or if materialism is problematic even when partners place a similar priority on money and material goods. Using 1,734 married couples, we developed a typology of couple materialism to investigate how congruent and incongruent patterns of materialism between spouses influence marital outcomes. We found that materialism had a negative association with marital quality, even when spouses were unified in their materialistic values. Marriages in which both spouses reported low materialism were better off on several features of marital quality when compared to couples where one or both spouses reported high materialism. Implications are drawn for therapists and financial counselors working with couples dealing with financial strain or conflict related to economic issues.
This study reports on the development of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, a new measure for assessing the quality of marriage and other similar dyads. The 32 item scale is designed for use with either married or unmarried cohabiting couples. Despite widespread criticisms of the concept of adjustment, the study proceeds from the pragmatic position that a new measure, which is theoretically grounded, relevant, valid, and highly reliable, is necessary since marital and dyadic adjustment continue to be researched. This factor analytic study tests a conceptual definition set forth in earlier work and suggests the existence of four empirically verified components of dyadic adjustment which can be used as subscales [dyadic satisfaction, dyadic cohesion, dyadic consensus and affectional expression]. Evidence is presented suggesting content, criterion related, and construct validity. High scale reliability is reported. The possibility of item weighting is considered and endorsed as a potential measurement technique, but it is not adopted for the present Dyadic Adjustment Scale. It is concluded that the Dyadic Adjustment Scale represents a significant improvement over other measures of marital adjustment, but a number of troublesome methodological issues remain for future research.
The purpose of this article is to describe the rationale and methods of couple-based interventions designed to treat and prevent intimate partner violence. Cognitive, affective, and behavioral individual and couple risk factors for violence are reviewed, as are therapeutic concerns regarding the use of conjoint treatment. Current conjoint treatments that are intended to reduce the incidence of abusive behavior among couples in which one or both partners have engaged in forms of psychological and/or mild to moderate physical aggression, do not engage in battering or severe violence, and desire to improve their relationships and stay together are described. We focus on our Couples Abuse Prevention Program (CAPP) that compares the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral couple therapy procedures and treatment as usual at a university-based couple and family therapy clinic. Outcomes from the CAPP project and evaluations of the other programs demonstrate the potential of judiciously applied conjoint interventions for aggressive behavior in couple relationships.
Working with couples who are both survivors of emotional abuse and are currently in an emotionally abusive relationship can be particularly challenging for the clinician. This article focuses on Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy as a recommended practice approach for clients who are caught in emotionally abusive patterns with one another. The article reviews relevant literature on this approach and illustrates the specific interventions applied lo an emotionally abusive couple.
If couples therapy is to produce real transformation, authors Leslie S. Greenberg and Rhonda N. Goldman argue, the process must be
hot: Emotion must be activated. Emotion fuels conflicts; therefore, therapists need to help couples get at the primary emotions that power negative interactional cycles and transform these emotions into more adaptive, functional ones. In
Emotion-focused couples therapy: The dynamics of emotion, love, and power, Greenberg and Goldman explore the foundations of emotion-focused couples therapy (EFT-C) and expand its framework to focus more intently on the development of the self and relationships. The authors show how EFT-C can promote soothing and help clients deal with unmet needs from adulthood and childhood. They discuss the affect regulation involved in three major motivational systems central to couples therapy--attachment, identity, and attraction--and clarify the role of emotions and motivations in the dominance dimension of couples interactions. Written with practitioners and graduate students in mind, the chapters present a rich variety of case material to demonstrate how working with emotions can facilitate change in couples and, by extension, in all situations in which people may be in emotional conflict with others. Greenberg and Goldman provide the tools needed to identify specific emotions and show the reader how to work with them to resolve conflict and promote bonding in couples therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Reviews the major findings from a multiproject meta-analysis of the effects of marital and family therapy (MFT). Across 163 randomized trials, MFT demonstrated moderate, statistically significant, and often clinically significant effects. No orientation was yet demonstrably superior to any other, nor was MFT superior to individual therapy. Cost-effectiveness information was scant but supportive. Randomized experiments yielded very different answers from nonrandomized experimental studies of the effects of MFT, calling into question whether the 2 types should be mixed in reviews. New differences were found in the ways that marital therapy (MT) and family therapy (FT) studies are conducted, making them harder to compare. Questions still exist about whether any psychotherapy, including MFT, yet has sufficient information about how well research generalizes to everyday clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
the Experiencing Scale was developed from Gendlin's experiential and Rogers' client-centered theories to capture the essential quality of a client's involvement in psychotherapy
in addition to the basic Patient Experiencing Scale, we have recently made efforts to adapt the rating method to group interactions, therapist behavior, and standardized assessment interviews / these adaptations will be described
technical description of the Experiencing Scale
validity / experiencing and personality / facilitation of experiencing / experiencing and therapist conditions or interventions / experiencing and therapy outcome / experiencing in groups / the Therapist Experiencing (EXP) Scale (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Many well-trained therapists who do excellent work with African American families find that they encounter unexpected difficulties when they are treating African American couples, or when the focus in family treatment shifts from child-centered to male–female dynamics in Black couples today, and how family socialization practices in African American families have contributed to these dynamics. This chapter addresses these topics and their implications for family and couple therapy. Specific issues addressed include: race and gender; presentation of African American couples in therapy; and countertransferential issues for Black and White therapists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
For much of the last century, there has been a longstanding and largely unchallenged position held by providers in the substance abuse treatment community, as well as by the public more generally, that alcoholism and drug abuse are fundamentally problems of the individual and are thus most appropriately addressed on an individual basis. However, of the various family-based intervention approaches that have been developed and used by providers to treat substance abuse by adults, partner-involved therapies have received the most attention. Indeed, among the various psychosocial interventions presently available to treat alcoholism and substance abuse, it could be reasonably argued that partner-involved treatments are the most broadly efficacious. There is not only substantial empirical support for the use of couple-based treatments in terms of improvements in primary targeted outcomes such as substance use and relationship adjustment, but also in other areas that are of clear public health significance, including intimate partner violence, children's adjustment, and cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness. Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) currently has the strongest empirical support for its effectiveness. In this chapter, we will (a) provide a conceptual rationale as to why couples therapy for substance-abusing patients may be particularly appealing compared to more traditional individual-based approaches; (b) describe theoretical and practical considerations when implementing couples therapy with these patients; (c) examine available evidence as to the efficacy of couples therapy with alcoholic and drug-abusing patients; and (d) discuss future directions with respect to partner-involved therapies with these patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
To have a successful marriage, couples need to develop the ability to accept the unchangeable and change what can be changed. This realistic premise is at the heart of integrative couple therapy, the 1st approach to embrace both techniques for fostering acceptance and techniques for fostering change.
The book offers . . . clinical detail on how to develop a formulation encompassing the couple's disparate conflict areas, enhance intimacy through acceptance, build tolerance for difference, and improve communication and problem-solving. The clinical implications of diversity in gender, culture, ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation are taken into account, as are issues related to domestic violence, infidelity, depression, and drug and alcohol addiction.
Integrative couple therapy creates a context in which partners can accept in each other what cannot be changed, change what they can, and compassionately, realistically recognize the difference. [This book is intended] for every marital therapy student and practitioner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Describes a new program that evaluates the effects of marital therapy on the marital problems associated with depression, as well as on the depressive symptoms themselves. It is hoped that marital therapy will facilitate both recovery from depression and the long-term maintenance of the positive changes, especially when it is conducted concurrently with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for the depressed spouse alone. The treatment model used for working with couples is a social learning or behavior marital therapy model with recent modifications designed to deal more effectively with cognitive and affective components of relationships. CBT includes many techniques for modifying dysfunctional cognitions, including behavioral experiments that are designed to test specific beliefs held by the depressed client. The use of CBT as a vehicle for overcoming excessive dependency and powerlessness and for enhancing social support is discussed. It is concluded that the treatment of depression is moving in an interpersonal direction because depression seems to keep recurring, and impairments in intimate relationships seem to be one of the main factors associated with recurrence. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This paper presents a five year follow-up investigation of former marital therapy clients and aims at answering the two questions: “Does Marital Therapy do any lasting good?” and if it does, “Which kinds of marital therapy do the most lasting good?” Conjoint and non-conjoint forms of marital therapy were compared to divorce rates and whether or not a poor, moderate or good outcome resulted. The findings generally indicated conjoint forms of marital therapy were superior to non-conjoint forms.
The therapeutic alliance concept has been confined primarily to the literature on individual psychotherapy. This paper formally introduces the concept into the family and marital therapy domain and presents various clinical hypotheses about the nature of the alliance and its role in familyand marital therapy. A systemic perspective is brought to bear on the concept within individual psychotherapy. A new, integrative definition of the alliance is presented that conceptualizes individual, couple and family therapy as occurring within the same systemic framework. The implications of this integrative-alliance concept for family, couple and individual therapy research are examined. Three new system-ically oriented scales to measure the alliance in individual, couple and family therapy are presented along with some preliminary data on their methodological characteristics.
This article overviews significant developments in couple therapy over the last decade. Key trends include: (1) couple therapy becoming firmly established as the accepted treatment of choice for couple problems, (2) the blossoming of the science of relationships, (3) strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of couple therapy both for relationship problems and DSM disorders, (4) greater understanding of the ramifications of gender, (5) new respect for the diversity of family forms, (6) increased accent on the role of emotion, (7) the influence of postmodernism, (8) greater recognition of couple violence, and (9) the move toward integration across models of treatment.