Observed communication in couples two years after integrative and traditional behavioral couple therapy

Outcome and link with five-year follow-up

Dados Bibliográficos

ID5840147
AutoresKatherine J W Baucom (0000-0002-0011-2526, University of California, Los Angeles), Mia Sevier (California State University, Fullerton), Kelly A Eldridge (0000-0001-7842-643X, Pepperdine University), Kathleen A Eldridge, Brian D Do (0000-0002-8039-848X, University of Miami), Brian D Doss, Andrew Christensen (0000-0002-1694-7050, University of California, Los Angeles)
Ano2011
Volume79
Fascículo5
Páginas565-576
Data de publicação2011-09-26
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0022-006X • E-ISSN: 1939-2117
EditoraAmerican Psychological Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1037/a0025121
PMID21942502
PMCIDPMC3339273
OpenAlexW2109330683
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas10
Referências citadas15

To examine changes in observed communication after therapy termination in distressed couples from a randomized clinical trial.A total of 134 distressed couples were randomly assigned to either traditional behavioral couple therapy (TBCT; Jacobson & Margolin, 1979) or integrative behavioral couple therapy (IBCT; Jacobson & Christensen, 1998). Videotaped samples of each couple's interactions were coded from pre-therapy, post-therapy, and 2-year follow-up assessments. At these 3 time points, each partner chose 1 current relationship problem to discuss. Relationship satisfaction was assessed at 2-year follow-up, and clinically significant treatment response and marital status were assessed 5 years after treatment.Observed negativity and withdrawal decreased from therapy termination through the 2-year follow-up as expected, but problem solving did not change, and observed positivity decreased. IBCT produced superior changes from post-therapy to the 2-year follow-up assessment compared with TBCT. Post-therapy levels and changes in communication over follow-up were associated with wife satisfaction at 2-year follow-up; only post-therapy to 2-year follow-up changes in communication were associated with husband satisfaction at 2-year follow-up. Post-therapy levels of problem solving and changes in wives' positivity from pre-therapy to post-therapy were associated with 5-year relationship outcomes. We found some counterintuitive results with positivity, but they were no longer significant after controlling for withdrawal.We found support for improvements in observed communication following treatment termination, with IBCT demonstrating greater maintenance of communication improvement over follow-up. We found limited evidence of associations between communication and relationship outcomes at 5-year follow-up

Marital Therapy · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics · Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications