Finding it difficult to overcome the emotional distress experienced when considering her husband's infidelity, a client seeks counselling support. The client's goal was to learn about herself and to use the experience as an opportunity for self transformation. The case study utilizes Attachment Theory and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help the…

Evidence suggests that parental marital discord contributes to the development of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in children and adolescents. Few studies, however, have examined the association between parental marital discord and youth's response to treatment. The present study examined the impact of interparental discord on treatment…

The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral marriage enrichment program to decrease the level of the dysfunctional attitudes of the couples. Forty participants with dysfunctional attitudes determined by The Dysfunctional Attitude Scale were randomly chosen as experimental and control groups. The results of the…

Investigated whether effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy would be increased by addition of cognitive restructuring and/or emotional expressiveness training for maritally distressed couples. Results from 60 such couples randomly assigned to a variety of treatment combinations revealed that the addition of cognitive restructuring and…

Evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy (BMT) in aiding distressed couples (N=30) and explored the relative effectiveness of cotherapists versus single therapist. Results affirmed the overall effectiveness of BMT. A cotherapy team and a single therapist were equally effective. No differences were found between immediate therapy…

Demonstrated the effect of a contingency contracting treatment package for treating a distressed couple. A multi-method assessment package was used. The treatment package was responsible for producing behavior change and changes in levels of satisfaction. Multi-assessments provided the therapist with concrete data on a couple's progress in…

This meta-analysis summarizes results from 30 randomized experiments that compare behavioral marital therapy with no-treatment control with distressed couples. Results showed that behavioral marital therapy is significantly more effective than no treatment (d=.585). Although behavioral marital therapy research studies tend to be conducted under…

Compared two behavioral treatments for marital discord with a nonspecific control and waiting-list control. Behavioral treatments combined problem-solving skills with contingency management procedures, differing only in contracting form, good faith contracts, and quid pro quo contracts. Both behavioral groups improved significantly more than…

Investigated the relative effectiveness of therapeutic components common to behavioral marital therapies: procedures designed to change behavior and attitudes, and nonspecific therapeutic effects. Ordering produced three treatment conditions--nonspecific, behavioral, and behavioral-attitudinal. The behavioral-attitudinal group showed significantly…

Examined impact, on couples planning marriage, of a cognitive-behavioral marital distress prevention program emphasizing communication and problem-solving skills, clarifying and sharing expectations, and sensual/sexual enhancement. Compared to controls, participants showed higher levels of relationship quality at the 18-month and three-year…

The techniques of initiating and terminating therapeutic encounters have been disproportionately represented in the literature of strategic therapy. Using the patient's own report, the middle phase of therapy for severe marital difficulty is illustrated. Central to the final outcome was a paradoxical instruction. (Author)

Compared relative effectiveness of two interventions in treatment of marital discord: a cognitive-behavioral intervention (teaching problem-solving skills) and an experiential intervention (focusing on emotional experiences). The effects of emotionally focused treatment were found to be superior to problem-solving treatment on marital adjustment,…

Used meta-analyses to determine the effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy (BMT) and premarital intervention (BPI) studies. Found gains that were generally maintained over time, and equal for couples in Europe and the United States. Demonstrated higher effect sizes for comparisons of BMT with no treatment placebo control groups, whereas the…

Behavioral Marital Therapy (BMT) is clinically useful because it includes elaborating procedures, modifying the spouse's self-defeating cognitions, and moving toward early intervention and prevention. Each article in this issue of American Journal of Family Therapy focuses on innovations in BMT, either in research or practice. (Author/NRB)

Assessed the prevalence and frequency of marital violence for 88 male alcoholics and their wives at entry to and 1 year after completing a behavioral marital therapy (BMT) program. Although violence and prevalence decreased significantly after treatment, the alcoholics' drinking outcome status was associated with the extent of violence after BMT.…