This study investigated the effects of the two kinds of marital therapy programs on couples volunteering to improve their relationships. Two groups of couples participated in the Minnesota Couples Communication Program. One of these groups was posttested immediately after treatment while the other was posttested six weeks following treatment. A third group of couples played the Family Contract Game which was adapted for couples in the present study. Finally, there was a waiting list Control group who received the same pretest and posttest procedures as the previous groups. All groups self-monitored throughout the 5 weeks during which treatment occurred as well as for 6 weeks following the termination of the treatment phase. A series of self-report, self-monitoring, and behavioural measures of all spouses were taken at the beginning and end of the treatment program. Couples in the Communications Program tested immediately following treatment decreased in the number of positive responses they gave while discussing problem issues, reported being less happy with their relationship, but spent more time together. Communications couples tested 6 weeks after treatment gave fewer negative responses when discussing a problem issue, received fewer pleasing and displeasing behaviours from their spouse, and spent more time together. Contracting couples gave more positive responses when discussing a problem issue, increased their reported happiness with their relationship and decreased in the number of displeasing behaviours received. Control couples decreased in their reported happiness with their relationship during the self-monitoring period, and at the time of posttesting reported spending more time together; they also requested fewer changes of their spouse in problem areas, and requested less change in the number of activities they wanted to do with their spouse. These results suggest that, at best, Communications Skills training has minimal behavioural change consequences for marital relationships, and at most, such training can result in iatrogenic effects. The Contracting procedure was the most effective in producing behavioural and subjective changes in marital relationships and would seem to hold the greatest promise for understanding and treating certain disturbed marital relations.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/10664 |
| Date | January 1978 |
| Creators | Stein, Steven J. |
| Publisher | University of Ottawa (Canada) |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 188 p. |
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