Abstract

This is a longitudinal multilevel analysis using third party coded data of 15 couples therapy sessions to identify which therapist Emotion Focused Therapy interventions (Management of Couple's Interaction, Working with Primary Emotion, Managing Defensive Responses, Reframing the Problem in Terms of the Cycle, and Placing Emerging Emotions into the Cycle) influenced husband-to-wife and wife-to-husband exchanges of Positive Behaviors (warmth, prosocial behaviors, communication, assertiveness, and listening). A mixed effects model was used to examine within- and between-individual variability. Men and women were modeled separately. A series of two-level multilevel models of change were examined, where Time is Level 1 and Individual is Level 2. Results indicated no significant relationship between Management of the Couple's Interaction, Managing Defensive Responses, and Reframing the Problem in Terms of the Cycle with both wife-to-husband and husband-to-wife positive behavior. Findings demonstrated that 44.5% of the variance in wife-to-husband positive behaviors and 66.5% of the variance in husband-to-wife positive behaviors was accounted for by the therapist Working with Primary Emotion and Placing Emerging Emotions in the Cycle. Specifically, these therapist interventions were significantly and negatively related to wife-to-husband and husband-to-wife positive behaviors over time in therapy. Clinical implications and directions for future research will be discussed.

Degree

PhD

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Marriage and Family Therapy

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2015-03-01

Document Type

Dissertation

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd7593

Keywords

EFT, couples therapy, therapist behavior, interactional coding, process research

Language

english

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