Expectations About Couple Therapy Over Time

Keywords

Expectations, Couple therapy, Expectancy effects

Abstract

One common factor of therapy, expectations, has been demonstrated to be a significant contributor to outcome in individual therapy. Despite this, little is known about expectations about couple therapy. This paper presents the qualitative results of a study exploring clients’ expectations before beginning couple therapy and after six sessions. Results indicate that clients form pre-therapy expectations about their therapist, the process of therapy, and their partner. Results also showed that after six sessions, clients’ expectations about therapy were often met or modified in ways that were positive. Implications for therapists and researchers are included.

Original Publication Citation

Tambling, R.B., Anderson, S.R., & Wong, A.G. (2016). Expectations about couple therapy over time. Contemporary Family Therapy, 38, 353-360. DOI: 10.1007/s10591-016-9390-x

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2016-08-18

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/5312

Publisher

Contemporary Family Therapy

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Family Life

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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