Couples' Experience of Enactments and Softening in Marital Therapy

Keywords

therapy, relational mediation, therapist coaching

Abstract

Softening is empirically related to therapy outcome. enactments are conceptualized as an effective mechanism for relational mediation and a potentially useful tool for fostering softening. Recent scholarly work has expanded upon existing operationalization of enactments by sequencing them developmentally and adapting them to varying levels of couple reactivity and volatility (Butler & Gardner, 2003). This research utilized qualitative methodology to test questions raised by this developmental model of enactments. Results indicated that volatile couples generally viewed carefully structured, enactments with micro-process intervention more positively than they viewed free-form enactments with therapist coaching. Less volatile couples, however, accommodated both kinds of enactments and reported advantages for each. overall, findings provide tentative support for the appropriateness of a component additive approach to enactments, as described in Butler and Gardner's developmental model.

Original Publication Citation

Butler, M. H.*, Andersson, L. G.*, & Seedall, R. B.* (2006). Couples’ experience of enactments and softening in marital therapy. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 34(4), 301-315.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2007-02-23

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/7257

Publisher

The American Journal of Family Therapy

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Family Life

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

Link to Full Text

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