Couple Therapy

Objectives of Couple Therapy

In general, couple therapy targets those individual and relationship characteristics that have been shown to differentiate distressed from nondis-tressed couples. For example, distressed couples are distinguished by (a) higher rates of negative verbal and nonverbal exchanges (e.g., disagreements, criticism, hostility); (b) higher levels of reciprocity in negative behavior (i.e., the tendency for negativity in one partner to be followed by negativity in the other); (c) lengthier chains of negative behavior once initiated; (d) higher ratios of negative to positive behaviors, independent of their separate rates; and (e) lower rates of positive verbal and nonverbal behaviors (e.g., approval, empathy, smiling, positive touch). Distressed couples are also more likely than nondistressed couples to demonstrate a demand-withdraw pattern in which one person requests changes in behavior from the other partner and that partner withdraws, with the partners' respective approach and retreat behaviors progressively intensifying. Couples have higher long-term risk for distress or relationship dissolution when one or both partners exhibit criticism or contempt for the other or respond with defensiveness or withdrawal in response to disagreements.

Distressed partners also show a disproportionate tendency to blame each other for problems and to attribute each other's negative behaviors to broad and stable traits. For example, an argument about money late in the evening may be attributed to the other person's selfishness rather than to fatigue or an unexpected large bill that arrived earlier in the day. Distressed couples are also more likely to have unrealistic standards and assumptions about how relationships should work and lower expectancies regarding their partner's willingness or ability to change their behavior in some desired manner. Finally, consistent with findings regarding negative behaviors, distressed couples are distinguished from nondistressed couples by higher overall rates, duration, and reciprocity of negative emotions and, to a lesser extent, by lower rates of positive emotions.

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