Psychology Literature Paper

Analyzing the Effectiveness of Couples Therapy and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy

1. Introduction​: Begin by stating a statistical fact of the people who participate in couples therapy. Explain the variation of couples therapy and how it may have a positive effect on

troubled relationships. Finally, provide a thesis “Research suggests that engaging in couples and

emotionally focused therapy lowers distressed levels and has a positive effect on troubled relationships.”

2. Literature Review: a. Topics Sentence:​ Troubled relationships have shown high levels of distress for

various reasons, however, therapy has shown to have a positive effect on relationships.

b. Background Supporting Idea:​ Explain what couples and emotionally focused couples therapy is, the history, the process behind it, and how it has improved relationships.

c. Main Themes:​ Partaking in therapy, can result in lowering distressed levels and developing an overall healthier relationship.

3. Theme 1:​ Decrease in Emotional Distress Levels with CT a. Topics Sentence 1:​ Destress

i. Supporting Idea 1:​ ​Petch, J., Lee, J., Huntingdon, B., & Murray, J. “Almost all couples attending couple counselling initially reported relationship distress.” and “couple counselling attendance significantly improved relationship”

ii. Supporting Idea 2:​ ​Lundblad, A.-M., & Hansson, K. ​“In Sweden, couple therapy is primarily aimed to reduce marital distress” and “couple therapy outcome has concluded that couples with less distress”

b. Topics Sentence 2:​ Insecure attachment i. Supporting Idea 1:​ Johnson, L. N., Tambling, R. B., Mennenga, K. D.,

Ketring, S. A., Oka, M., … Miller, R. B. “many or most clients pre- sent in couple therapy with insecure attachments characterized by high levels of attachment anxi- ety or attachment avoidance” and “After couples therapy, the majority of participants did not report insecure attachment”.

ii. Supporting Idea 2:​ Example in CT c. Topics Sentence 3:​ Depression

i. Supporting Idea 1:​ ​Halford, W. K., Pepping, C. A., & Petch, J. “described a case of a highly distressed couple in which the woman was depressed” and “At the end of therapy, the woman was no longer depressed”

ii. Supporting Idea 2:​ ​Klann, N., Hahlweg, K., Baucom, D. H., & Kroeger, C. ​“explored the degree to which couple therapy altered the level of depression among these couples” and couple “therapy can be an efficacious intervention both for alleviating marital distress and decreasing depression.”

4. Theme 2:​ Decrease in Emotional Distress Levels with EFCT a. Topics Sentence 1:​ Destress

i. Supporting Idea 1:​ ​Greenberg, L., Warwar, S., & Malcolm, W. ​“Couples with emotional injuries such as these may appear similar to other distressed couples” and “EFT-C is an effective systemic approach that aims to modify distressed couples”

ii. Supporting Idea 2:​ ​Byrne, M., Carr, A., & Clark, M. ​“emotionally focused couples therapy (EFT, Johnson, 1996) in alleviating couple distress.” and “EFT groups showed statistically significant improvement in relationship distress”

b. Topics Sentence 2:​ Insecure attachment i. Supporting Idea 1:​ ​Woldarsky Meneses, C. ​“couples’ conflict emerges

from the pain and sense of despair that emerge when we feel that our partner fails to meet our adult needs for attachment” and “From an attachment perspective, these findings indicate that EFT-C helps couples move toward increased security.”

ii. Supporting Idea 2:​ ​Goldman, R. N., & Greenberg, L. ​“In Emotion-Focused Therapy for couples, we view the attachment bond and the security it provides as a central concern of most couples” and “method of self-soothing has been outlined and elaborated as helpful in engendering emotion regulation in individuals”

c. Topics Sentence 3:​ Depression i. Supporting Idea 1:​ ​Wiebe, S. A., & Johnson, S. M. ​“Emotionally

Focused Therapy for Couples researchers have examined whether EFT is effective for couples coping with the effects of depression” and “EFT demonstrated higher sexual desire and lower depressive symptomatology”

ii. Supporting Idea 2:​ ​Woldarsky Meneses, C. ​“EFT for couples is also considered an appropriate treatment for depressed women and their partners.” and “results indicated that the depressed partners in both groups demonstrated significant reductions in depressive symptoms”

5. Discussion: Restate purpose of paper, summarize themes and ideas

a. Limitations and Future Research: i. Limitation 1:​ Did not do a follow up

ii. Limitation 2:​ Variation in age iii. Limitation 3:​ Self reported results

b. Professional Application: i. 1:​ Therapist can advise couples to work on communication

ii. 2:​ Therapist can advise couples to work on time together and alone 6. Conclusion:

Restate thesis, summarize themes and ideas, and provide a take away message on the positive effects of therapy.