title: A Longitudinal View of the Association Between Therapist Warmth and Couples' In-Session Process: An Observational Pilot Study of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy.
abstract: This longitudinal dyadic clinical process study used coded data from eleven couples to determine the influence of therapist warmth behaviors on couples' warmth behaviors over time in therapy. 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. Findings were mixed. There was no significant relationship between therapist warmth toward wife and wife warmth toward husband; however, there was a significant relationship between therapist warmth toward husband and husband warmth toward wife. Findings demonstrated that 62.9% of the variance in husband warmth toward wife was accounted for by therapist warmth to husband across time in therapy. Specifically, therapist warmth toward husband was significantly and positively related to husband warmth toward wife over time in therapy. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Brigham Young University.
authors.forename: Lori C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Schade
authors.affiliation: Brigham Young University.
authors.forename: Jonathan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.affiliation: Brigham Young University.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bradford
authors.affiliation: Brigham Young University.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.affiliation: Brigham Young University.
authors.forename: Julianne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holt-Lunstad
authors.affiliation: Brigham Young University.
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019546:Couples Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D055815:Young Adult