title: Predicting Key Change Events in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy.
abstract: In emotionally focused couple therapy (EFT), the blamer-softening event helps individuals express and respond to partners' unmet attachment needs. This study examined the impact of this event in relation to attachment at intake and changes in marital satisfaction from pre- to posttherapy. Thirty-two couples were provided an average of 21 sessions of EFT. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that the occurrence of a softening event significantly predicted increased marital satisfaction. Furthermore, the occurrence of a softening event significantly moderated the relationship between attachment avoidance at intake and change in marital satisfaction from pre- to posttherapy. For couples who had a softening event, partners with higher levels of attachment avoidance were less likely to have positive changes in marital satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Greenbelt Family Health Team, Ottawa Couple and Family Institute.
authors.forename: Tracy L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Dalgleish
authors.affiliation: Ottawa Couple and Family Institute, University of Ottawa.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Emmrys, Dawe, Parlee & Associates, Mount Alison University.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burgess Moser
authors.affiliation: University of Ottawa.
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wiebe
authors.affiliation: The Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa.
authors.forename: Giorgio A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Tasca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019546:Couples Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D012539:Scapegoating; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires