title: Predicting Follow-up Outcomes in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy: The Role of Change in Trust, Relationship-Specific Attachment, and Emotional Engagement.
abstract: Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT), an evidence-based couple therapy (Johnson, Hunsley, Greenberg, & Schindler, 1999), strives to foster lasting change through the creation of secure attachment bonds in distressed couples. Although studies have demonstrated lasting change in follow-up (Wiebe et al., in press), research is needed to investigate predictors of long-term outcomes. Our goal was to investigate predictors of long-term outcomes in relationship satisfaction. Relationship satisfaction was assessed across 24 months in a sample of 32 couples who received an average of 21 EFT sessions. Decreases in attachment avoidance were most predictive of higher relationship satisfaction across follow-up. These findings support the theoretical assumption that EFT helps couples foster lasting change in relationship satisfaction through the facilitation of secure attachment bonds.
authors.affiliation: The Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa.
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wiebe
authors.affiliation: University of Ottawa, Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Emmrys, Dawe, Parlee Group, Mount Allison University.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burgess Moser
authors.affiliation: Greenbelt Family Health Team, Centre for Interpersonal Relationships.
authors.forename: Tracy L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Dalgleish
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; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011379:Prognosis; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology*