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Review
. 2022 Jan;48(1):283-306.
doi: 10.1111/jmft.12552. Epub 2021 Dec 5.

A review of the research during 2010-2019 on evidence-based treatments for couple relationship distress

Brian D Doss  1 , McKenzie K Roddy  1 , Stephanie A Wiebe  2   3 , Susan M Johnson  3   4
Affiliations
Review

A review of the research during 2010-2019 on evidence-based treatments for couple relationship distress

Brian D Doss et al. J Marital Fam Ther. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

The current article presents a review of the published research from 2010 to 2019 on the treatment of couple relationship distress; 37 studies met all criteria for inclusion. Behavioral Couple Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Couple Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy meet criteria as "well-established" approaches, Insight-Oriented Couple Therapy is a "possibly efficacious" approach, and several other others are "experimental" treatments for treating couple relationship distress (Southam-Gerow & Prinstein, 2014). Furthermore, several less-intensive interventions-the Marriage Check-up, OurRelationship, and Hold Me Tight programs-have generated substantial support for their ability to improve relationships and are classified as "well-established" or "probably efficacious" interventions. We recommend that future research focus on expanding the reach of evidence-based interventions across a range of settings and populations, deepening our understanding of the mechanisms of change and underlying factors in the change process across approaches, and improving treatment success through treatment matching and progress monitoring.

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References

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