A Critical Review of Help-Seeking for Couples Therapy: Clinical Implications and Next Steps

Hubbard, Aimee K.; Harris, Steven M.

doi:10.1007/s10591-019-09521-w

Cited by 13 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The role of gender differences in delay in seeking couples therapy merits further exploration, along with various subpopulations' access to, and delays in seeking therapy for relationship problems. Of special interest would be racial and ethnic minority couples, and same-sex couples (Hubbard & Harris, 2020). For some groups, those delays may be lifelong because of structural and attitudinal barriers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As far as we can determine, Gottman first cited it 1999 and then in a number of subsequent publications (Gottman, 1999(Gottman, , 2011). It has appeared in many other peer-reviewed articles (e.g., Doss, 2009;Doss et al, 2003;Hubbard & Harris, 2020;Nightingale et al, 2019;Roddy et al, 2019;Trillingsgaard et al, 2019); in books (Berger & Hannah, 2013;Fraenkel, 2011;Hersen & Sturmey, 2012); and in several theses and dissertations (Austin, 2015;Demoe, 2015;Hazur, 2019;Ramboz, 2003). The language that precedes the citation is usually something like the following: "One study reported that the average wait time for couples to obtain professional help for their marriage after they have noticed serious marital problems is about 6 years" (Gottman, 2011, p. 425).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How long do people wait before seeking couples therapy? A research note

Doherty

Harris

Hall

et al. 2021

J Marital Family Therapy

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A widely cited but poorly supported idea in the couples therapy field is that the average couple waits six years before starting therapy for serious relationship problems. This figure is often accompanied by the notion that many couples come “too late” and have poor prospects for recovery. This is the first large‐sample study on the delay between the onset of serious marital problems and entry into couples therapy (N = 270) and individual therapy (N = 101) for relationship problems. We found an average interval of 2.68 years from onset of problems and entering couples therapy, with the great majority of couples entering therapy within two years. Findings were similar for seeking individual therapy for relationship problems. The main clinical implication is that therapists have little reason to be pessimistic about the majority of couples waiting so long before starting therapy that their problems are not resolvable.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

How long do people wait before seeking couples therapy? A research note

Doherty

Harris

Hall

et al. 2021

J Marital Family Therapy

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…As described previously, CHD prevalence and adverse outcomes among patients [ 56 , 204 , 205 ] and significant relationship distress and disruption are greater in lower SES populations, and among some ethnic and racial minority groups, especially African-Americans [ 206 , 207 ]. Also, manifestations and management of CHD differ for men and women [ 208 – 210 ], and the topics, severity, and urgency of intimate relationships difficulties may differ as well, especially among couples seeking therapy [ 211 , 212 ]. There are obvious communalities with men experiencing the disease (e.g., physical limitations, fear and uncertainty about future health and functioning, and sexual concerns) and research on psychosocial aspects women’s heart disease is growing [ 213 , 214 ], but more research and attention in clinical care for women is needed.…”

Section: Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intimate Relationships and Coronary Heart Disease: Implications for Risk, Prevention, and Patient Management

Smith

2022

Curr Cardiol Rep

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Purpose of Review Research and clinical services addressing psychosocial aspects of coronary heart disease (CHD) typically emphasize individuals, focusing less on the context of intimate relationships such as marriage and similar partnerships. This review describes current evidence regarding the role of intimate relationships in the development, course, and management of CHD. Recent Findings Having an intimate partner is associated with reduced risk of incident CHD and a better prognosis among patients, but strain (e.g., conflict) and disruption (i.e., separation, divorce) in these relationships are associated with increased risk and poor outcomes. These associations likely reflect mechanisms involving health behavior and the physiological effects of emotion and stress. Importantly, many other well-established psychosocial risk and protective factors (e.g., low SES, job stress, depression, and optimism) are strongly related to the quality of intimate relationships, and these associations likely contribute to the effects of those other psychosocial factors. For better or worse, intimate partners can also affect the outcome of efforts to alter health behaviors (physical activity, diet, smoking, and medication adherence) central in the prevention and management CHD. Intimate partners also influence—and are influenced by—stressful aspects of acute coronary crises and longer-term patient adjustment and management. Summary Evidence on each of these roles of intimate relationships in CHD is considerable, but direct demonstrations of the value of couple assessments and interventions are limited, although preliminary research is promising. Research needed to close this gap must also address issues of diversity, disparities, and inequity that have strong parallels in CHD and intimate relationships.

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“…However, none of these studies examined changes in intent-to-attend over time, nor dyadic influences over time that would result in decisions to attend or disengage from RE services. Finally, researchers highlight that few studies examine relational help-seeking as a dyadic process (Hubbard & Harris, 2020) and studies of help-seeking focus very little on nonclinical relationship interventions such as RE.…”

Section: Relational Help-seeking and Retention In Relationship Interv...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Intent‐to‐Attend to Predict Attendance in Community‐Based Relationship Education

et al. 2021

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Government‐supported relationship education has provided resources for inclusion of economically vulnerable and ethnically diverse participants; however, many grantees and programs struggled to retain couples in longitudinal studies, which has likely influenced study effects and threatened internal validity. In the present study, we assessed 1,056 couples’ baseline relationship satisfaction and intent‐to‐attend their next scheduled visit while participating in a randomized controlled trial of relationship education and evaluated the predictive ability of their responses to remain in the six‐month study. We conducted actor‐partner interdependence models for couples, using a probit cross‐lagged regression with a structural equation modeling framework, to test the dyadic influence of intent‐to‐attend on future couple attendance. We also examined the influence of higher or lower baseline relationship satisfaction between partners and group assignment (treatment or wait‐list control) on attendance. Intent‐to‐attend scores were associated with attendance for couples at the one‐month follow‐up, and early attendance was the biggest predictor of later attendance. Additionally, baseline intent‐to‐attend scores predicted later intent‐to‐attend scores for all follow‐up time points. However, we found no partner effects, and no effects for the influence of baseline relationship satisfaction or group assignment. We discuss practical suggestions for including intent‐to‐attend in future studies, relationship education programming, and general therapy practice.

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A Critical Review of Help-Seeking for Couples Therapy: Clinical Implications and Next Steps

Cited by 13 publications

References 37 publications

How long do people wait before seeking couples therapy? A research note

How long do people wait before seeking couples therapy? A research note

Intimate Relationships and Coronary Heart Disease: Implications for Risk, Prevention, and Patient Management

Using Intent‐to‐Attend to Predict Attendance in Community‐Based Relationship Education

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