TY - JOUR
T1 - Cognitive-behavioral and emotion-focused couple therapy
T2 - Similarities and differences
AU - Bodenmann, Guy
AU - Kessler, Mirjam
AU - Kuhn, Rebekka
AU - Hocker, Lauren
AU - Randall, Ashley K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 PsychOpen. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/9
Y1 - 2020/9
N2 - Background: Couples and families often seek therapy to deal with relational distress, which is a result of external or internal factors of the relationship. Two approaches are acknowledged to be most effective in dealing with relationship distress or psychological disorders in couples: (a) cognitive behavioral couple therapy with new directions (CBCT) and (b) emotion-focused couple therapy (EFCT). In this article we investigate how much CBCT and EFCT really differ with regard to working with emotions, which is claimed to be a major focus of EFCT, and whether there exist significant differences in efficacy between these two approaches. Method: This article critically reviews the theoretical background, process, techniques and outcomes associated with CBCT and EFCT in an effort to challenge the assumptions noted above. Results: There is no evidence that EFCT is more emotion-focused than CBCT. Both approaches were repeatedly examined with RCT studies with follow-ups. In sum, no significant differences in effect size were found between CBCT and EFCT. Conclusion: CBCT and EFCT are both effective in reducing couples' distress.
AB - Background: Couples and families often seek therapy to deal with relational distress, which is a result of external or internal factors of the relationship. Two approaches are acknowledged to be most effective in dealing with relationship distress or psychological disorders in couples: (a) cognitive behavioral couple therapy with new directions (CBCT) and (b) emotion-focused couple therapy (EFCT). In this article we investigate how much CBCT and EFCT really differ with regard to working with emotions, which is claimed to be a major focus of EFCT, and whether there exist significant differences in efficacy between these two approaches. Method: This article critically reviews the theoretical background, process, techniques and outcomes associated with CBCT and EFCT in an effort to challenge the assumptions noted above. Results: There is no evidence that EFCT is more emotion-focused than CBCT. Both approaches were repeatedly examined with RCT studies with follow-ups. In sum, no significant differences in effect size were found between CBCT and EFCT. Conclusion: CBCT and EFCT are both effective in reducing couples' distress.
KW - Cognitive behavioral couple therapy
KW - Couple therapy
KW - Efficacy
KW - Emotion-focused couple therapy
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U2 - 10.32872/cpe.v2i3.2741
DO - 10.32872/cpe.v2i3.2741
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85106506166
SN - 2625-3410
VL - 2
JO - Clinical Psychology in Europe
JF - Clinical Psychology in Europe
IS - 3
M1 - e2741
ER -