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Adapting Behavioural Marital Therapy to the Needs of a Secondary Marriage: A Case Evaluation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Adrian Kelly  and
W. Kim Halford
Adrian Kelly
Affiliation:
University of Queensland, Australia
W. Kim Halford
Affiliation:
University of Queensland, Australia
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Extract

This paper describes and evaluates the adaption of Behavioural Marital Therapy (BMT) to the needs of a couple in a secondary marriage (the husband was in his second marriage and brought three dependent children to this marriage). The couple presented with specific difficulties in negotiating parenting roles within the reconstituted family. BMT focused on promoting adaptive cognitions, affect and communication when discussing this specific issue. Evaluation used a multiple probe design assessing self-monitored stressful interactions about parenting, and daily marital satisfaction. Results showed significant reductions in the intensity and frequency of arguments from pre- to post-therapy, and increases in marital satisfaction. These gains were maintained at follow-up. Discussion focuses on future directions for adapting BMT to problems particular to secondary marriages.

Type
Clinical Section
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , April 1993 , pp. 115 - 125
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1993

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