Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
SpringerLink
Log in

Research About Couple and Family Therapy

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy

  • 91 Accesses

Name of the Concept

Research in couple and family psychology

Introduction

The research foundations of Couple and Family Therapy (CFT) span more than 45 years and are vast, multidimensional, and dynamic providing a strong foundation for clinical practice. Research by early pioneers focused established family therapy as an effective and clinically useful approach to treatment. This early focus has set the stage for a long and enduring history of clinical trial research focusing on the outcomes and effective processes of Couple and Family Therapy. The strong research foundation is a cornerstone of clinical practice and has helped establish the field as a viable and important one in the larger landscape of behavioral health care and psychotherapy. Currently research on the effectiveness of Couple and Family Therapy interventions is not only methodological complex and community-based helping unravel the complexities of family relationships and clinical change in real-life clinical contexts....

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Barbato, A., & D’Avanzo, B. (2008). Efficacy of couple therapy as a treatment for depression: A meta-analysis. Psychiatric Quarterly, 79(2),121–132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126–008–9068–0.

  • Baucom, D. H., Shoham, V., Mueser, K. T., Daiuto, A. D., & Stickle, T. R. (1998). Empirically supported couple and family interventions for marital distress and adult mental health problems. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66(1), 53–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beach, S. R. H., Fincham, F. D., & Katz, J. (1998). Marital therapy in the treatment of depression: Toward a third generation of therapy and research. Clinical Psychology Review, 18(6), 635–661.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birmaher, B., Brent, A. D., David, K., Marianne, B., Jeffrey, B., Diane, H., Satish, I., & Elena, U. (2000). Clinical outcome after short-term psychotherapy for adolescents with major depressive disorder. Archives of general psychiatry, 57, 29–36. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.57.1.29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brent, D. A., Holder, D., & Kolko, D., et al. (1997). A clinical psychotherapy trial for adolescent depression comparing cognitive, family, and supportive therapy. Archives of general Psychiatry, 54(9):877–885. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1997.01830210125017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, A. (2009a). The effectiveness of family therapy and systemic interventions for adult-focused problems. Journal of Family Therapy, 31, 46–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, A. (2009b). The effectiveness of family therapy and systemic interventions for child-focused problems. Journal of Family Therapy, 31, 3–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, A. (2014a). The evidence base for family therapy and systemic interventions for child-focused problems. Journal of Family Therapy, 36(2), 107–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, A. (2014b). The evidence base for couple therapy, family therapy and systemic interventions for adult-focused problems. Journal of Family Therapy, 36(2), 158–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chambless, D. L., & Hollon, S. D. (1998). Defining empirically supported therapies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66(1), 7–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cuijpers, P. (1999). The effects of family interventions of relatives’ burden: A meta-analysis. Journal of Mental Health, 8(3), 275–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Datchi, C., & Sexton, T. L. (2011). Integrating research and practice through intervention science: New developments in family therapy research. In T. L. Sexton & J. Lebow (Eds.), Handbook of family therapy (2nd ed.). New York: Brunner-Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Datchi, C., & Sexton, T. L. (2016). Integrating Research and Practice through Intervention Science. In T. L. Sexton & J. Lebow (Eds). Handbook of Family Therapy (pp 434–453). Routledge, NY: NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, G., & Liddle, H. A. (1996). Resolving a therapeutic impasse between parents and adolescents in multidimensional family therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(3), 481–488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, M. E., & Steinglass, P. (1995). Family therapy treatment outcomes for alcoholism. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 21, 475–509. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.1995.tb00176.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, P. D., & Welsh, C. B. (2003). Family-based Prevention of Offending: A Meta-analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 36, 127–151. https://doi.org/10.1375/acri.36.2.127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flicker, S. M., Waldron, C. W., Waldron, H. B., Brody, J. L., & Ozechowski, T. J. (2008). Ethnic background, therapeutic alliance, and treatment retention in functional family therapy with adolescents who abuse substances. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(1), 167–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedlander, M. L., Escudero, V., Heatherington, L., & Diamond, G. M. (2011). Alliance in couple and family therapy. Psychotherapy, 48(1), 25–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedlander, M. L., Wildman, J., Heatherington, L., & Skowron, E. A. (1994). What we do and don't know about the process of family therapy. Journal of Family Psychology, 8(4), 390–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, L. S., & Pinsof, W. M. (1986). Process research: Current trends and future perspectives. In L. S. Greenberg & W. M. Pinsof (Eds.), The psychotherapeutic process: a research handbook. Guilford clinic psychology & psychotherapy series (pp. 3–20). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenman, P. S., & Johnson, S. M. (2013). Process research on emotionally focused therapy (EFT) for couples: Linking theory to practice. Family Process, 52, 46–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12015.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gurman, A. S. (1971). Group marital therapy: Clinical and empirical implications for outcome research. International Journal of Psychotherapy, 21, 174–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gurman, A. S. (1973). The effects and effectiveness of marital therapy: A review of outcome research. Family Process, 12, 45–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gurman, A. S., & Kniskern, D. P. (Eds.). (1981). Handbook of family therapy (Vol. 2). Philadelphia: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurman, A. S., Kniskern, D. P., & Pinsof, W. M. (1986). Research on marital and family therapies. In S. L. Garfield & A. E. Bergin (Eds.), Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (3rd ed., pp. 565–624). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hahlweg, K., & Wiedemann, G. (1999). European archives of psychiatry and clinical neurosciences 249(Suppl 4): S108. https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00014179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heatherington, L., Friedlander, M. L., & Greenberg, L. (2005). Change process research in couple and family therapy: Methodological challenges and opportunities. Journal of Family Psychology, 19(1), 18–27. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.19.1.18.2.147.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lebow, J. (2013). Editorial: couple therapy and family therapy. Family Process, 52, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12027.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lebow, J. L. (2014). Couple and family therapy: An integrative map of the territory. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Lucksted, A., McFarlane, W., Downing, D., Dixon, L., & Adams, C. (2012). Recent developments in family psychoeducation as an evidence-based practice. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 38(1), 101–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mari, J., & Streiner, D. L. (1994). An overview of family interventions and relapse on schizophrenia: Meta-analysis of research findings. Psychological Medicine, 24(3), 565–578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McFarlane, W. R. (2006). Family expressed emotion prior to onset of psychosis. In S. R. H. Beach, M. Z. Wamboldt, N. J. Kaslow, R. E. Heyman, M. B. First, L. G. Underwood, & D. Reiss (Eds.), Relational processes and DSM-V: Neuroscience, assessment, prevention and treatment (pp. 77–87). Arlington: American Psychiatric Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melidonis, G. G., & Bry, B. H. (1995). Effects of therapist exceptions questions on blaming and positive statements in families with adolescent behavior problems. Journal of Family Psychology, 9(4), 451–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinsof, W., Knobloch-Fedders, L. M., & Mann, B. J. (2007). Therapeutic alliance and treatment progress in couple therapy. Journal of Marital & Family Therapy, 33(2), 245–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinsof, W. M., & Wynne, L. C. (1995). Toward progress research: Closing the gap between family therapy practice and research. Journal of Family and Marital Therapy, 26, 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powers, M. B., Vedel, E., & Emmelkamp, P. M. G. (2008). Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) for alcohol and drug use disorders: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 28(6), 952–962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2008.02.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Retzlaff, R., von Sydow, K., Beher, S., Haun, M., & Schweitzer, J. (2013). The efficacy of systemic therapy for internalizing and other disorders of childhood and adolescence: A systematic review of 38 randomized trials. Family Process, 52, 619–652.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robbins, M. S., Alexander, J. F., Newell, R. M., & Turner, C. W. (1996). The immediate effect of reframing on client attitude in family therapy. Journal of Family Psychology, 10(1), 28–34. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.10.1.28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robbins, M. S., Alexander, J. F., & Turner, C. W. (2000). Disrupting defensive family interactions in family therapy with delinquent youth. Journal of Family Psychology, 14(4), 688–701.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, S. E., Liddle, H. A., & Dakof, G. A. (1996). Changes in parenting practices and adolescent drug abuse during multidimensional family therapy. Journal of Family Psychology, 10(1), 12– 27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sexton, T. L. (2011). Functional family therapy in clinical practice: An evidence-based treatment model for working with troubled adolescents. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sexton, T. L., & Datchi, C. C. (2014). The development and evolution of family therapy research: its impact on practice, current status, and future directions. Family Process, 53(3), 415–33. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12084.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sexton, T. L., Alexander, J. F., & Mease, A. L. (2004). Chapter 13: Levels of evidence for the models and mechanisms of therapeutic change in family and couple therapy. In M. Lambert (Ed.), Bergin and Garfield’s handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (5th ed., pp. 590–646). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sexton, T. L., & Coop Gordon, K. (2009). Science, practice, and evidence-based treatments in the clinical practice of family psychology. In J. H. Bray & M. Stanton (Eds.), The Wiley-Blackwell handbook of family psychology (pp. 314–326). Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Sexton, T. L., Gordon, K., Gurman, A., Lebow, J., Holtzworth-Munroe, A., & Johnson, S. (2011). Guidelines for classifying Evidence based treatments in couple and family psychology. Family Process, 50(3), 337–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sexton, T. L., Datchi, C., Evans, L., LaFollette, J., & Wrigth, L. (2013). The effectiveness of couple and family-based clinical interventions. In M. J. Lambert (Ed.), Bergin and Garfield’s handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (6th ed., pp. 587–639). Hoboken: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sexton, T. L., Robbins, M. S., Hollimon, A. S., Mease, A. L., & Mayorga, C. C. (2003). Efficacy, effectiveness, and change mechanisms in couple and family therapy. In T. L. Sexton, G. R. Weeks, & M. S. Robbins (Eds.), Handbook of family therapy (pp. 229–261). New York: Brunner-Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sexton, T. L., & Turner, C. W. (2010). The effectiveness of Functional Family Therapy for youth with behavioral problems in a community practice setting. Journal of Family Psychology, 24(3), 339–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shadish, W. R., & Baldwin, S. A. (2003). Meta-analysis of MFT interventions. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29(4), 547–570.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shadish, W. R., Ragsdale, K., Glaser, R. R., & Montgomery, L. M. (1995). The efficacy and effectiveness of marital and family therapy: A perspective from meta-analysis. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 21(4), 345–360. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752–0606.1995.tb00170.x

  • Sprenkle, D. (2002). Effectiveness research in marital and family therapy. Alexandria: American Association for Marital and Family Therapy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprenkle, D. (2012). Intervention research in couple and family therapy: A methodological and substantive review and an introduction to the special issue. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 38, 3–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanton, M. D., & Shadish, W. R. (1997). Outcome, attrition, and family-couples treatment of drug abuse: A meta-analysis and review of the con- trolled, comparative studies. Psychological Bulletin, 122(2), 170–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waldron, H. B. (1997). Adolescent substance abuse and family therapy outcome: A review of randomized trials. In T. H. Ollendick & R. J. Prinz (Eds.), Advances in clinical child psychology (Vol. 19, pp. 199–234). New York: Plenum.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Independent Practice, Bloomington, IN, USA

    Thomas L. Sexton

Authors
  1. Thomas L. Sexton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas L. Sexton .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Family Institute at Northwestern, Evanston, IL, USA

    Jay Lebow

  2. The Family Institute at Northwestern, Evanston, IL, USA

    Anthony Chambers

  3. The Family Institute at Northwestern, Evanston, IL, USA

    Douglas C. Breunlin

Section Editor information

  1. Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, USA

    Corinne Datchi

  2. The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    Ryan M. Earl

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Sexton, T.L. (2018). Research About Couple and Family Therapy. In: Lebow, J., Chambers, A., Breunlin, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8_137-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8_137-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-15877-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-15877-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation