SELF-REGULATION IN BEHAVIORAL COUPLES THERAPY

Traditionally, practitioners of Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT) condu ct conjoint therapy sessions attempting to change both partners' behav ior simultaneously. In this paper, we argue that often BCT implicitly focuses clients on changing their partners, which can be counter-produ ctive, and describe a self-regulation model of marital functioning tha t emphasizes individual responsibility through self-identification of behavioral excesses and deficits, self-defined behavior change goals, self-determination of performance standards and providing suitable con sequences. The self-regulation model can be applied within conjoint or individual therapy sessions addressing marital problems. From the sel f-regulation perspective, the process of marital therapy usually invol ves moving clients from a partner-blaming perspective, to a self-regul ation model of marital problems. This shift in perspective encourages clients to identify changes they can make to improve their relationshi p rather than depending upon change by their partners.