THE ONGOING EVOLUTION OF BEHAVIORAL COUPLES THERAPY - RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT

Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) was first described thirty years ago, and the conceptual basis of the approach has been evolving ever since . Whilst BCT in its current form is a well established treatment for r elationship problems, there are significant limitations to its efficac y, and there are a number of new developments intended to enhance the efficacy of the approach. Currently BCT primarily is a skills training therapy, targeting change in couple's interactions to promote greater relationship satisfaction. Current developments focus on broadening t his traditional emphasis on changing couple interactions to greater at tention to reducing negative emotional responses to partner behaviors (increasing acceptance), and increasing self-directed personal change efforts. Future developments of BCT are likely to pay greater attentio n to different types of couple interaction which are associated with s ustained relationship satisfaction, the individual vulnerabilities par tners bring to relationships, and the environmental stresses impinging upon the couple. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.