THE APPLICATION OF BEHAVIORAL COUPLES THERAPY TO THE ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF AGORAPHOBIA - IMPLICATIONS OF EMPIRICAL-RESEARCH

The present review was undertaken to examine the literature regarding the role of the marital relationship in treatment of agoraphobia from a behavioral couples therapy (BCT) perspective. Both qualitative and q uantitative analyses were conducted to evaluate (a) whether marital qu ality predicts treatment responsiveness and (b) how best to include th e spouse in treatment of agoraphobia. Regarding the assessment of agor aphobics' relationship quality, it is recommended that subjectively ex perienced 'satisfaction'' with the relationship be distinguished from more descriptive measures of general and agoraphobia-specific relation ship ''adjustment.'' Treatment can include the partner as a ''co-thera pist'' to assist with interventions directly targeted at the agoraphob ia, or use BCT interventions to modify relationship interactions that might impede treatment gains. The application of BCT for these couples poses a number of challenges, including(a) the need to maintain a bal anced treatment approach in an ''unbalanced'' system, (b) the need to target interventions at more than one treatment goal, and (c) the task of combining couple-focused interventions with those aimed at reducin g phobic symptoms. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.