Couples coping enhancement training: Significance of training qulaty for compliance of pairs and changes in partnership quality in a longitudinal study

The Couples Coping Enhancement Training (CCET) (Bodenmann, 1996, 2000a) giv es theoretical imputs and practical advice in regard to the enhancement of couples' stress management during eighteen hours. Further the improvement o f their dyadic communication and their problem-solving are addressed. The g eneral effectiveness of the training is evaluated within one year with sati sfying results. The couples could significantly benefit from the training. The quality of their relationship, their competences and their general life satisfaction improved highly. An analysis of different improvement factors indicated that especially those couples improved most who practised the sk ills during everyday life. Together with the couple's own motivation we assume that the quality of the training itself as a treatment factor has an influence on the compliance o f the participating couple. As empirical studies have shown, treatment fact ors (beside client factors) are of high importance for the compliance in ps ychotherapy. Path analysis reveal an indirect impact of the evaluation of the perceived increase of cognitive and behavioral competences during the training on the improvement of the relationship quality two weeks and one year after the t raining. Implications for a further enhancement of the couple's benefit are discussed with regard to the teaching setting and coaching conditions.