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Effects of Religious Commitment and Initial Distress on Effects of Religious Commitment and Initial Distress on Relationship Satisfaction in Hope-Focused Couple Therapy Relationship Satisfaction in Hope-Focused Couple Therapy

Katherine Partridge, BS; Anna Shirokova, MBA, MA; Jennifer Ripley, PhD;Aleksandra Wantke, MA; Stacey Villanueva, MA; Anastasia Whitesell, MA

Regent University

INTRODUCTION

METHOD

DISCUSSION

RESULTS

REFERENCES

Table 1. Means and Standard Deviations of Change in RDAS scores by Level of Initial Distress and Religious Commitment (N = 252)ABSTRACT

121st Annual Convention of the American Psychological AssociationDivision 36 Poster Session

Honolulu, HI, August 1, 2013 Correspondence: annashi@mail.regent.edu

This study explores how the levels of religious commitment and initial relational distress affect change in couples’ relationship satisfaction after Hope-focused couple therapy (HFCT). HFCT was developed as an approach to marriage counseling that is built on the Christian principles of hope, love, faith, and work. This treatment is available in two modalities: standard treatment and religion-accommodative treatment. Previous research has indicated that HFCT may be more effective than no treatment. However, few studies have explored the specifics of what makes this treatment approach effective. This study aims to address this gap in the literature. The study explored the hypothesis that participants who report low relational distress in the beginning of therapy will report the lowest increase in relationship satisfaction, and that participants with high levels of religious commitment will also report greater gains made in therapy. Results of the study indicated that both initial distress and religious commitment played an important role in couples’ gains made in therapy. It appeared that participants who entered therapy in a great deal of distress and who have high religious commitment may experience a greater change in their relationship satisfaction. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed in this presentation.

A 2 × 3 (Religious Commitment [low, high] × Initial Distress [low, moderate, severe]) ANOVA was conducted to investigate whether the level of religious commitment and initial relational distress would significantly affect change in participants’ relationship satisfaction after they had completed Hope-focused couple therapy.

Results of this study indicated that the level of religious commitment had a significant effect on participants’ change in relationship satisfaction, F(1, 246) = 7.84, p = .006, ηp² = .031. The level of initial relational distress also significantly influenced change in participants’ relationship satisfaction after completion of HFCT, F(2, 246) = 34.54, p < .001, ηp² = .219. Finally, the Religious Commitment × Initial Distress interaction was significant also significant, F(2, 246) = 7.34, p = .001, ηp² = .056.

Specifically, participants in the severely distressed group that also had high religious commitment reported the highest increase in their relationship satisfaction after completing HFCT (M = 16.11), followed by the severely distressed group with low religious commitment (M = 7.33) and the moderately distressed group with low religious commitment (M = 6.99). As hypothesized, the group of participants who reported low relational distress in the beginning of therapy reported the lowest increase in relationship satisfaction, and this change was not significantly different between participants with a low level of religious commitment (M = 1.39) when compared to those with high religious commitment (M = 2.09).

Results of the study indicated that both initial distress and religious commitment may play an important role in couples’ gains made in therapy. It appeared that participants who enter therapy in a great deal of distress and who have high religious commitment may experience higher change in their relationship satisfaction because they may have greater gains to be made in therapy, and because their religious values may motivate them to work on improving their relationship. Conversely, couples who report low levels of initial distress may have less potential to improve their already high functioning relationship, and this is why their level of religious commitment did not play a big role in the gains they reported after HFCT. As different outcomes were found for different groups, future research should continue to explore what aspects of HFCT are beneficial for whom.

ParticipantsA diverse group of participants (N = 252) of members of heterosexual couples from different ethnic, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds, that were highly representative of the local community population participated in this study. All participants completed HFCT between 2006 and 2010. Participants were recruited as part of a larger study in the clinical trial for the Hope Focused Approach to couple’s therapy (HFCT) at Regent University. Each couple completed 8-12 session of HFCT. Demographic data, as well as assessment data were gathered at the intake.

MeasuresThe Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS) was used as a measure of couples’ distress. RDAS is a widely used 14 item scale assessment of marital satisfaction (Busby, Crane, Larson, & Christensen, 1995). The RDAS is comprised of three subscales; Consensus, Satisfaction, and Cohesion. The Religious Commitment Inventory (RCI) was utilized to assess participant’s religious commitment. The RCI is a 10-item measure that was developed to be a used as a brief assessment of religious commitment. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1-Not at all true of me-5-Totally true of me). Some items (6) address intrapersonal commitment and some (4) interpersonal commitment. (Worthington et al., 2003).

Hope-Focused Couple Therapy (HFCT) was developed as an approach to marriage counseling that is built on the Christian principles of hope, love, faith, and work. The Hope Approach is an empirically validated couple’s enrichment program that uses a combination of behavioral and emotion focused interventions (Jakubowski, Milne, Brunner, & Miller, 2004; Worthington, 1999). Broadly, the Hope approach combines an emphasis on hope, simple but diverse techniques, emotional bonds, and forgiveness (Worthington, Ripley, Hook, Miller, & Crawford, 2007).

Previous research has indicated that HFCT may be more effective than no treatment. However, few studies have explored the specifics of what makes this treatment approach effective. This study aimed to address this gap in the literature. It is also explored what role initial relationship distress can play in the overall relationship improvement after HFCT. Couple’s initial distress level has been indicated as one of the strongest predictors of change in therapy (Johnson & Lebow, 2006). Moreover, couples with higher distress tend to have the least positive therapy outcomes (Jacobson & Addis, 1993). Finally, research suggested that Emotion Focused Marital Therapy may be more effective than Behavioral Marital Therapy for moderately distressed couples (Wood, Crane, Schaalje, & Law, 2006).

Busby, D. M., Christensen, C., Crane, D. R., & Larson, J. H. (1995). A revision of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale for use with distressed and nondistressed couples: Construct hierarchy and multidimensional scales. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 21, 289-308.

Jakubowski, S. F., Milne, E. P., Brunner, H., & Miller, R. B. (2004). A review of empirically supported marital enrichment programs. Family Relations, 53, 528-536.

Jacobson, N. S., & Addis, M. E. (1993). Research on couples and couple therapy: What do we know? Where are we going? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61, 85-93.

Johnson, S. M., & Lebow, J. (2000). The coming of age of couple therapy: A decade review. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 26, 23-38

Wood, N. D., Crane, D. R., Schaalje, G. B., & Law, D. D. (2005). What works for whom: A meta-analytic review of marital and couples therapy in reference to marital distress. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 33, 273-287.

Worthington, E. L., Jr. (1999). Hope-focused marriage counseling: A guide to brief therapy. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Worthington, E.L., Jr, Ripley, J.S., Hook, J.N., Miller, A.J. & Crawford, S. (2007). Why is the hope focused couple approach effective? Marriage and Family A Christian Journal.

Worthington, E. L., Jr., Wade, N. G., Hight, T. L., Ripley, J. S., McCullough, M. E., Berry, J. W., Schmitt, M. M., Berry, J. T., Bursley, K. H., & O’Conner, L. (2003). The religious commitment inventory-10: Development, refinement, and validation of a brief scale for research and counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 50, 84-96.

Variablen M SD

Initial Distress

Severe Distress 30 10.55 8.66

Moderate Distress 102 6.47 6.37

Low Distress 120 1.82 5.54

Religious Commitment

Low 130 4.98 6.89

High 122 4.49 7.12

Figure 1. Interaction Effects of Initial Distress and Religious Commitment