Research into Marriage Therapy

I thought this month I would summarize 2 studies that looked into the efficacy of the Gottman Method of marriage therapy.

Effectiveness of Gottman Method

• The first study was found in the The Family Journal in October of 2023 with the title of “A Pilot Study Examining the Effectiveness of Gottman Method Couples Therapy Over Treatment-as-Usual Approaches for Treating Couples Dealing with Infidelity” – the study examined the effectiveness of Gottman Method Couples Therapy (GMCT) over treatment-as-usual (TAU) approaches for couples presenting for therapy following the discovery of infidelity. Forty-nine couples participated in this trial and were randomized to either a GMCT or TAU control group, with 19 completing all pre- and post-treatment assessments. Results showed that GMCT was globally more effective in facilitating affair recovery than TAU approaches, notably in the areas of trust, conflict management, relational satisfaction, and quality of sex. In this article, we (a) outline findings from this study, (b) discuss implications for the field, and (c) offer directions for future research.

Couple Enhancement Program

• The second study was found in the Journal for Marital and Family Therapy in July of 2024 with the title of “The effectiveness of the in-person and online Gottman Seven Principles Couple Enhancement Program: A propensity score matching design” (now that was a mouthful). This study investigates the effectiveness of the 12-h Gottman Seven Principles couple enhancement program delivered in person and online. In Norway, we recruited 490 participants and 242 people for a control group. All were in close relationships. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to investigate the effectiveness of the course. The results demonstrate that the Gottman Seven Principles course improves couple relationships and is equally effective whether delivered in person or online.

Many studies over the years have shown this method of marriage therapy to be effective. That is why we as a Center use it and find it to be effective with our clients here in Arizona. If you would like to read more about this method please click on this blog from the Center – Gottman Marriage Therapy. Click to be taken to the Gottman Marriage Therapy website.