Avaliação de Processo e Resultados na Terapia Comportamental Integrativa de Casal (Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy – IBCT)

Abstract

Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy-IBCT is the couple therapy of the Third Generation Therapies. It assumes that what makes it difficult to solve a marital problem is the couple's way of dealing with adversity, for example with coercion, control, blaming or avoidance. The same efforts that would be aiming to avoid a problem can be harmful and the attempts to solve it can be destructive. The main differential of IBCT is the concept of Acceptance. This is not about accepting abusive or violent situations, but it is demonstrated when a partner tolerates or even welcomes a spouse's behavior, previously perceived as disturbing, due to a deep understanding of the partner's self and the broader context of their relationship. Acceptance is the core element of Contextual Therapies, considered the missing link lacking in couple therapy. Thus, the present study has aimed to conduct an investigation of the therapeutic process with three couples attending this psychotherapeutic approach, comparing pre- and post-intervention data, and adherence of the therapist to the proposed model to identify possible mediators and moderators of the results. A change process assessment was also conducted to understand how or why certain treatments work and which aspects of treatment tend to facilitate or inhibit therapeutic change. Finally, a contrasting case study focused on the evaluation of factors common to couple therapy and factors specific to this approach, revealing strategies and techniques that may be more or less effective. The main results report the therapeutic process, the results and the importance to bring together clinic and research.