Behavior Analysis of Forgiveness in Couples Therapy

Cordova, James Ph.D.
Cautilli, Joseph Ph.D.
Simon, Corrina
Sabag, Robin Axelrod

Author contact information:

Joseph Cautilli, Ph.D., Children Crisis Treatment Center, 1823 Callowhill St., Philadelphia, PA 19130,[email protected]

James V. Cordova, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Director of Clinical Training, Department of Psychology, Clark University, 950 Main St, Worcestor, MA 01610-1477, (508) 793-7268 Phone, (508) 793-7265 Fax

Corrina Simon, Department of Psychology, C;ark University, 950 Main St., Worcestor, MA 0110-1477.

Robin Axelrod Sabag, Project Director, Philadelphia Safe and Sound, 1835 Market Street, Suite 420, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Phone: 215-568-0620 Fax: 215-568-0745

International Journal of Behavioral & Consultation Therapy 2(2):p 192-214, Spring 2006. | DOI: 10.1037/h0100776

Abstract

Behavioral couples' therapy has a long history of success with couples and is an empirically validated treatment for marital discord (). However, only about 50% of all couples in treatment experience long-term change (2 years). One of the founders of behavioral couples' therapy called for the therapy to return to its original roots in functional analysis (). This produced integrative behavioral couples' therapy. As behavioral couples' therapy attempts to reach the maximum number of couples possible, we believe further attention to behavior analytic principles will continue to contribute to advances in the field. We propose that an operational analysis of forgiveness will help to strengthen behavioral couples' therapy by creating a direct module to handle some of the most entrenched situations, those commonly referred to as betrayal.