Hold Me Tight: Conversations for Connection (HMT) is a psychoeducational program for couples developed by Susan Johnson, Ph.D. to support relationship enhancement. HMT is based on Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), an empirically supported, attachment-based couple treatment shown to improve relationship outcomes for couples. This exploratory study examines how participation in the HMT workshop, an intensive two-day workshop based on this treatment model, affects relationship outcomes in a self- and clinician-referred sample of 103 participants who attended the workshop with their partners. The data was archival, collected as part of performance improvement measures by workshop facilitators. As such, demographic data was not available on these participants. The Rating Scale for Couples, (RSC; adapted from the Outcome Rating Scale; Miller, Duncan, and Johnson, 2002) was administered to both partners at the beginning of the workshop, and then a second time at the end. The RSC is a brief measure, comprised of five visual analog scales, adapted from its original individual form. These scales seek to measure changes in five areas: closeness, emotional safety, connection, overall commitment, and relationship satisfaction. These constructs were selected for their relevance to overall adult attachment conceptualizations that are core to the EFT framework. Pre- and post-changes indicated that there was statistically significant improvement on all the dimensions measured. Males and females showed no differences between pre- and post-measures and showed statistically significant improvement on all dimensions as shown by pre- and post-workshop measures. Additionally, individuals who exhibited low, moderate, and high levels of distress all showed improvements in all dimensions. Limitations of the study, and future directions for such research are discussed.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Clinical Psychology
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_9085
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (vii, 78 p. : ill.)
Note (type = degree)
Psy.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Subject (authority = LCSH)
Topic
Intimacy (Psychology)
Subject (authority = LCSH)
Topic
Couples therapy
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Saba Khan
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore10001800001
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
Rutgers University. Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
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License
Name
Author Agreement License
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I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.