Introduction
Acceptance in couple and family therapy refers to the process of individuals becoming more patient and sympathetic when problems arise because the individual recognizes that there are natural and understandable reasons for the way the individual, the partner, and the relationship are. Within an intervention context, acceptance helps individuals soften the impact of relationship aspects and dynamics that are likely unamendable to change, even if the partner makes attempts to change. Through acceptance, individuals relinquish the struggle to change others’ behavior, learn to see differences and problems as opportunities to increase relational closeness and emotional connection, and develop empathy around the seemingly intractable issues that drove the individuals apart (Christensen and Jacobson 2000). In contrast to more traditional behavioral change techniques, acceptance work encourages the complainant to change. The process of acceptance in couple and family therapy...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Christensen, A., & Jacobson, N. S. (2000). Reconcilable differences. New York: Guilford Press.
Christensen, A., Atkins, D. C., Berns, S., Wheeler, J., Baucom, D. H., & Simpson, L. E. (2004). Traditional versus integrative behavioral couple therapy for significantly and chronically distressed married couples. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72(2), 176–191. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.72.2.176.
Christensen, A., Atkins, D. C., Yi, J., Baucom, D. H., & George, W. H. (2006). Couple and individual adjustment for two years following a randomized clinical trial comparing traditional versus integrative behavioral couple therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(6), 1180–1191. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.74.6.1180.
Córdova, J. V., Fleming, C. J. E., Morrill, M. I., Hawrilenko, M., Sollenberger, J. W., Harp, A. G., … Wachs, K. (2014). The marriage checkup: A randomized controlled trial of annual relationship health checkups. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 82(4), 592–604. doi:10.1037/a0037097
Coyne, L. W., McHugh, L., & Martinez, E. R. (2011). ACT: Advances and applications with children, adolescents, and families. Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 20(2), 397–399.
Doss, B. D., Thum, Y. M., Sevier, M., Atkins, D. C., & Christensen, A. (2005). Improving relationships: Mechanisms of change in couple therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 624–633. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.73.4.624.
Doss, B. D., Cicila, L. N., Georgia, E. J., Roddy, M. R., Nowlan, K. M., Benson, L. A., & Christensen, A. (2016). A randomized controlled trial of the web-based OurRelationship program: Effects on relationship and individual functioning. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 84, 285–296.
Greco, L. A., & Eifert, G. H. (2004). Treating parent-adolescent conflict: Is acceptance the missing link for an integrative family therapy? Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 11, 305–314.
Hawrilenko, M., Gray, T. D., & Córdova, J. V. (2016). The heart of change: Acceptance and intimacy mediate treatment response in a brief couples intervention. Journal of Family Psychology, 30(1), 93–103. doi:10.1037/fam0000160.
Jacobson, N. S., & Margolin, G. (1979). Marital therapy: Strategies based on social learning and behavior exchange principles. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Jacobson, N. S., Christensen, A., Prince, S. E., Córdova, J., & Eldridge, K. (2000). Integrative behavioral couple therapy: An acceptance-based, promising new treatment for couple discord. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(2), 351–355.
Rogge, R. D., Cobb, R. J., Lawrence, E., Johnson, M. D., & Bradbury, T. N. (2013). Is skills training necessary for the primary prevention of marital distress and dissolution? A 3-year experimental study of three interventions. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 81(6), 949–961.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Nowlan, K.M., Roddy, M.K., Doss, B.D. (2016). Acceptance in Couple and Family Therapy. In: Lebow, J., Chambers, A., Breunlin, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8_506-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8_506-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-15877-8
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences