It takes three to tango: clients’ experiences of couple therapy - A meta-analysis of qualitative research studies

ABSTRACT

The clients’ experiences of couple therapy, as gathered through open-ended qualitative questions, has historically been underrepresented within the field. However, recent years have found more studies inviting the perspectives of the clients. Such studies provide important contributions to the widening of the understanding of the various aspects of couple therapy. This study set out to synthesize, through the means of qualitative meta-analysis (QMA), findings across primary qualitative research studies on helpful, difficult but helpful and unhelpful aspects of couple therapy. A final sample of 21 qualitative studies was selected through a comprehensive search and rigorous appraisal. The meta-analysis yielded nine main meta-categories across three domains: four in the helpful aspects’ domain, for example “Clients’ Perception of Therapist as Effective in Establishing a Productive Therapeutic Relationship with Couple”; three in the unhelpful aspects’ domain, such as “Therapist Perceived as Lacking Abilities Required to Work with Clients Effectively”; and two in the difficult but helpful domain, such as “Therapist Perceived as Firm but Fair”. The present QMA allows a conceptualization of couple therapy through the lenses of clients and its details can thus inform the field of couple therapy.

KEYWORDS:

• Couple therapy
• qualitative meta-analysis
• client experience

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lara Madden

Lara Madden Dr. Lara Madden is a counselling psychologist working in the Irish public healthcare service with children and adolescents. Her research interests include psychotherapy research, attachment and relationships.

Ladislav Timulak

Ladislav Timulak Ladislav Timulak, PhD is Professor in Counselling Psychology at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Ladislav (“Laco”—read “Latso”) is involved in psychotherapy research, particularly the development of emotion-focused therapy (EFT). He currently is adapting this form of therapy as a transdiagnostic treatment for depression, anxiety, and related disorders. He has written or co-written ten books and more than 100 peer reviewed papers and chapters. He maintains a part-time private practice.