Alapaki Yee, LMFT, and Salvatore Garanzini, LMFT, of the Gay Couples Institute, headquartered in San Francisco.
This is the first outcome research study on couples therapy with gay and lesbian couples.
San Francisco, California (PRWEB) June 08, 2017
In a peer-reviewed article that has just been accepted for publication in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (JMFT), Certified Gottman Therapist Salvatore Garanzini and Alapaki Yee of the Gay Couples Institute, in collaboration with Drs. John and Julie Gottman of The Gottman Institute, report the groundbreaking results of a five-year study with 106 gay and lesbian couples.
This is the first outcome research study on couples therapy with gay and lesbian couples, establishing Gottman Method Couples Therapy (GMCT) as an evidence-based practice for treating same-sex relationships.
The study measured relationship satisfaction for both gay and lesbian couples in therapy at five seperate time points. Compared to the usual 0.5 standard deviation effect size obtained in outcome research studies on couples therapy with heterosexual couples, the study produced an effect size of 1.2 standard deviations, and the results were obtained in approximately half the number of sessions that is typical for heterosexual couples.
The therapists in the study provided treatment using GMCT, which is based on the scientific research of Drs. John and Julie Gottman. The method consists of three parts: an assessment of the relationship, active treatment, and relapse prevention. GMCT assesses and attends to three systems: the friendship system, the conflict management system, and the shared meaning system.
The paper is in press and will be available in Early View by mid-July on the JMFT website.
