Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects
Date of Award
2016
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences – Department of Family Therapy
Advisor
Ron Chenail
Committee Member
Tommie V. Boyd
Committee Member
Douglas G. Flemmons
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to develop an interpretative understanding of how discursive therapists’ linguistic actions enhance the couple alliance. Additionally, this study includes an exploration of whether these models hold up to a common factors conversation in the practice of couples therapy. The couple alliance is the central relationship in couples therapy. Previous research suggests that therapists’ actions might have an effect on enhancing this alliance by creating a dyadic orientation. In postmodern/discursive models of practice, therapists’ actions have gone mostly unexplored, leaving therapists with little understanding of what is done in the process of couples therapy that enhances the couple alliance and creates a dyadic orientation. Results from a Conversation Analysis of couple’s cases in Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Collaborative Language Therapy suggest the linguistic actions of discursive therapists appear mostly congruent with the claims they make regarding couples therapy. These actions may produce an enhanced couple alliance based on the empirically supported characteristics of a strong couple alliance. Findings also support model-dependent common factors of discursive couples therapy. In all three approaches the couple alliance appears to be enhanced by: (a) developing a symmetrical structure of the dialogue, (b) developing a contextual understanding of the self and the partner, (c) expanding the changes to the larger system, and (d) using thematic summaries. These findings have implications for practice and training in discursive couples therapy. Recommendations for future research include utilizing deductive reasoning in outcome studies to explore the effectiveness of a discursive couples therapy common factors approach to enhance the couple alliance.
NSUWorks Citation
Samira Y. Garcia. 2016. Enhancing the Couple Alliance and Developing a Dyadic Orientation in Discursive Couples Therapy: A Conversation Analysis of Therapists'. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences – Department of Family Therapy. (21)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/shss_dft_etd/21.