Behavioral cohabitation: increasing satisfaction among nonmarried dyads?

The present study reports upon a standard behavior therapy treatment package applied to three clinically referred cohabitating couples. Multidimensional assessment measures included reports by self, partner, and external observers of couples' interactions. Moreover, a multiple-baseline design across couples was employed as a means of evaluating treatment efficacy. Therapy involved the weekly administration of bibliotherapy and exercise material, with therapist contact purposely minimized. An analysis of results indicates modest treatment success with considerable between-subject variability. These findings are discussed with regard to gender differences, ceiling effects, and utilization of standardized therapy packages. Recommendations are made for future behavioral cohabitation research.

Bilateral vasoconstrictive differences and body focus.

Body focus as a function of an S's cognitive schema has been shown to be associated with bilateral differences in skin conductance. This relationship between body focus and physiological activity has been extended by other investigations studying Raynaud's patients to include bilateral differences in digital temperature. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether these results generalize to a population of normal Ss. Differential digital finger temperatures were recorded for 28 male and 28 female Ss. An association was not found between body focus and bilateral digital temperature differences in the normal Ss. It is concluded that the previous relationship found was the result of the Raynaud's disease or the body focus of a Raynaud's victim.