Couples satisfaction, relationship status, and symptom change after Gottman method couples therapy for infidelity: A dyadic analysis

Objective: Infidelity is a challenging presenting concern in couples therapy, yet relatively little outcome research has examined treatment effects using analytic approaches that account for interdependence between partners. The present study examined the pre–post changes in relationship, psychological, and infidelity-related outcomes among couples receiving Gottman Method Couples Therapy (GMCT) for infidelity, using a dyadic framework. Method: Data were drawn from 35 couples (n = 70 individuals) who completed GMCT following infidelity. Actor-Partner Interdependence Modeling (APIM) for distinguishable dyads were estimated to examine associations between partners’ pre-treatment functioning and post-treatment outcomes, allowing estimation of actor effects, partner effects, and residual covariances. Results: Statistically significant pre–post improvements were observed for both partners. Partner effects emerged selectively, with IP baseline trust and commitment associated with UP post-treatment trust and commitment. Bidirectional partner effects were observed for conflict-related behaviors, including repair attempts and hostile communication. Significant residual covariances were observed for relationship satisfaction, indicating correlated change across partners. Conclusion: The observed patterns indicate that pre–post change following infidelity treatment includes both shared and partner-specific associations across relational, emotional, and behavioral domains. Dyadic analytic approaches provide a framework for characterizing treatment-associated change in couples therapy while accounting for partner interdependence.