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Correlational findings

Study Anderson et al. (1985): study US 1985

Public
Couples, followed family therapy, USA, 1985-86
Sample
Respondents
N = 94
Non Response
Assessment
Questionnaire: Paper & Pencil Interview (PAPI)
Questionnaires before start of therapy (T1) and after end (T2)

Correlate

Authors's Label
Completion of family therapy
Our Classification
Remarks
Happiness assessed at: T1: before intake T2: after therapy T1 happiness: dropouts completers difference
Related specification variables
Operationalization
0  Therapy dropouts   (N=60)
   - premature termination according to therapist
   - average number of sessions 3.4

1  Therapy completers (N=44)
   - timely termination according to therapist: goals reached
   - average number of sessions 8.8

Observed Relation with Happiness

Happiness Measure Statistics Elaboration / Remarks O-HL-c-sq-v-3-aa DMt = + Average happiness (Mt) at : T1    T2    change

- husbands                  2.1    5.4   3.3 O-HL-c-sq-v-3-aa DMt = + - wives          Mt'=2.6    Mt'=3.8    DMt'=1.2 O-SLW-c-sq-ol-7-a DM = + p < .05 T1 Satisfaction by T2 completion status

- husbands O-SLW-c-sq-ol-7-a DM = + ns - wives

Discriminant analysis (DA) shows that in couples who dropped out of therapy both husbands and wives were less happy prior to therapy, where as in couples who completed therapy wives and husbands were more happy initially. The difference is more pronounced among husbands than among wives. T1 Happiness discriminates better between dropouts and completers than marital satisfaction.