Consistent with data from individual therapy, improvement in
couple therapy often occurs in the early sessions),
suggesting progress feedback might be useful in couple therapy.
However, only one study has tested the proposition that systematic
monitoring of couple therapy progress enhances outcome. In a
randomised controlled trial of couple therapy found weekly therapy progress feedback based on
each partner's individual adjustment enhanced therapy gains in
individual adjustment relative to treatment as usual. However, the
progress feedback did not lead to increased couple relationship
adjustment at follow-up (relationship adjustment was not assessed
directly after therapy). As the progress feedback was based on individual
adjustment as opposed to couple adjustment, and the
latter is the major focus of couple therapy, it was unclear if it was
possible to detect if couples' relationship enhancement was off
track. It also is unclear whether feedback would have enhanced
eventual outcome for the couple relationship. Changes in individual
adjustment have been found to be significantly associated with
improvements in couple's relationship satisfaction, but the overlaps
are not substantial.