Mindfulness-based relationship enhancement. Behavior Therapy

Using a randomized wait-list controlled design, this study evaluated the effects of a novel intervention, mindfulness-based relationship enhancement, designed to enrich the relationships of relatively happy, nondistressed couples. Results suggested the intervention was efficacious in (a) favorably impacting couples ’ levels of relationship satisfaction, autonomy, relatedness, closeness, acceptance of one another, and rela-tionship distress; (b) beneficially affecting individuals ’ optimism, spirituality, relax-ation, and psychological distress; and (c) maintaining benefits at 3-month follow-up. Those who practiced mindfulness more had better outcomes, and within-person analyses of diary measures showed greater mindfulness practice on a given day was associated on several consecutive days with improved levels of relationship happi-ness, relationship stress, stress coping efficacy, and overall stress. The field of intimate relationships, while largely characterized by a focus on distressed or at-risk couples, has long harbored a prominent precursor to the current positive psychology movement (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Couples researchers have elucidated the origins of love and inti-macy (e.g., Berscheid & Walster, 1978) and, more recently, have focused on the dynamics of well-functioning relationships (Wenzel & Harvey, 2001). Strengthening the relationships of even well-functioning couples may lead to This work is the result of a dissertation completed by James W. Carson in fulfillment of Ph.D