Seeking Student Collaborator
for Qualitative Research Study
(An ideal thesis topic for anyone interested in couples therapy)
The Relational Life Therapy (RLT) model is used by many marital therapists and is becoming increasingly popular. This model includes a two-day workshop called The Essential Skills of Relationships. In this workshop facilitators teach participants the main ingredients of the RLT model, including the importance of self-regulation, losing and winning strategies, communication and negotiation methods, and techniques for cherishing a partner and a relationship. There are also opportunities in the workshop to practice some of these skills.
The Relational Life Foundation, a non-profit organization, has formed a committee dedicated to researching the effectiveness of RLT. We wish to interview past participants of the workshop to determine:
- Whether they understand the concepts they are being taught
- Whether they incorporate the concepts into their relationships
- Whether they believe they have benefitted from the workshop, and if so, in what ways
Our hope is that this information will help us better understand the experience of participating in this workshop, including whether there is significant variation in participants’ experiences. This may help facilitators tailor their teaching and interventions.
Our plan is for a qualitative study, where we will interview 10 participants (who all attended the same workshop) with open-ended questions, and then apply a Thematic Analysis.
We will draw on the psychology literature for previous studies evaluating experiential workshop participation, as well as for guidance on using Thematic Analysis. We expect to complete an academic article we can submit for publication. This research will follow all APA ethical guidelines for research with human participants.
Primary Researcher: Cathy Hill, PhD, R Psych (1609) ([email protected]). 604-444-9101
For more information on Relational Life Therapy: The New Rules of Marriage by Terrence Real (Ballantine Books, 2008) at terryreal.com
For more information on the Relational Life Foundation, visit: relationallifefoundation.org
For more information on Relational Life Therapy: The New Rules of Marriage by Terrence Real (Ballantine Books, 2008) at terryreal.com
For more information on the Relational Life Foundation, visit: relationallifefoundation.org