Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy for Intercultural Couples: Helping Couples Navigate Cultural Differences

Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT), an empirically supported third-wave behavioral approach for the treatment of couples, is examined in this multiple case study. IBCT was developed to help couples navigate challenging differences, so this study examines its use with couples reporting problems arising from differences in self-identified cultural identities, practices, or beliefs. The experiences of three therapists using IBCT in their work with intercultural couples is examined. Each participating therapist in this study contributes by describing one case in which IBCT was used to help the couple with existing conflicts related to cultural differences. These descriptions, provided through written responses to open-ended questions, were examined using cross-case analysis. Results include descriptions of the various stressors faced by intercultural couples, therapists’ formulations of cultural differences, change processes and change mechanisms during treatment, and similarities and differences across therapists’ reports. Specific quotations that demonstrate main ideas and particularly poignant or useful information are integrated. The study concludes with participating therapists’ recommendations for treatment of intercultural couples in general, their recommendations for utilizing IBCT with intercultural couples, and implications for future research.