A widely cited but poorly supported idea in the couples therapy field is that the average couple waits six years before starting therapy for serious relationship problems. This figure is often accompanied by the notion that many couples come “too late” and have poor prospects for recovery. This is the first large-sample study on the delay between the onset of serious marital problems and entry into couples therapy (N = 270) and individual therapy (N = 101) for relationship problems. We found an average interval of 2.68 years from onset of problems and entering couples therapy, with the great majority of couples entering therapy within two years. Findings were similar for seeking individual therapy for relationship problems. The main clinical implication is that therapists have little reason to be pessimistic about the majority of couples waiting so long before starting therapy that their problems are not resolvable.

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人们在寻求夫妻治疗之前要等多久？一份研究报告

在夫妻治疗领域，一个被广泛引用但缺乏支持的想法是，平均夫妻要等待六年才能开始治疗严重的关系问题。这个数字通常伴随着这样一种观念，即许多夫妇“来得太晚”并且康复前景不佳。这是第一个关于严重婚姻问题发生和进入夫妻治疗之间延迟的大样本研究（N  = 270）和个体治疗（N = 101) 用于关系问题。我们发现从出现问题到进入夫妻治疗的平均间隔为 2.68 年，绝大多数夫妻在两年内进入治疗。寻求个人治疗关系问题的结果是相似的。主要的临床意义是治疗师没有理由对大多数夫妇在开始治疗前等待太久以至于他们的问题无法解决感到悲观。