ARCCC™: THE ASSESSMENT OF RELATIONAL CONTINGENCIES AND CONSEQUENCES IN COUPLES

An Advanced Methodology
for Identifying, Treating, and Preventing Problematic Dynamics

What Is ARCCC™?

• ARCCC™ is an assessment tool created by James Tobin, Ph.D. that utilizes actual videotape footage of partners interacting to identify the nature and quality of underlying relational dynamics in the couple.
  
  
• Empirical research shows that couples demonstrate characteristic ways of relating to each other that often constrict how one partner responds to the other; this constriction leads to certain “contingencies” in couples, “rules” of being with and relating to each other that become rigidified over time and limit the potential for more vibrant, empathic, and healthy relational patterns.
  
  
• Couples may become entrenched in these ritualized patterns – often without being aware of them. This leads to a kind of relationship calcification, a rigidity of relating to and feeling about each other that may ultimately lead to frustration, withdrawal, infidelity, and/or separation/divorce.
  
  
• Once a couple is made aware of their particular relational style, and the underlying meanings of the contingencies that have been set up, partners have an increased likelihood of disembedding from them and finding new ways of being with each other. Many forms of couples therapies seek to achieve this, but few attempt to teach partners through direct observation of real-time interactions what negative patterns have developed and how they can be overcome.

Who Is ARCCC™ For?

• Couples who are in significant distress and report ongoing conflicts that do not get resolved.
  
  
• Couples who have struggled and resolved previous problems on their own, but who are now looking for additional insight and support.
  
  
• Newly-married couples who would like to strengthen their relationship and prevent problematic relational patterns from emerging.
  
  
• Partners seriously involved with each other in a committed relationship who are considering marriage.
  
  
• Couples may be referred to ARCCC™ as an adjunct/supplement to couples treatment already in progress with another clinician or as part of an assessment process to possibly begin treatment with Dr. Tobin.

How Does It Work?

• Dr. Tobin will typically meet with both partners together in an initial session, then conduct individual sessions with each partner alone to gain further background and each partner’s specific understanding of the dynamics in their relationship.
  
  
• The ARCCC™ session will consist of the couple arriving at the office and being asked to discuss a problematic issue between them in an attempt to make forward progress. The discussion will be 30 minutes in length and will be videotaped.
  
  
• Following the ARCCC™ session, Dr. Tobin will analyze the videotape using a scoring procedure custom-designed to assess interpersonal contingencies and consequences in couples.
  
  
• In a feedback session, Dr. Tobin will share the results of his analysis of the videotape with the couple, and will integrate findings from the video with observations drawn from the interviews.

What Happens After ARCCC™?

• Dr. Tobin will make recommendations to the couple and/or the referring clinician.
  
  
• If couples therapy is recommended to a couple not yet in treatment, the specific goals of treatment will be outlined; relational dynamics identified through ARCCC™ will be highlighted to give the partners a clear “road map” as to what dynamics will be targeted in therapy.
  
  
• Once couples therapy has been initiated, ARCCC™ may be used at successive points in time to chart progress and further develop the couple’s capacity as “experts” of their own relational dilemmas.