This study investigated the practitioner-researcher's clinical wisdom on couples therapy. Fluctuations were predicted in the degree of marital satisfaction experienced by partners during the course of planned short-term couples therapy. Subjects were 24 couples. The Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS) was used as a repeated measure Two methods of analysis were used. Aggregated data analyses included means, percentage, chi-square and one-tailed t tests comparing different observation points and groups. Visual analysis by single-systems approach provided further data that aggregation alone missed. Significant differences at some vantage points were observed; other fluctuations did not occur as predicted Based upon the research findings, practice wisdom was revised. A bridge between clinical wisdom and empirical knowledge was successfully built. The study was a hybrid of process, outcome and single-studies designs which is consistent with the new research paradigm
