:: Volume 9, Issue 1 (Military Caring Sciences 2022) ::
MCS 2022, 9(1): 68-80 Back to browse issues page
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Schema-Based Couple Therapy, Emotional Focused Couple Therapy, and Acceptance Commitment Couple Therapy in the Reduction of Marital Stress among Couples on the Brink of Divorce in Military Families
Sajad Panahifar1 , Fazlolah Mirderikvand * 2, Masoud Sadeghi3
1- Ph.D. Student in Psychology, Psychology Department, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
2- Ph.D. of Psychology, Associate Professor, Psychology Department, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
3- Ph.D. of Family Counseling, Associate Professor, Psychology Department, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
Abstract:   (2453 Views)
Introduction: Marital stress has a direct impact on couple relationships and, in the long run, can lead to divorce.
Objective: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of schema-based couple therapy, emotional focused couple therapy, and acceptance commitment couple therapy on the reduction of marital stress among couples on the brink of divorce in military families
Material and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted based on a pretest-posttest design with a follow-up period. The statistical population of the study included all couples who were referred to one of the counseling centers under the contract with the Armed Forces, and the sample included 60 couples schema-based couple therapy (n=15), emotional focused couple therapy (n=15), acceptance and commitment couple therapy (n=15) and control group (n=15). They were randomly selected via convenience sampling with replacement. The subjects in schema-based couple therapy participated in the study for 10 sessions, emotional focused couple therapy for 10 sessions, and the acceptance commitment couple therapy group participated in the study for 10 sessions. There was not any treatment for the control group. The research questionnaire included Stockholm Marital Stress Questionnaire. The participants completed the questionnaire in three stages, including pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. Finally, the analysis of variance was performed by covariance analysis and repeated measures.
Results: As evidenced by the obtained results, all three methods of couple therapy had significant effects on the reduction of marital stress. Moreover, the highest effectiveness pertained to emotional focused couple therapy with an effect size of 0.859, followed by schema-based couple therapy (0.781) and acceptance therapy (0.758).
Conclusion: The results of the current study can be used in clinical and therapeutic interventions to decrease marital stress, especially for couples on the brink of divorce.

 
Keywords: Couple Therapy, Divorces, Marital Stress, Military Families
Full-Text [PDF 676 kb]   (763 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Research | Subject: Psychology
Received: 2022/01/20 | Accepted: 2022/05/7 | Published: 2022/07/1
References
1. Beam CR, Marcus K, Turkheimer E, Emery RE. Gender differences in the structure of marital quality. Behav Genet. 2018; 48(3): 209-23. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
2. Savabi M, Saffarian Tosi MR, Khouei Nejad G. The effectiveness of spiritual therapy based on forgiveness and hope for Increasing marital satisfaction and reducing couple’s conflicts of couples on the verge of divorce. Journal of Policing& Social Studies of Women & Family. 2020; 8(1): 5-23. (Persian)
3. Ahmadi SM, Najafi M. The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction training on the emotions and life satisfaction of the personnel of military organization. Journal of Military Psychology. 2019; 8(32): 21-30. (Persian)
4. Ahmadi M, Fathi Ashtiani A, Habibi M. Psychological health in military pilots’ families. International Journal of Behavioral Sciences. 2009; 2(4): 305-8. (Persian)
5. Kgosana MC. An explanatory study of family stability under conditions of deployment: Stellenbosch: University of Stellenbosch; 2010.
6. Sayer N, Noorbaloochi S, Frazier P, Carlson K, Gravely A, Murdoch M. Reintegration problems and treatment preferences among recent veterans: New directions for trauma research. Psychiatric Services. 2010; 61(6): 589-97. [DOI] [PubMed]
7. Carr CM, Wolchik S. Marital status, divorce, and child development. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences: Second Edition. 2015: 518-24. [DOI]
8. Civil registration organization of the islamic republic of Iran. Available at: http://www.sabteahval.ir/default-65.Aspx.
9. Prager KJ. Encyclopedia of human relationships. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2009. Inc Retrieved from http://sk sagepub com/reference/humanrelationships. [DOI]
10. Rahimian Booger A, Najafi M, Ghaem-maghamFarahani Z, Dabiri S. The effectiveness of group contracting and behavioral activation therapy with and without family support on marital stress in coronary heart disease. Resaerch in Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences. 2014; 3(2): 27-40. (Persian)
11. Lavner JA, Bradbury TN. Protecting relationships from stress. Curr OpinPsychol. 2017; 13: 11-4. [DOI]
12. Cisler JM, Koster EH. Mechanisms of attentional biases towards threat in anxiety disorders: An integrative review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010; 30(2): 203-16. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
13. Merz CA, Meuwly N, Randall AK, Bodenmann G. Engaging in dyadic coping: Buffering the impact of everyday stress on prospective relationship satisfaction. Family Science. 2014; 5(1): 30-7. [DOI]
14. Rostami M, Taheri A, Abdi M, Kermani N. The effectiveness of instructing emotion-focused approach in improving the marital satisfaction in couples. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2014; 114: 693-8. (Persian) [DOI]
15. Ismaeilzadeh N, Akbari B. The effectiveness of schema therapy on sexual self-efficacy, marital satisfaction and early maladaptive schemas in couples with marital conflicts. Medical Journal of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. 2021; 64(1): 2286-98. (Persian) [DOI]
16. Nenadic I, Lamberth S, Reiss N. Group schema therapy for personality disorders: A pilot study for implementation in acute psychiatric in-patient settings. Psychiatry Res. 2017; 253: 9-12. [DOI] [PubMed]
17. Mandler JM. Stories, scripts, and scenes: Aspects of schema theory: Psychology Press; 2014. [DOI]
18. Simons RM, Sistad RE, Simons JS, Hansen J. The role of distress tolerance in the relationship between cognitive schemas and alcohol problems among college students.Addict Behav. 2018; 78: 1-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
19. Ahmadzadehaghdam E, Karimisani P, Goudarzi M, Moradi O. The effectiveness of couple therapy with schema therapy approach on disaffection and marital commitment in couples. Iranian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing. 2020; 8(5): 1-13. (Persian)
20. Alizadeh Asli A, Jafar Nezhad Langroudi Z. The effectiveness of schema therapy based on acceptance and mindfulness in intimacy, adaptation and resiliency in persons with marital conflicts in couples of city Karaj. Alborz University Medical Journal. 2018; 7(3): 248-56. (Persian) [DOI]
21. Timulak L, Keogh D. Emotion-focused therapy: A transdiagnostic formulation. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy. 2020; 50(1): 1-13. [DOI]
22. Qiu S, Hannigan B, Keogh D, Timulak L. Learning emotionfocused therapy: Certified emotion-focused therapists’ perspectives. Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies. 2020; 19(4): 310-30. [DOI]
23. 23- Greenberg L, Warwar S, Malcolm W. Emotion‐focused couple’s therapy and the facilitation of forgiveness. J Marital Fam Ther. 2010; 36(1): 28-42. [DOI] [PubMed]
24. Mikulincer M, Shaver PR. Attachment in adulthood: Structure, dynamics, and change: The Guilford Press; 2007.
25. 25- Ganz M B, Rasmussen H F, McDougall T V, Corner G W, Black T T, De Los Santos H F. Emotionally focused couple therapy within VA healthcare: Reductions in relationship distress, PTSD, and depressive symptoms as a function of attachment-based couple treatment. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice. 2022; 11(1), 15-32. [DOI]
26. Iamni rad a, Golmohmmadian M, Moradi o, Godarzi m. The effectiveness of emotion-oriented couple therapy on forgiveness and communication beliefs of couples involved in marital infidelity. Journal of Psychological Science. 2021; 20(100): 653-65. (Persian)
27. Sianturi R, Keliat BA, Wardani IY. The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on anxiety in clients with stroke.Enferm Clin. 2018; 28:94-7. [DOI]
28. 28- Fang S, Ding D. A meta-analysis of the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy for children. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science. 2020; 15: 225-34. [DOI]
29. Hayes SC, Stroshal KD. A practical guide to acceptance and commitment therapy. Springer Science Business Media. NewYork: Gilford; 2005.
30. Chan EWL, Tan HJR. Positive psychology couple schema therapy: A new model of couple therapy focusing on reigniting couple attraction via schema therapy and positive psychology. Journal for ReAttach Therapy and Developmental Diversities. 2020; 2(2):61-9. [DOI]
31. Bakhshipour A, Shojaei KalateBali N, Behjat A, Fooladi A. Effect acceptance and commitment couple therapy on marital distress, psychological flexibility and social concern in divorce applicant couples. Journal of Social Psychology. 2020; 7(54): 27-38. (Persian)
32. 32- Wittenborn AK, Liu T, Ridenour TA, Lachmar EM, Mitchell EA, Seedall RB. Randomized controlled trial of emotionally focused couple therapy compared to treatment as usual for depression: Outcomes and mechanisms of change. J Marital Fam Ther. 2019;45(3): 395-409. [DOI] [PubMed]
33. 33- Simeone-DiFrancesco C, Roediger E, Stevens BA. Schema therapy with couples: A practitioner’s guide to healing relationships. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 2015. [DOI]
34. Johnson S M. Emotionally focused couple therapy practice. Clinical handbook of couple therapy The Guilford Press.2015. 97–128.
35. 35- Lev A, Mckey M. Acceptance and commitment therapy for couples: A clinician’s guide to using mindfulness, values, and schema awareness to rebuild relationships. Context Press/New Harbinger Publications. 2017.
36. 36- Orth-Gomér K, Wamala SP, Horsten M, Schenck-Gustafsson K, Schneiderman N, Mittleman MA. Marital stress worsens prognosis in women with coronary heart disease: The Stockholm Female Coronary Risk Study. JAMA. 2000; 284(23): 3008-14. [DOI]
37. Shamsi Pour H, Besharat MA, Sadeghian S. An Investigation of the relationship between marital stress and depression symptoms in women with coronary heart disease and healthy women. Journal of Psychology and Educational Sciences. 2006; 35 (2): 21-37. (Persian)
38. Akhavan Bitaghsir Z, Sanaee Zaker B, Navabinejad Sh, farzad VA. Comparetive of emotional focused couple therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy on marital adjustment and marital satisfaction. Iran J Health Educ Health Promot. 2017; 5(2): 121-128. (Persian) [DOI]

Ethics code: IR.LUMS.REC.1400.080

XML   Persian Abstract   Print

Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Volume 9, Issue 1 (Military Caring Sciences 2022) Back to browse issues page