The Effectiveness of Emotionally Focused group Couple Therapy on Marital Satisfaction in couples referred to Counseling Center Education District 2 Mashhad

پژوهش های روان شناسی بالینی و مشاوره

Article 6, Volume 4, Issue 1, April 2014, Pages 95-114   

Document Type: پژوهشی

DOI: 10.22067/ijap.v4i1.15242

Authors

Ahmad Etemadi; Hossien ahmad barabadi^*

Allameh Tabatabai University

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of emotionally focused group couple therapy on marital satisfaction. we used quasi-experimental design with a pretest, posttest and comparison group. The sample included 14 couples with marital conflicts, who were selected through a goal-oriented method and were randomly assigned into experimental and comparison groups. The Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS) Scale was used in the pre-test and post-test. The experimental group received 20 two-hour sessions of emotionally focused group couple therapy. A comparison of differential scores using onewaycovariance analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups. Therefore, it can be argued that emotionally focused group couple therapy improved marital satisfaction of the experimental group as compared to the comparison group.

Keywords

Couple Therapy; Emotionally Focused Group Couple Therapy; Marital Satisfaction

References

Ainsworth, M. (1989). Attachments beyond infancy. American Psychologist, 44,709-716.

Babcock, J. c. ; Jacobson, N. S. ; Gottman, J. M. & Yrington, T. P. (2005). Attachment, emotional regulation, and the function of marital violence: differences between secure, preoccupied,and dismissing violent and nonviolent husbands. Journal of Family Violence,15 (4).

Banse, R. (2004). Adult attachment and marital satisfaction: Evidence for dyadic configuration effects. Journal of social and personal Relationships, 21, 273-282.

Berman, W. H. ; Marcus, L. & Berman, E. R. (1994). Attachment in marital relations. In M. B. Sperling & W. H. Berman, Attachment in adults: clinical and Developmental Perspectives. New York: Guilford.

Besharat, M. A., Golinejad, M., & Ahmaddi, A. (2004). Attachment styles and interpersonal problems. Quarterly journal of psychiatry and clinical psychology (thoughts and behavior), Vol.(4);74-81.

Burpee, L. C., & Langer, E. J. (2005). Mindfulness and marital satisfaction. Journal of Adult Development, 12(1), 43-51.

Creasey, G. (2002). Associations between working models of attachment and conflict management behavior in romantic couples. Journal of counseling Psychology,49, 365-375.

Crowleyh, A. k. (2006). The relationship of adult attachment style and interactive conflict styles to marital satisfaction. Doctoral Thesis. Texas A & M University.

Dessaulles, A., Johnson, S. M., & Denton, W. H. (2003). Emotion-focused therapy for couples in the treatment of depression: A pilot study. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 31(5), 345-353.

Dessaulles,A. (1991). The treatment of clinical depression in the context of marital distress. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Ottawa, Canada.

Dewitte, M. & Houwer, J. D. (2008). Adult attachment and attention to Positive and negative emotional face expressions. Journal of Research in Personality, 42, 498-505.

Donovan, J. M. (2003). Short-term object relations couples therapy: The five-step model. Psychology Press.

Feeny, J. A. (2002). Attachment, marital interaction, and relationship fowers, B. J. (1993). ENRICH marital satisfaction scale: A brief research and clinical tool. Journal of Family Psychology, 7, 176-185.

Goldenberg, I. & Goldenberg, H. (2004). (5th Ed). ''Family Therapy'', Peacock Publishers.

Goldenberg, I., & Goldenberg, H. (2000). Family Exploration: Personal Viewpoints from Multiple Perspectives: a Workbook for Family Therapy an Overview, Workbook. Thomson Brooks/Cole.

Goldman, A. & Greenberg, L. (1992). Comparison of integrated systemic and emotionally focused approaches to couples therapy. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology,60, 962-969.

Greenberg, L. & Pavio,S. (1997). Working emotion psychotherapy. New York: Guidford.

Gurman, A. S. & Frankle,P. (2002). The history of couple therapy: A millennial review. Family process, 41, 199-260.

Halford, W. Kim. Brief therapy for couples: Helping partners help themselves. Guilford Press, 2003.

Hasan Abadi, H.; Mojarrad, S.; Soltanifar, A. (2011). Efficacy of emotion focused therapy (EFT) on marital adjustment and positive emotions couples having extramarital relations. Research in Clinical Psychology and Counseling, 1 (2), 25-38.

Hazan, C & Shaver, P. R (1994). Attachment as an organizational framework for research on close relationship. Psychological Iniquiry, 5, 1-22.

Hazan,C. & Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of personality and Social psychology,52, 511-525.

Honarparvaran, N. , Tabrizy, M. , Navabinejad, Sh. & Shafiabady, A. (2010). The Efficacy of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT-C) Training with Reducing Sexual Dissatisfaction among Couples. European. Journal of Scientific Research,pp. 538-545.

Johnson, S. (2004). Emotionally focused couple therapy: creating connection. New York: Brunner-Rutledge.

Johnson, S. M., Makinen, J. A., & Millikin, J. W. (2001). Attachment injuries in couple relationships: A new perspective on impasses in couples therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 27(2), 145-155.

Johnson,S. M.,& Greenberg, L. S. (1988). Relating process to outcome in marital therapy. Journal of marital and Family Therapy, 14, 175-183.

Johnson,S. M. & Greenberg, L. S. (1994). The heart of the matter: perspectives on emotion in marital therapy New York: Brunner/Mazel.

Johnson,S. M. & Greenberg,l. s. (1985a). Diferential effects of problem solving interventions in resolving and marital conflict. journal of consulting and clinical psychology,53, 175-184.

Johnson,S. M. & Greenberg,l. s. (1985b). Emotionally focused study. Journal of marital and Family Therapy: An outcome Therapy, 11, 313-317.

Johnson,S. M. & Whifen, v. E. (1999). Made to measure: adapting emotionally Focused therapy to partness attachment style. Journal of Clinical psychology: Science and practice, 6, 366-381.

Johnson,S. M. & Williams- keeler,L. (1998). Creating heading couples dealing with trauma: The use of relationships for emotionally focused marital therapy. Journal of Marital and Family therapy,24, 25-40.

Keshavarz Afshar, H.; Etemadi, A.; Ahmadi, kh, Sadipoor, A. (2013). Comparison of model-based analysis of the personal constructs of coping with marital satisfaction. Journal of Counseling and Family Therapy, University of Kurdistan, 3 (4). 613-639.

Macphee, D. C., Johnson, S. M., & van Der Veer, M. M. (1995). Low sexual desire in women: The effects of marital therapy. Journal of sex & marital therapy, 21(3), 159-182.

Markman, H.J., Floyd, F (2002). Prevention of marital distress: A longitudinal investigation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology ,6,210–217.

Mazaheri, M. A. (2000), The role of adult attachment in marital functioning. Journal of Psychology, (3,4,5, s), 286-318.

Mirgain, S. A., & Cordova, J. V. (2007). Emotion skills and marital health: The association between observed and self-reported emotion skills, intimacy, and marital satisfaction. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 26(9), 983-1009.

Mollahzadeh, J.; Mansour, M.; Ejei, J.; Kyamnesh; A. R. (1381). Styles of confront and marital adjustment in children of Martyrs. Journal of Psychology; 3275-255.

Peleg, O. (2008). The relation between differentiation of self and marital satisfaction: what can be learned from married people over the course of life?. The american Journal of family therapy, 36(5), 388-401.

Priest, J. B. (2013). Emotionally focused therapy as treatment for couples with generalized anxiety disorder and relationship distress. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 12(1), 22-37.

Rezaee, M., Yunesi, J., Ahmadi, K., Asgari, A., & Mirzaee, J. (2010). The Impact of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy on Improving Communication Patterns in Combat- Related PTSD Veterans & their Wives. Journal of Family Research 6(1), 15.

Shackelford, T. K., Besser, A., & Goetz, A. T. (2008). Personality, marital satisfaction, and probability of marital infidelity. Individual Differences Research, 6(1), 13-25.

Soleymanian, AR (1994), examines the relationship between irrational beliefs and marital satisfaction in couples. MA thesis. University of Teacher Education.

Walker, J. G., Johnson, S., Manion, I., & Cloutier, P. (1996). Emotionally focused marital intervention for couples with chronically ill children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(5), 1029.

Ziaolhagh,M.S;Hasan Abadi, H; Ghanbari Hashemabadi, B.A and Modarres Gharavi M.(2012). The Effect of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy in Marital Adjustment. Journal of Family Reserch, 8(1);49-66.