Community Health Journal

Community Health Journal

Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on the Quality of Marital Relationships and Psychological Distress of Couples

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
R Mahdian 1
M Pourfaraj 2
1 MA in clinical psychology,Behshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Behshahr, Iran.
2 Assistant of Prof., Psychology Department, Behshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Behshahr, Iran
10.22123/chj.2024.395448.2008
Abstract
Introduction: Desirable quality of marital relations and lack of psychological distress can be important factors of stability of marital relations. The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of schema therapy on the quality of marital relationships and psychological distress of couples referring to counseling centers in Sari.
Materials and methods: The current research was semi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of the research was all the couples who referred to counseling centers in Sari city in 1401. The statistical sample included 32 couples who referred to the counseling centers (16 for the control group and 16 for the experimental group) who were selected by convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 8 sessions of schema therapy and the control group did not receive therapy during this time. The data collection tool was Busby et al.'s Marital Relationship Quality Questionnaire and Lavibond and Lavibond's Psychological Disturbance Scale. Data analysis was done using multivariate covariance analysis.
Findings: In the intervention group, the mean and standard deviation of the quality of marital relations in the experimental group in the pre-test and (post-test) were 32.13±1.12 (36.60±1.45) and 42.13±1.18 for psychological distress. 39.13 ± 0.83) but no significant difference was observed in the control group. Therefore, schema therapy significantly increased the average score of the quality of marital relationships and decreased the average score of psychological distress in couples who referred to counseling centers (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Schema therapy seems to be effective on the quality of marital relations and psychological distress of couples referring to counseling centers and it is suggested as a useful intervention in the field of improving the quality of marital relations and psychological distress.
Keywords
Schema Therapy
Marital Relationship Quality
Psychological Distress
Couples
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Community Health Journal
Volume 18, Issue 1
Summer 2024
Pages 1-10