The Effectiveness of Forgiveness Therapy on Emotional Divorce of Betrayed Couple

Document Type : Applied

Authors

1 M.A, Family Counseling, Payame Noor University, Sari Branch, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling, Payame Noor University, Sari Branch, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Azad University, Sari Branch, Iran.

Abstract

One of the strategies that can have a special power and learning in family relationships is forgiveness therapy. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of therapeutic forgiveness on the emotional divorce of the betrayed couple in Neka city. This study was a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test-post-test of the control group with follow-up. The statistical population of this study included all betrayed couples who were referred to counseling and social emergency centers in Neka city, from which 30 couples were selected and randomly included in two experimental and control groups. There were 8 women and 7 men in the experimental group. There were also 8 women and 7 men in the control group. Participants completed the Emotional Divorce Questionnaire Gottman,  Gottman, and Silver (1995)  in 3 sessions (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up). The experimental group was given 7 sessions of forgiveness-therapy training for 120 minutes (one session per week) and the control group did not receive any training. The results of the analysis of ANCOVA showed that there was a significant difference between the mean scores of 65/92 emotional divorce at the significance level of 0.001 in the experimental and control groups. Also, in the follow-up 3 months later, there is a significant difference in the variable of emotional divorce 25.721, in the extent of the effect of therapeutic forgiveness on emotional divorce continues. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that forgiveness therapy is effective in reducing emotional divorce. Therefore, counselors and therapists are advised to use the method of pardon therapy in family counseling centers to improve the marital relations of the betrayed couple.

Keywords


Ahmadloo, M., and Zeinali, A. (2018). Predicting of emotional divorce based on novelty seeking, negative perfectionism and insecure attachment among employed women of Urmia city. Iran Occupational Health15(2), 64-72. [Persian][link]
Akhtar, S., and Barlow, J. (2018). Forgiveness therapy for the promotion of mental well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse19(1), 107-122. [link]
Alaghband, L., Sharifi, H., Farzad, V., and Aghayousefi, A. (2019). A Model for Predicting Emotional Divorce Based on Emotional Literacy, Coping Styles, Quality of Life, and Emotion Seeking with Emotion Regulation Mediation. Medical journal of Mashhad University of medical sciences62(December), 288-402. [Persian][link]
Amiri, F., Moslemifar, M., Showani, E., and Panahi, A. (2020). Effectiveness of forgiveness therapy in the treatment of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and anger among female students with love Trauma Syndrome. Journal of Advanced Pharmacy Education and Research| Jan-Mar10(S1), 99. [Persian] [link]
Asadi, M., Sohrabi, F., and Borjali, A. (2016). The effect of forgiveness therapy on aggression and empathy of delinquent youth boys. Rooyesh; 5 (2):187-208[Persian].[link]
Azimi, N., Hosseini, S., Arefi, M., and Parandin, S. (2020). Predicting Emotional Divorce Based on Conflict Control Styles and Psychological Hardiness in Couples. Psychotherapy, (9), 47-57. [Persian][link]
Browne, P. E. (2009). Forgiveness therapy: A qualitative study of the forgiveness experience of people who have undergone forgiveness as a counseling intervention.Capella University. [link]
Cahn, N., and Singer, J. (2016).Divorce American Style. Fam Law Q; 50:139-142.link
Davis, E., Worthington, L., Hook, N., and Hill, P. (2013). Research on religion/spirituality and forgiveness: A meta-analytic review. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality5(4), 233. [link]
Donovan, S.,and Emmers-Sommer, T. M. (2012). Attachment Style and Gender as Predictors of Communicative Responses to Infidelity. Marriage Fam Rev; 48(2):125-49.[link]
Fife,T., Weeks, R., and Stellberg‐Filbert, J. (2013). Facilitating forgiveness in the treatment of infidelity: An interpersonal model. Journal of Family Therapy35(4), 343-367. [link]
Ghafoorian, P., and Hasanabadi, H. (2016). Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Thought Control and Meta Cognitive Beliefs Among Females Experienced Extramarital Affairs Trauma. International Journal of Women’s Health and Wellness2(2), 20-24. [Persian] [link]
Glass, SP., and Wright, TL. (2007). Reconstructing marriages after the trauma of infidelity. In: Halford WK, Markman HJ, editors. Clinical handbook of marriage and couples interventions. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.[link]
Gordon, C. (2003). Forgiveness and marriage: Preliminary support for a measure based on a model of recovery from a marital betrayal. American Journal of Family Therapy31(3), 179-199. [link]
Goldenberg, I., Goldenberg, H. (2017).Family therapy. Translated by Hoseinshahi Bravati, Naghshbandi and Arjmand. Publisher Ravan, Tehran. [Persian]
Gottman, J., Gottman, M., and Silver, N. (1995). Why marriages succeed or fail: And how you can make yours last. Simon and Schuster. [link]
Hashemi, L., and Homayuni, H. (2017). Emotional divorce: Child’s well-being.  Journal of divorce and remarriage58(8), 631-644. [Persian] [link]
Hashemi, Z., and Eyni, S. (2020). The Effectiveness of the Integrated Behavioral Couple Therapy on the Emotional Divorce. Family Counseling and Psychotherapy, 10(1), 1-20. [Persian][link]
Hernandez, C., Vonderfecht, H., Smith, B., Cress, K., Davis, R., and Bigger, D. (2012). Development and evaluation of a faith-based psych educational approach to forgiveness for Christians. Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought31(3), 263-284. [link]
Jarwan, S., and Al-frehat, M. (2020).Emotional Divorce and Its Relationship with Psychological Hardiness. International Journal of Education and Practice, 8(1), 72-85. [link]
Khan Mohamammadi, Z., Bazzazian, S., Amiri Majd, M., and Ghamari, M. (2018). Predicting emotional divorce based on psychological basic needs, marital expectations, and family function. Journal of Family Psychology5(1), 17-30. [Persian][link]
Kiaeerad, H., Pasha, R., Asgari, P., and Makvandi, B. (2020).The Effect of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Attitude to Extramarital Relationship and Violence in Women with Emotional Divorce. Iranian Journal of Nursing Research15(5), 0-0. [Persian][link]
Lander, I. (2014). Expanding the Horizons of Forgiveness Therapy: A Cross-Cultural Application with a Bedouin-Arab Woman. Clinical Social Work Journal42(4), 395-407. [link]
Malek Zadeh Torkamani, P., Aminpoor, M., Bakhtiari Said, B., and Khalili, G. (2018).The Effectiveness of Forgiveness-Based Intervention on Couple Burnout in Women Affected By Infidelity of Spouse. Zanko Journal of Medical Sciences19(60), 31-45. [Persian][link]
Marín, A., Christensen, A., and Atkins, C. (2014). Infidelity and behavioral couple therapy: Relationship outcomes over 5 years following therapy. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice3(1), 1. [link]
McCullough, E., Fincham, D., and Tsang, A. (2003). Forgiveness, forbearance, and time: the temporal unfolding of transgression-related interpersonal motivations. Journal of personality and social psychology84(3), 540. [link]
Movahedi, A., and Mirza Hosseini, H. (2017). Effect of forgiveness therapy on coping with marital conflicts and quality of life. Journal of Fundamentals of Mental Health19(special issue), 194-203. [Persian][link]
Nateghian, S., Molazadeh, J., Goudarzi, M., and Rahimi, C. (2008). Forgiveness and marital satisfaction in combat veterans with post_traumatic stress disorder and their wives. J Fundam Ment Health; 10(37):33-46. [Persian]. [link]
Negash, S., Carlson, H., and Linder, N. (2018). Emotionally focused therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: An integrated treatment to heal the trauma of infidelity. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice7(3-4), 143. [Persian][link]
Pouryahya, M., Shirkavand, F., Salimi, A., Davarniya, R., and Shakarami, M. (2019). The Effect of Group Forgiveness-Based Intervention on Marital Intimacy of Women Affected by Infidelity of Spouse. The Horizon of Medical Sciences25(2), 102-109. [Persian][link]
Rasheed, A., Amr, A., and Fahad, N. (2021). Investigating the Relationship between Emotional Divorce, Marital Expectations, and Self-Efficacy among Wives in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage62(1), 19-40. [link]
Reed, L., and Enright, D. (2006). The effects of forgiveness therapy on depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress for women after spousal emotional abuse. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology74(5), 920. [link]
Salehi Amiri, R., Hekmatpour, M., and Fadaei, M. (2014). Investigating the Impact of Emotional Divorce on Family Performance, International Conference on Behavioral Sciences and Social Studies, Viera Capital Institute of Managers. [Persian][link]
Schade, C., and Sandberg, G. (2012). Healing the attachment injury of marital infidelity using emotionally focused couples therapy: A case illustration. The American Journal of Family Therapy40(5), 434-444. [link]
Shoaa Kazemi, M. (2017). Effect of cognitive-behavior therapy for betrayed women. Journal of Research and Health7(3), 796-802. [Persian] [link]
Starratt, G., Weekes-Shackelford, V., and Shackelford, K. (2017). Mate value both positively and negatively predicts intentions to commit infidelity. Pers Ind Differ;104:18-22.[link]
Thompson, Y., Snyder, R., Hoffman, L., Michael, T., Rasmussen, N., Billings, L. S., ... and Roberts, E. (2005). Dispositional forgiveness of self, others, and situations. Journal of personality73(2), 313-360. [link]
Turliuc, N., and Scutaru, L. (2014). Construction and Validation of Emotional Responses to Sexual Infidelity Scale – ERSIS. Procedia Soc Behav Sci. 159:473-9. [link]
Uthaug, V. (2016). The Relationship Between Narcissistic Traits and Attitude Towards Infidelity. Doctoral dissertation, Empire State College. [link]
Vafaei, L., soleimaninan, A., and mohammadzade ebrahimi, A. (2020). The Effectiveness of “Forgiveness-Based Group Counseling” on Post-divorce Women's Adjustment. JHPM; 9 (2):11-21[Persian].[link]
Wade, N., Schultz, M., and Schenkenfelder, M. (2017). Forgiveness Therapy in the Reconstruction of Meaning Following Interpersonal Trauma. Reconstructing Meaning After Trauma. San Diego, CA, US: Elsevier Academic Press; p. 69-81.[link]
Worthington, L. (2006). Just Forgiving: How the Psychology and Theology of Forgiveness and Justice Inter-relate. Journal of Psychology and Christianity25(2). [link]
Worthington, L., Johnson, L., Hook, N., and Aten, D. (2013).  Evidence-based practices for Christian counseling and psychotherapy. Intervarsity Press.[link]
Worthington, L., Sharp, B., Lerner, J., and Sharp, R. (2006). Interpersonal forgiveness as an example of loving one's enemies. Journal of psychology and theology34(1), 32-42.[link]
Worthington, L., and Scherer, M. (2004). Forgiveness is an emotion-focused coping strategy that can reduce health risks and promote health resilience: Theory, review, and hypotheses. Psychology and Health, 19(3), 385-405. [link]
Worthington, L. (2001). Five steps to forgiveness. New York: Crown Publishers. [link]
Zhang, H., Wong, C., Ip, P., Fan, S., and Yip, S. (2015). Intimate partner violence among Hong Kong young adults: Prevalence, risk factors, and associated health problems. Journal of interpersonal violence30(13), 2258-2277. [link]