The Effect of Integrative Systematic Couple Therapy in a Group Method on Marital Intimacy and Coping Styles of Marital Distress

Document Type : Original

Authors

1 MA, Department of education and counseling Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology , Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of education and counseling Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology , Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

3 Professor, Department of education and counseling Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology , Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

4 PhD student, Department of education and counseling Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology , Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

Background: One of the vital aspects of a marital system is the satisfaction that spouses feel and experience in their relationship and having a healthy family requires a couple's adjustment and satisfaction with each other. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of integrative systemic couple therapy on improving marital intimacy and coping styles of marital distress. Method: The survey research method was a Semi-experimental type with a pretest, posttest design, and a control group. The study population was made up of couples who were referred to the counseling center of Maheban Al-Reza Charity Institute in Mashhad in 2018, 24 of them were selected purposefully, and after controlling the entrance and exit criteria, they were randomly replaced into two groups of 12-couples (experimental and control group). The measurement tools were Bagarozzi 2001 Marital Intimacy Questionnaire and Bodenmann 2005 Marital Coping Styles Questionnaire. Sessions based on integrated systemic couple therapy were also presented to the experimental group during 8 sessions of 90 minutes. To check the hypotheses, multivariate covariance was used in SPSS software. Findings: Results showed that marital intimacy and stress coping styles have improved with the effect of 81% and 68% in couples, respectively. Conclusion: the results of the research indicate the effectiveness of Feldman's systemic-integrative couple therapy on increasing emotional intimacy, spiritual intimacy as well as social intimacy and styles of coping with negative, common, and communication stress in couples.

Keywords


Abasi, M., Bagian Kolemarz, M., Dargahi, Sh., & Bagheri Givi, H. (2015). The effectiveness of behavioral-communication couple therapy on marital adjustment and sexual intimacy. Iranian Journal of Nursing, 28(95), 22-33. https://ij9n.iums.ac.ir/article-1-2190-en.html [persian] 
Bagarozzi, D. (2001). Enhancing intimacy in marriage (1nd ed.). Philadelphia, Brunner, Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Enhancing-Intimacy-in-Marriage-A-Clinicians-Guide/Bagarozzi/p/book/9780415763370
Bakhtiari, E., Hosseini, S., Arefi, M., & Afsharinia, K. (2021). The Mediating Role of Marital Intimacy in the Relationship between Attachment Style and Couples' Attitude Towards Infidelity. Journal of Counseling Research Iranian Counseling Association, 20(77), 122-140. http://irancounseling.ir/journal/article-1-1100-en.html&sw=Attitude [persian] 
Bashirpour, M., Shafi’abadi, A., & Doukanei fard, F. (2020). Factors affecting the tendency to marital infidelity: A grounded theory study. Journal of Qualitative Research in Health Sciences, 8(4):16-27. http://jqr1.kmu.ac.ir/article_90987.html [persian] 
Behrouz, B., Golmohammadian, M., & Hojatkhah, M. (2021). The causal relationship between emotion regulation and suicidal ideation mediated by marital satisfaction in earthquake-stricken women. Journal of Applied Family Therapy, 2(1), 91-107. http://www.aftj.ir/article_126716.html?lang=en [Persian]
Berg, R., Gari, L., & kevin, F. (2006). Group counseling. Translated by Kianoosh Zahrakar, Freshteh Parniyan & Zahra Kohlooi. Tehran: arasbaran pub. https://www.gisoom.com/book/1617837/ [persian] 
Bodenmann, G., & Shantinath, S. D. (2004). The Couples Coping Enhancement Training (CCET): A new approach to prevention of marital distress based upon stress and coping. Family Relations, 53(5), 477-484. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.0197-6664.2004.00056.x
Bodenmann, G. (2005). Dyadic coping and its significance for marital functioning. Couples coping with stress, Emerging Perspectives on Dyadic Coping, 1(1), 33-50. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232506978_Dyadic_Coping_and_Its_Significance_for_Marital_Functioning
Butzer, B., & Campbell, L. (2008). Adult attachment, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction: A study of married couples. Personal relationships, 15(1), 141-54. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2008-02325-010
Cohn, B. R. (1987). An integrative approach to couple therapy: Altering the treatment modality to resolve an impasse. British Journal of Psychotherapy, 3(3), 226-238. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1752-0118.1987.tb00975.x
Etemadi, A., Navabi Nejad, Sh., Ahmadi, S., & Valiollah, F. (2004). Evaluation of the effect of couple therapy by Imago Therapy on increasing intimacy of couples referring to counseling centers in Isfahan. News and Consulting Research, 5(19), 9-22. https://www.sid.ir/fa/journal/ViewPaper.aspx?id=65273 [persian] 
Falahzade, H., Sanai Zaker, B., & Farzad, V. (2013). A Study on the Effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Integrated Systemic Couple Therapy on Reducing Intimacy Anxiety. Family Research, 8(4), 465-484. https://www.sid.ir/en/journal/ViewPaper.aspx?id=289842 [persian] 
Feldman, L. B. (1985). Integrative multi-level therapy: A comprehensive interpersonal and intrapsychic approach. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 11(4), 357-372. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1752-0606.1985.tb00029.x
Feldman, L. B. (1979). Marital Conflict and Marital Intimacy: An Integrative Psychodynamic-Behavioral-systemic Model. Family Therapy, 18, 69-79. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/437070/
Goordon, K. C., Baucom, D. H., & Synder, D. K. (2004). An Integrative Intervention for Promoting Recovery from Extramarital Affairs. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 30 (2), 213-231. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15114949/
Goldman, A., & Greenberg, L. (1992). Comparison of integrated systemic and emotionally focused approaches to couples therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60(6), 962-969. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1460158/
Gutierrez, D., Carlson, R. G., Daire, A. P., & Young, M. E. (2016). Evaluating Treatment Outcomes Using the Integrative Model of Brief Couples Counseling: A Pilot Study. The Family Journal, 25(1), 5-12. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1066480716678619
He, Y., Fisher, A. R., Swanson, S E., Lebow J. L. (2022). Integrative Systemic Therapy: Integrating Individual, Couple, and Family Therapy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 43, 9-21.
Hou, Y., Jiang, F., & Wang, X. (2019). Marital commitment, communication, and marital satisfaction: An analysis based on actor–partner interdependence model. International Journal of Psychology, 54(3), 369-376. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29318606/
Isanejad, O., & Alizade, Z. (2020). The Effectiveness of Couples Coping Enhancement Training (CCET) on Marital Adjustment and Marital Coping Strategies. Psychological Research, 11(1), 67-85. [Persian] https://japr.ut.ac.ir/article_75568.html?lang=en [persian] 
Koerner, A. F., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2002). Understanding family communication patterns and family functioning: The roles of conversation orientation and conformity orientation. Communication Year Book, 28, 36-68. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307812451_Understanding_Family_Communication_Patterns_and_Family_Functioning_The_Roles_of_Conversation_Orientation_and_Conformity_Orientation
Ledermann, T., Bodenmann, G., & Cina, A. (2007). The efficacy of the couples coping enhancement training (CCET) in improving relationship quality. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 26, 940-959. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2007-16682-004
Lim, J., & Lee, S. (2017). The mediating effect of differentiation of self between the family of origin experiences and their marital satisfaction among Korean married women. International Information Institute (Tokyo). Information, 20(3A), 1667-1674. https://www.proquest.com/openview/.
Luk, B. H., & Loke, A.Y. (2019). Sexual satisfaction, intimacy and relationship of couples undergoing infertility treatment. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 37(2):108-22. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30317866/
Mairal, J. B. (2015). Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT) is a third-wave therapy. Psicothema, 27(1), 13-18. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25633764/
McGuire, A., Gillath, O., Jackson, Y., & Ingram, R. (2018). Attachment security priming as a potential intervention for depressive symptoms. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37, 44-68. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-07026-003
Middelberg, C. V. (2001). Projective identification in common couple dances. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 27(3), 341-352. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2001.tb00329.x
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. J Soc Clin Psychol, 26(9), 983. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2007-18580-001
Mohamadi, R., Khoshkonesh, A., & Zademohamadi, A. (2014). Investigating the relationship between spouses' coping strategies with stress, marital satisfaction, and burnout in teachers. Journal of Family Studies, 9(36), 471-87. http://ensani.ir/fa/article/384582/بررسی-رابطه-بین-راهبردهای-مقابله-همسران-با-استرس-رضایتمندی-زناشویی-و-فرسودگی-شغلی-در-معلمان [persian] 
Mokhles, H., Fattahi Andbil, A., & Shafiabady, A. (2021). The Effectiveness of “Solution-Focused Brief Therapy” on Marital Intimacy and Contingencies of Self-Worth in Divorce Applicant Couples. Journal of Health Promotion Management (JHPM), 10(2), 110-122. https://www.sid.ir/en/Journal/ViewPaper.aspx?ID=842326 [persian] 
Nielsen, A. C. (2017). From couple therapy 1.0 to a comprehensive model: A roadmap for sequencing and integrating systemic, psychodynamic, and behavioral approaches in couple therapy. Family Process, 56(3), 540-557. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28608399/
Pasha, H., Basirat, Z., Esmailzadeh, S., Faramarzi, M., & Adibrad, H. (2017). Marital intimacy and predictive factors among infertile women in northern Iran]. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 11(5), 13-21. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28608399/ [persian]
Peterson-Post, K. M., Rhoades, G. K., Stanley, S. M., & Markman, H. J. (2014). Perceived criticism and marital adjustment predict depressive symptoms in a community sample. J Behav Ther, 45(4), 564-75. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24912468/
Randall A, & Bodenmann G. (2017). Stress and its associations with relationship satisfaction. Current Opinion in Psychology, 13, 96-106. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28813303/
Reiser, B. J., Black, J. B., & Abelson, R. P. (1985). Knowledge structures in the organization and retrieval of autobiographical memories. Cognitive Psychology, 17, 89-137. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1985-21890-001
Sedighi, F., Dokanei Fard, F., & Rezakhani, S. (2021). Structural model of marital satisfaction based on personality traits and attachment styles mediated by coping strategies. Journal of Psychological Science, 19(95), 1475-1485. https://psychologicalscience.ir/article-1-812-en.html [persian] 
Shafiabadi, A. (2019). Group prosses and group counseling. Tehran: Roshd pub. https://www.gisoom.com/book/11392947/ [persian] 
Shariatzadeh joneidi, Gh., Arvand, J., Zandi, A., & Keyvan, S. (2021). The Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Couple Therapy in Improving Marital Satisfaction and Adjustment of Couples. JARCP, 3(2), 38-49. https://jarcp.ir/article-1-71-fa.html [Persian]
Sodani, M., Dastan, N., Khojaste mehr, R., & Rajabi, GH. (2015). Comparison of the effectiveness of narrative couple therapy and combined behavioral couple therapy on conflict resolution tactics of women victims of spousal violence. Journal of Women and Society, 6(3), 1-12. https://www.sid.ir/en/journal/ViewPaper.aspx?ID=484220 [persian]