The Effect of Participation in Acceptance and Commitment Training Group Sessions on the Fear of Intimacy in Women with Emotional Divorce

Document Type : Original

Authors

1 M A of Family Counseling, faculty and psychology and Educational Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Emotional divorce, by creating various problems in the relationship of couples, leads to the formation of mistrust and lack of commitment, and increases the possibility of infidelity and betrayal of the spouse. Objective: The aim of this study was group education based on acceptance and commitment (ACT) on fear of intimacy in women with emotional divorce. Method: The research method was quasi-experimental: pretest-posttest and two-month follow-up. The statistical population included married women with emotional divorce who were referred to Yazd Family Counseling Center in 2020. All women who were referred to this center completed an emotional divorce questionnaire. Individuals with emotional divorce were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (20 people in each group). Both groups completed a questionnaire of fear of intimacy and the experimental group was exposed to eight 90-minute weekly sessions based on acceptance and commitment training. In the end, the questionnaire was administered again in both groups and the follow-up period after 8 weeks, both groups completed the questionnaires. Findings: The results of the analysis of covariance showed that teaching an approach based on acceptance and commitment improves positive emotions towards the spouse in married women suffering from emotional divorce. Conclusion: ACT skills lead to cognitive evaluation of emotions, decrease in negative emotions, increase in positive emotions and adaptive behavior, and ultimately lead to increased cognitive regulation of emotions.

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History

  • Receive Date: 22 October 2023
  • Revise Date: 25 February 2024
  • Accept Date: 21 February 2024

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