The effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy on the improvement of posttraumatic symptoms, quality of life, self esteem and marital satisfaction in the women exposed to infidelity

Document Type : Original

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardebil, Iran

Abstract

Purpose: Infidelity is an interpersonal traumatic event that can results in cognitive, affective and behavioral symptoms in the victims. In the attention to this issue, the current study was conducted in the order to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy on the improvement of posttraumatic symptoms, quality of life, self esteem and marital satisfaction in the women exposed to infidelity.
Methods: The design of this study was quasi-experimental. Fourteen women, had been selected by the opportunity sampling, responded to the questionnaires of posttraumatic stress disorder, quality of life, self esteem and marital satisfaction in the pre test stage. Then they received cognitive processing therapy. Ultimately these subjects responded to aforesaid questionnaires at post test and follow up stage again. The collected data were analyzed by ANOVA for repeated measures.
Findings: The results showed that the mean difference of subject's scores at pre test, post test and follow up stage in the variables of posttraumatic symptoms, quality of life and self esteem are significant statistically. The results of Post hog test also showed that this significant difference was between pretest with posttest and follow up stage. But the mean of marital satisfaction scores were not significantly altered at these three stages.
Conclusion: The results of this research pose the need to application of the one trauma focused psychotherapy such as cognitive processing therapy in the working with women exposed to infidelity.

Keywords

References

Ahrens, J. & Rexford, L. (2002). Cognitive processing therapy for incarcerated adolescents with PTSD. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 6, 201–216.
Alvarez, J.,  McLean, C., Harris, A.H.S., Rosen, C.S., Ruzek, J. I. &  Kimerling,R. (2011).The Comparative Effectiveness of Cognitive Processing Therapy for Male Veterans Treated in a VHA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Residential Rehabilitation Program. Journal of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, 79( 5), 590-599.
Basharpoor, S., Narimani, M., Gamari-givi, H., Abolghasemi, A. & Molavi, P. (2011). Effect of Cognitive Processing Therapy and Holographic Reprocessing on Reduction of Posttraumatic Cognitions in Students Exposed to Trauma. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, 6(4), 107-114.
Brown, E. (1991). Patterns of infidelity and their treatment. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Ellis, B. J. & Symons, D. (1990). Sex differences in sexual fantasy: an evolutionary approach. Journal of Sex Research, 4, 527–555.
Foweres, B.J. & Olson, D.H. (1989). ENRICH martial inventory. A discriminant validity and cross validation assessment. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 15, 65–79.
Galovski, T.E., Louis, S. & Resick, P.A. (2008). Cognitive Processing Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Secondary to a Motor Vehicle Accident: A Single-Subject Report. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. 15, 287–295.
Gordan, K.C., Baucom, D.H. & Snyder, D.K. (2004). An integrative intervention for promoting recovery from extramarital affairs. Journal of marital and family therapy, 30, 213-231.
Keane, T.M., Caddell, T.M. & Taylor, L. (1988). Mississippi scale for combay PTSD. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 56(1), 85-90.
Laumann, E., Gagnon, J.H., Michael. R.T. & Michaels, S. (1994). The social organization of sexuality. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Monson, C.M., Schnurr, P.P., Resick, P.A., Friedman, M.J., Young-Xu, Y. & Stevens, S.P. (2006). Cognitive Processing Therapy for veterans with military-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Cuonsling and Clinical Psychology, 74, 898–907.
Resick, P.A., Nishith, P., Weaver, T.L., Astin, M.C. & Feuer, C.A. (2002).  A comparison of cognitive-processing therapy with prolonged exposure and a waiting condition for the treatment of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder in female rape victims. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70, 867–879.
Resick, P.A. & Schnicke, M.K. (1992). Cognitive processing therapy for sexual assault victims. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60, 748–756.
Rodgers, W. L. & Bachman, J. G. (1988). The subjective well-being of young adults: trends and relationships. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan.
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Schulz, P.M., Resick, P.A., Huber, L.C. & Griffin, M.G. (2006). The effectiveness of Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD with refugees in a community setting. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 13, 322–331.
Shackelford, T. K., Besser, A . & Goetz, A. T. (2008). Personality, Marital Satisfaction, and Probability of Marital Infidelity. journal of Individual Differences Research, 6, 13-25.
Spitzberg, B. H. & Cupach, W. R. (Eds.). (1998). the dark side of human relationships. London, UK: Lawrence ErlbaumAssociates.
Spring, A.J. & Spring, M. (1996). After the affair: healing the pain and rebuilding trust when a partner has been unfaithful. New York: Harper Collins.
Ware, J., Snow, K., Kosinski, M. & Gandek, B. (1993). SF-36 health survey: manual and interpretation guide. Boston: The Health Institute, New England Medical Center.
Whisman, M.A., Dixon, A.E. & Johnson, B. (1997). Therapists on perceptiveness of couple problems and treatment issues in the practice of couple therapy. Journal of family psychology, 11, 167-174.
Wiederman, M. W. (1997). Extramarital sex: prevalence and correlates in a national survey. The journal of sex research, 34, 167-174.
Wright, T. M., & Reise, S. P. (1997). Personality and unrestricted sexual behavior: correlations of socio sexuality in Caucasian and Asian college students. Journal of Research in Personality, 31, 166–192.

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 31 March 2012
  • Accept Date: 25 August 2012

Share

How to cite

Statistics