@2024 Afarand., IRAN
ISSN: 2383-2150 Journal of Education and Community Health 2017;4(3):26-37
ISSN: 2383-2150 Journal of Education and Community Health 2017;4(3):26-37
Effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy on Marital Commitment and Couple Burnout in Infertile Couples
ARTICLE INFO
Article Type
Original ResearchAuthors
Sayadi Masomeh (*)Shahhosseini Tazik Saeed (1)
Madani Yaser (1)
Gholamali Lavasani Masoud (1)
(*) Department of Educational Psychology and Consulting, School of Education and Psychology, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
(1) Department of Educational Psychology and Consulting, School of Education and Psychology, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
(1) Department of Educational Psychology and Consulting, School of Education and Psychology, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
(1) Department of Educational Psychology and Consulting, School of Education and Psychology, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
Correspondence
Address: -Phone: -
Fax: -
m.sayadi@ut.ac.ir
Article History
Received: July 15, 2017Accepted: October 13, 2017
ePublished: December 21, 2017
ABSTRACT
Aims
Infertility is known as an important stressor threatening the personal, marital, familial, and social stability in all cultures around the world. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of emotionally focused couple therapy on marital commitment and couple burnout among infertile couples.
Materials & Methods This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 30 infertile couples referring to the private centers of infertility in Qom, Iran, from September 2015 to September 2016, using pretest-postest design with a control group. The study population was selected through purposive sampling technique, and then randomly assigned into the experimental (n=15 couples) and control experimental (n=15 couples) groups. All participants filled out the Dimensions of Commitment Inventory and Couple Burnout Measure. In addition, the couples in the experimental group attended 10 emotionally focused couple therapy sessions performed twice a week. The data were analyzed using the multivariate analysis of covariance and univariate analysis of covariance.
Findings The results of the multivariate analysis of covariance showed that emotionally focused couple therapy significantly increased the posttest mean scores of marital commitment and its subscales (i.e., personal commitment, moral commitment, and structural commitment) in the experimental group (P<0.05). Additionally, according to the univariate analysis of covariance, there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of the mean scores of the couple burnout at the posttest stage (P<0.01).
Conclusion As the findings indicated, the emotionally focused couple therapy can improve marital commitment and decrease couple burnout.
Materials & Methods This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 30 infertile couples referring to the private centers of infertility in Qom, Iran, from September 2015 to September 2016, using pretest-postest design with a control group. The study population was selected through purposive sampling technique, and then randomly assigned into the experimental (n=15 couples) and control experimental (n=15 couples) groups. All participants filled out the Dimensions of Commitment Inventory and Couple Burnout Measure. In addition, the couples in the experimental group attended 10 emotionally focused couple therapy sessions performed twice a week. The data were analyzed using the multivariate analysis of covariance and univariate analysis of covariance.
Findings The results of the multivariate analysis of covariance showed that emotionally focused couple therapy significantly increased the posttest mean scores of marital commitment and its subscales (i.e., personal commitment, moral commitment, and structural commitment) in the experimental group (P<0.05). Additionally, according to the univariate analysis of covariance, there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of the mean scores of the couple burnout at the posttest stage (P<0.01).
Conclusion As the findings indicated, the emotionally focused couple therapy can improve marital commitment and decrease couple burnout.
Keywords:
Couple Burnout,
Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy,
Infertile Couples,
Marital Commitment,
CITATION LINKS
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[6]Asadi E, Mansour L, Khodabakhshi A, Fathabadi J. The relationship between couple burnout, sexual assertiveness, and sexual dysfunctional beliefs in women with diabetic husbands and comparing them with women with non diabetic husbands. J Fam Res. 2013;9:311-24. [Persian]
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[10]Najafi M, Soleimani AA, Ahmadi K, Javidi N, Kamkar EH. The effectiveness of emotionally focused therapy on enhancing marital adjustment and quality of life among infertile couples with marital conflicts. Int J Fertil Steril. 2015;9(2):238-46. PMID: 26246883
[11]Bobes T, Rothman B. Doing couple therapy: Integrating theory with practice. New York: WW Norton & Company; 2002.
[12]Kelly S, Bhagwat R, Maynigo P, Moses E. Couple and marital therapy: The complement and expansion provided by multicultural approaches. Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association; 2014.
[13]Johnson SM. Creating connection: the practice of emotionally focused couple therapy. New York: Brunner-Routledge; 2004.
[14]Wiebe SA, Johnson SM. A review of the research in emotionally focused therapy for couples. Fam Process. 2016;55(3):390-407. PMID: 27273169 DOI: 10.1111/famp.12229
[15]Delavar A. Research methods in psychology and education. Tehran: Virayesh; 2004. [Persian]
[16]Najafi M, Soleimani A, Ahmadi K, Javidi N, Hoseni E, Pirjavid F. The study of the effectiveness of couple emotionally focused therapy (EFT) on increasing marital adjustment and improving the physical and psychological health of the infertile couples. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil. 2015;17(133):8-21. [Persian]
[17]Davarniya R, Zahrakar K, Moayeri N, Shakarami M. Assessing the performance of emotionally-focused group couples therapy (EFCT) on reducing couple burnout in women. Med Sci J Islamic Azad Univ Tehran Med Branch. 2015;25(2):132-40. [Persian]
[18]Adams JM, Jones WH. The conceptualization of marital commitment: an integrative analysis. J Personal Soc Psychol. 1997;72(5):1177.
[19]Shahsiah M, Bahrami F, Mohebi S. On the relationship between sexual satisfaction and marital commitment among couples in Shahreza city, central part of Iran. Quart J Fundament Ment Health. 2009;11(3):233-8. [Persian]
[20]Pines A. Couple burnout: Causes and cures. Abingdon, UK: Routledge; 1996.
[21]Naderi F, Eftekhari Z, Amola ZS. The correlation among personality characteristics and intimate relationship with couple burnout in spouses of addict men in Ahvaz. J Sco Psychol. 2009;3(11):61-78. [Persian]
[22]Fletcher G. Couples who completed emotionally focused therapy: their stories at least one year later. [Doctoral Dissertation]. California: Alliant International University; 2016.
[23]Love HA, Moore RM, Stanish NA. Emotionally focused therapy for couples recovering from sexual addiction. Sex Relationship Ther. 2016;31(2):176-89. DOI:10.1080/14681994.2016.1142522
[24]Zuccarini D, Johnson SM, Dalgleish TL, Makinen JA. Forgiveness and reconciliation in emotionally focused therapy for couples: the client change process and therapist interventions. J Marital Fam Ther. 2013;39(2):148-62. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-0606.2012.00287.x
[25]Greil AL, Slauson‐Blevins K, McQuillan J. The experience of infertility: a review of recent literature. Sociol Health Illn. 2010;32(1):140-62. PMID: 20003036 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9566.2009.01213.x
[26]Zarei S, Sabet M. Effectiveness of emotionally focused couple therapy on marital commitment, intimacy and confidence of Tehran city married women. Quart J Health Breeze. 2014;3(1):21-7. [Persian]
[27]Fallahzadeh H, Sanai Zaker B. Effectiveness of emotionally focused couple therapy and integrated systemic couple therapy on enhancing marital adjustment in attachment injured couples. Womens Stud. 2012;4(10):87-110. [Persian]
[28]Asadpour I, Nazari A, Sanai Zaker B, Shaghaghi S. An investigation of effectiveness of the emotionally focused couple therapy on increasing marital intimacy in couples entered at counseling centers in Tehran. Res Clin Psychol Counsel. 2012;2(1):25-38. [Persian]
[29]Johnson SM. The practice of emotionally focused couple therapy: Creating connection. Abingdon, UK: Routledge; 2012.
[30]Honarparvaran N. The emotionally focused in couple therapy. Tehran: Danzheh; 2012. [Persian]
[31]Wiebe SA, Johnson SM. Creating relationships that foster resilience in Emotionally Focused Therapy. Curr Opin Psychol. 2017;13:65-9. PMID: 28813297 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.05.001
[32]Allan R. The use of emotionally focused therapy with separated or divorced couples. Can J Counsel Psychother. 2016;50(3):62-79.
[33]Denton WH, Wittenborn AK, Golden RN. Augmenting antidepressant medication treatment of depressed women with emotionally focused therapy for couples: a randomized pilot study. J Marital Fam Ther. 2012;38(Suppl 1):23-38. PMID: 22765322 DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-0606.2012.00291.x
[34]Pines AM. Why are Israelis less burned out? Eur Psychol. 2004;9(2):69-77.
[35]KhojastehMehr R, Shiralinia K, Rajabi G, Beshlideh K. The effects of emotion-focused couple therapy on depression symptoms reduction and enhancing emotional regulation in distressed couples. Appl Counsel. 2012;3(1):1-18. [Persian]
[36]Soudani M, Karimi J, Mehrabizadeh M, Neisi A. Effectiveness of emotion oriented couple therapy on reducing the damaged caused by marital infidelity. J Res Behav Sci. 2012;4(25):258-68. [Persian]
[2]Küchenhoff J. Unfulfilled desire for children--what is the grief for men? Ther Umsch. 1999;56(5):260-4. PMID: 10409900 DOI: 10.1024/0040-5930.56.5.260
[3]Khodakarami N, Hashemi S, Seddigh S, Hamdiyeh M, Taheripanah R. Life experience with infertility; a phenomenological study. J Reprod Infertil. 2010;10(4):287-97. [Persian]
[4]Adams JM, Jones WH. Interpersonal commitment in historical perspective. Handbook of interpersonal commitment and relationship stability. New York: Springer; 1999. P. 3-33.
[5]Peterson B, Newton C, Rosen K, Schulman R. Dyadic coping processes of men and women in infertile couples and their relationship to infertility stress, marital adjustment, and depression. Fertil Steril. 2004;82:S104.
[6]Asadi E, Mansour L, Khodabakhshi A, Fathabadi J. The relationship between couple burnout, sexual assertiveness, and sexual dysfunctional beliefs in women with diabetic husbands and comparing them with women with non diabetic husbands. J Fam Res. 2013;9:311-24. [Persian]
[7]Nikoubakht N, Karimi U, Bahrami H. Couple burnout among fertilized and unfertilized women referred to Valieasr Reproductive Center, Tehran. Iran J Epidemiol. 2011;7(1):32-7. [Persian]
[8]Schaufeli WB, Buunk BP. Burnout: an overview of 25 years of research and theorizing. The handbook of work and health psychology. Netherlands: University of Gromingen; 2003. P. 282-424.
[9]Abhar Zanjani F, Khajeh-Mirza V, Seyyedi M, Shahabizadeh F, Dastjerdi R, Bahreinian A. Assessment on relationship beliefs and marital burnout among fertile and infertile couples. J Fundament Ment Health. 2015;17(2):81-6. [Persian]
[10]Najafi M, Soleimani AA, Ahmadi K, Javidi N, Kamkar EH. The effectiveness of emotionally focused therapy on enhancing marital adjustment and quality of life among infertile couples with marital conflicts. Int J Fertil Steril. 2015;9(2):238-46. PMID: 26246883
[11]Bobes T, Rothman B. Doing couple therapy: Integrating theory with practice. New York: WW Norton & Company; 2002.
[12]Kelly S, Bhagwat R, Maynigo P, Moses E. Couple and marital therapy: The complement and expansion provided by multicultural approaches. Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association; 2014.
[13]Johnson SM. Creating connection: the practice of emotionally focused couple therapy. New York: Brunner-Routledge; 2004.
[14]Wiebe SA, Johnson SM. A review of the research in emotionally focused therapy for couples. Fam Process. 2016;55(3):390-407. PMID: 27273169 DOI: 10.1111/famp.12229
[15]Delavar A. Research methods in psychology and education. Tehran: Virayesh; 2004. [Persian]
[16]Najafi M, Soleimani A, Ahmadi K, Javidi N, Hoseni E, Pirjavid F. The study of the effectiveness of couple emotionally focused therapy (EFT) on increasing marital adjustment and improving the physical and psychological health of the infertile couples. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil. 2015;17(133):8-21. [Persian]
[17]Davarniya R, Zahrakar K, Moayeri N, Shakarami M. Assessing the performance of emotionally-focused group couples therapy (EFCT) on reducing couple burnout in women. Med Sci J Islamic Azad Univ Tehran Med Branch. 2015;25(2):132-40. [Persian]
[18]Adams JM, Jones WH. The conceptualization of marital commitment: an integrative analysis. J Personal Soc Psychol. 1997;72(5):1177.
[19]Shahsiah M, Bahrami F, Mohebi S. On the relationship between sexual satisfaction and marital commitment among couples in Shahreza city, central part of Iran. Quart J Fundament Ment Health. 2009;11(3):233-8. [Persian]
[20]Pines A. Couple burnout: Causes and cures. Abingdon, UK: Routledge; 1996.
[21]Naderi F, Eftekhari Z, Amola ZS. The correlation among personality characteristics and intimate relationship with couple burnout in spouses of addict men in Ahvaz. J Sco Psychol. 2009;3(11):61-78. [Persian]
[22]Fletcher G. Couples who completed emotionally focused therapy: their stories at least one year later. [Doctoral Dissertation]. California: Alliant International University; 2016.
[23]Love HA, Moore RM, Stanish NA. Emotionally focused therapy for couples recovering from sexual addiction. Sex Relationship Ther. 2016;31(2):176-89. DOI:10.1080/14681994.2016.1142522
[24]Zuccarini D, Johnson SM, Dalgleish TL, Makinen JA. Forgiveness and reconciliation in emotionally focused therapy for couples: the client change process and therapist interventions. J Marital Fam Ther. 2013;39(2):148-62. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-0606.2012.00287.x
[25]Greil AL, Slauson‐Blevins K, McQuillan J. The experience of infertility: a review of recent literature. Sociol Health Illn. 2010;32(1):140-62. PMID: 20003036 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9566.2009.01213.x
[26]Zarei S, Sabet M. Effectiveness of emotionally focused couple therapy on marital commitment, intimacy and confidence of Tehran city married women. Quart J Health Breeze. 2014;3(1):21-7. [Persian]
[27]Fallahzadeh H, Sanai Zaker B. Effectiveness of emotionally focused couple therapy and integrated systemic couple therapy on enhancing marital adjustment in attachment injured couples. Womens Stud. 2012;4(10):87-110. [Persian]
[28]Asadpour I, Nazari A, Sanai Zaker B, Shaghaghi S. An investigation of effectiveness of the emotionally focused couple therapy on increasing marital intimacy in couples entered at counseling centers in Tehran. Res Clin Psychol Counsel. 2012;2(1):25-38. [Persian]
[29]Johnson SM. The practice of emotionally focused couple therapy: Creating connection. Abingdon, UK: Routledge; 2012.
[30]Honarparvaran N. The emotionally focused in couple therapy. Tehran: Danzheh; 2012. [Persian]
[31]Wiebe SA, Johnson SM. Creating relationships that foster resilience in Emotionally Focused Therapy. Curr Opin Psychol. 2017;13:65-9. PMID: 28813297 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.05.001
[32]Allan R. The use of emotionally focused therapy with separated or divorced couples. Can J Counsel Psychother. 2016;50(3):62-79.
[33]Denton WH, Wittenborn AK, Golden RN. Augmenting antidepressant medication treatment of depressed women with emotionally focused therapy for couples: a randomized pilot study. J Marital Fam Ther. 2012;38(Suppl 1):23-38. PMID: 22765322 DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-0606.2012.00291.x
[34]Pines AM. Why are Israelis less burned out? Eur Psychol. 2004;9(2):69-77.
[35]KhojastehMehr R, Shiralinia K, Rajabi G, Beshlideh K. The effects of emotion-focused couple therapy on depression symptoms reduction and enhancing emotional regulation in distressed couples. Appl Counsel. 2012;3(1):1-18. [Persian]
[36]Soudani M, Karimi J, Mehrabizadeh M, Neisi A. Effectiveness of emotion oriented couple therapy on reducing the damaged caused by marital infidelity. J Res Behav Sci. 2012;4(25):258-68. [Persian]