Comparing the effectiveness of schema-based and emotionally focused couple therapies on self-differentiation and marital disillusionment in couples in Mashhad

Background: Reducing self-differentiation and marital frustration in couples weakens the marital bond. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of schema-based couple therapy (SBCT) and emotion-focused couple therapy (EFCT) on self-differentiation and marital frustration in couples....

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Main Authors: Gole Maryam Nazer, Abolfazl Bakhshipour, Mehdi Ghasemi Motlagh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences 2025-08-01
Series:Social Determinants of Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.sbmu.ac.ir/sdh/article/view/47409
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author Gole Maryam Nazer
Abolfazl Bakhshipour
Mehdi Ghasemi Motlagh
author_facet Gole Maryam Nazer
Abolfazl Bakhshipour
Mehdi Ghasemi Motlagh
author_sort Gole Maryam Nazer
collection DOAJ
description Background: Reducing self-differentiation and marital frustration in couples weakens the marital bond. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of schema-based couple therapy (SBCT) and emotion-focused couple therapy (EFCT) on self-differentiation and marital frustration in couples. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental design involving couples referred to counseling centers in Mashhad Regions 1 and 2 due to marital dissatisfaction in 2023. Of these, 45 couples were randomly selected as a sample and placed in two experimental groups and a control group. The experimental group 1 received SBCT, the experimental group 2 received EFCT, and the control group received only general counseling. The research tools included the Self-Discrimination Questionnaire (DSI) by Skowron and Friedlander (1998) and the Kaiser Marital Dissatisfaction Questionnaire (1993) and afterward, a post-test was administered. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 24) and a multivariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) test. Results: The results of the pairwise comparison showed that there is no significant difference between the mean scores of self-differentiation as a result of SBCT and EFCT (P>0.05), while SBCT had a greater effect on marital disillusionment than EFCT (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results, SBCT can be effective in reducing marital disillusionment among couples.
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spelling doaj-art-06a7a01c60dd4ce0b59e5dbd69df71a62025-08-23T05:15:59ZengShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesSocial Determinants of Health2423-73372025-08-0111110.22037/sdh.v11i1.47409Comparing the effectiveness of schema-based and emotionally focused couple therapies on self-differentiation and marital disillusionment in couples in MashhadGole Maryam Nazer0Abolfazl Bakhshipour1Mehdi Ghasemi Motlagh2PhD Student in Educational Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Bojnourd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bojnourd, IranAssistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Bojnourd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bojnourd, IranAssistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Bojnourd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bojnourd, Iran Background: Reducing self-differentiation and marital frustration in couples weakens the marital bond. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of schema-based couple therapy (SBCT) and emotion-focused couple therapy (EFCT) on self-differentiation and marital frustration in couples. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental design involving couples referred to counseling centers in Mashhad Regions 1 and 2 due to marital dissatisfaction in 2023. Of these, 45 couples were randomly selected as a sample and placed in two experimental groups and a control group. The experimental group 1 received SBCT, the experimental group 2 received EFCT, and the control group received only general counseling. The research tools included the Self-Discrimination Questionnaire (DSI) by Skowron and Friedlander (1998) and the Kaiser Marital Dissatisfaction Questionnaire (1993) and afterward, a post-test was administered. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 24) and a multivariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) test. Results: The results of the pairwise comparison showed that there is no significant difference between the mean scores of self-differentiation as a result of SBCT and EFCT (P>0.05), while SBCT had a greater effect on marital disillusionment than EFCT (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results, SBCT can be effective in reducing marital disillusionment among couples. https://journals.sbmu.ac.ir/sdh/article/view/47409Couple TherapyEmotionally Focused TherapySchema TherapyDifferentiation of Self
spellingShingle Gole Maryam Nazer
Abolfazl Bakhshipour
Mehdi Ghasemi Motlagh
Comparing the effectiveness of schema-based and emotionally focused couple therapies on self-differentiation and marital disillusionment in couples in Mashhad
Social Determinants of Health
Couple Therapy
Emotionally Focused Therapy
Schema Therapy
Differentiation of Self
title Comparing the effectiveness of schema-based and emotionally focused couple therapies on self-differentiation and marital disillusionment in couples in Mashhad
title_full Comparing the effectiveness of schema-based and emotionally focused couple therapies on self-differentiation and marital disillusionment in couples in Mashhad
title_fullStr Comparing the effectiveness of schema-based and emotionally focused couple therapies on self-differentiation and marital disillusionment in couples in Mashhad
title_full_unstemmed Comparing the effectiveness of schema-based and emotionally focused couple therapies on self-differentiation and marital disillusionment in couples in Mashhad
title_short Comparing the effectiveness of schema-based and emotionally focused couple therapies on self-differentiation and marital disillusionment in couples in Mashhad
title_sort comparing the effectiveness of schema based and emotionally focused couple therapies on self differentiation and marital disillusionment in couples in mashhad
topic Couple Therapy
Emotionally Focused Therapy
Schema Therapy
Differentiation of Self
url https://journals.sbmu.ac.ir/sdh/article/view/47409
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