Effectiveness of Integrating Systemic, Psychodynamic, and Behavioral Couple Therapy on Couple Monitoring in Maladaptive Couples Referred to Counseling Centers

Subject Areas : Educational

somayeh pourmeidani ¹ , Mahnaz Mehrabizadeh Honarmand ² , Seyed Esmaeil Hashemi ³ , zabiholah abbaspoor ⁴

1 - PhD of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and psychology, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
2 - Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and psychology, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
3 - Assistant Professor in Counseling, Department of Counseling, Faculty of Education and psychology, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
4 - Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and psychology, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Received: 2020-04-09 Accepted : 2020-06-06 Published : 2022-05-22

Keywords: integrating couple therapy, couple monitoring, systemic-psychodynamic-behavioral,

Abstract :

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of integrating systemic, psychodynamic, and behavioral couple therapy on couple monitoring in maladaptive couples referring to counseling centers in Ahvaz. The research plan was single case or single subject study. The population of this research included all maladaptive couples who referred to counseling centers in Ahvaz in 2019. The three couples with low marital quality of life were selected and received integrating systemic-psychodynamic-behavioral couple therapy in 12 weekly sessions lasted 90 minutes. In this study, Perceived Quality of Marital Relationship Dimensions Questionnaires (fletcher et al, 2000) and Couple Monitoring Questionnaire (Fairgood, 2015) were used. Data analysis was performed by using visual charting or graphical analysis methods, reliable change index and percentage of improvement. The results showed that reliable change index wasn’t significant for couple monitoring in treatment and follow-up. Also, based on Blanchard's Classification, percentage of overall improvement showed the Effectiveness of Integrating Systemic- psychodynamic- Behavioral Therapy on couple monitoring in maladaptive couples in Treatment and Follow-up stages, was in failed treatment category. These results generally indicated the integrating intervention wasn’t successful on couple monitoring in maladaptive couples.

References:

Aguayo, L., Melero, F., & Lazaro, A. (2014). An experimental analysis of obsessive-compulsive checking as avoidance behaviour. Psicothema, 26(1), 10-16.

Alvares, G. A., Balleine, B. W., & Guastella, A. J. (2014). Impairments in goal-directed actions predict treatment response to cognitive-behavioral therapy in social anxiety disorder. Plos ONE, 9(4), 1-7.

Boerner, K., Jopp, D., Carr, D., Sosinsky, L., & Kim, S. L. (2014). “His” and “her” marriage? Exploring the gendered facets of marital quality in later life. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences Social Sciences, 69. 579-589.

Cadet, J. (2015). Why are you check your partner’s cell phone? Retrieved from http://millennialmagazine.com/why-are-you-checking-his-her-phone/

Cohen, S., Schulz, M., Liu, S., Halassa, M., & Waldinger, R. J. (2015). Empathic accuracy and aggression in couples: Individual and dyadic links. Journal of Marriage and Family, 77, 697–711.

Fairgood, T. A. (2015). The impact of couple monitoring: should we monitor our partner’s actions? Dissertation, for the degree of Doctor of Psychology, Faculty of the California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University.

Fletcher, G. J., Simpson, J. A., & Thomas, G. (2000). The measurement of perceived relationship quality components: A confirmatory factor analytic approach. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26(3), 340-354.

Gottman, J. M. (2011). The science of trust: Emotional attunement for couples. New York: W. W. Norton.

Hackenbracht, J., & Gasper, K. (2013). Feeling more and feeling close: Affect intensity influences judgments of interpersonal closeness. Social Cognition, 31(1), 94-105.

Hamid pour H. (2008). The importance of methodology in behavioral-cognitive researches. Reflection of knowledge, 3, 49-56.

Khajeh, M. H., Bahrami, F., Fatehizadeh, M., Abedi, M. R., & Sajjadian, P. (2013). The Effect of Happiness Training Based on Cognitive Behavioral Approach on Quality of Marital Life in Married Males and Females. Knowledge & Research in Applied Psychology, 14 (3), 11-21.

Hubbard, B. (2002). CBT for couples. Retrieved from http://cognitive-behavior therapy.com/relationship-couplesmarital-therapy/

Lemay, E. (2014). Accuracy and bias in self-perceptions of responsive behavior: Implications for security in romantic relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 107(4), 638-656.

 

Lickel, B., Kushlev, K., Savalei, V., Matta, S., & Schmader, T. (2014). Shame and the motivation to change the self. Emotion, 14(6), 1049-1061.

Manson, M. (2013). 6 toxic relationship habits most people think are normal. Retrieved from: http://markmanson.net/6-toxic-habits.

Markman, H., Stanley, S., & Blumberg, S. (2001). Fighting for your marriage (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

McIntosh, I. (2014). Reconciliation, you've got to be dreaming: Exploring methodologies for monitoring and achieving aboriginal reconciliation in Australia by 2030. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 32(1), 55-81.

Meng, K. (2013). Couple implicit rules for facilitating disclosure and relationship quality with romantic relational aggression as a mediator. Retrieved from http://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4835&context=etd.

Minuchin S. (2019). Family and family therapy. Translation by Bagher Sanai. Tehran: International publishing company.   

Nielsen, A. C. (2016). A roadmap for couple therapy: Integrating systemic, psychodynamic, and behavioral approaches. New York, NY: Routledge, 290 pp.

Nielsen, A. C. (2017a). Psychodynamic couple therapy: A practical synthesis. Journal of

Marital and Family Therapy, 43, 685–699.

Panahi E., & Fatehizadeh M. (2014). Investigating the relationship between the components of psychological capital and the quality of marital life among couples in Isfahan. Women and Society, 5 (1), 139-156.

Persun, N. (2014). Affair Recovery: Jealousy, forgiveness and building trust. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/lib/affair-recovery-jealousy-forgiveness-and-building-trust/

Peterson, B. D., Eifert, G. H., Feingold, T., & Davidson, S. (2009). Using of acceptance and commitment therapy to treat distressed couples: A case study with two couples. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 16, 430-442.

Pourmeidani, S., Mehrabizadeh Honarmand, M., Hashemi, E., & Abbaspour, Z. (publishing). Effectiveness of Integrating systemic, psychodynamic, and behavioral couple therapy on listening style in maladaptive couples referring to counseling centers. Journal of Psychological Researches.

Proulx, C. M., Helms, H. M., & Buehler, C. (2007). Marital quality and personal well being: A meta analysis, Journal of Marriage and Family, 69(3), 576-593.

Reza pour, M. S., Aghayani Chavoshi A., Molazamany A., & Saberi M.  (2017)Psychometric Properties of the faith scale in marital relationship. Women and Family, 11(35), 123-150.

Seikkula, J., Karvonen, A., Kykyri, V. L., Kaartinen, J., & Penttonen, M. (2015). The embodied attunement of therapists and a couple within dialogical psychotherapy: An introduction to the relational mind research project. Family Process, 54, 703–715.

Shaddock, D. (2000). Contexts and connections: An intersubjective systems approach to couples therapy. New York: Basic Books.

Singer, J. A., & Skerrett, K. (2014). Positive couple therapy: Using we-stories to enhance resilience. New York: Routledge.

Siti Nurraihan, F. A. R., Suzana, M. H., Ezarina, Z., & Rozmi, I. (2015). The role of dyadic coping to marital quality – The conceptual paper. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 211, 911-916.

Sloan, E., Martin, M., Indrasari, N., Perry, M. & Maxwell, K. (2014). Emotional Bank Accounts. Retrieved from:

https://caringcouples.com/tools_emotional_bank_accounts.html

Strohschein, L., & Ram, U. (2016). Gender, Marital Status, and Mental Health. Journal of Family Issues, 0(0), 0192513X16680090. doi: 10.1177/0192513X16680090

Zhang, H., Xu, X., Tsang, S. K. (2013). Conceptualizing and Validating Marital Quality in Beijing: A Pilot Study. Soc Indic Res, 113(1), 197–212.