The Effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy on Interpersonal Forgiveness and Cognitive Flexibility

Subject Areas : Psychological Models and Methods

Fariborz Sedeghi Arfaee ^{1 *} , Mohammad Javad Navabi semiromi ² , Narges khatoun Mansourzade Semiromi ³

1 - Associate Prof. of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran.
2 - Master Student in General psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kashan, Kashan.
3 - Master of Counseling, Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht Branch, Marvdasht, Iran.

Received: 2024-02-14 Accepted : 2024-08-12 Published : 2024-08-12

Keywords: Effectiveness, Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy, forgiveness, flexibility,

Abstract :

Background and purpose: Marriage provides an opportunity for experiencing love and affection with a life partner, but various factors can jeopardize the strength and stability of a marriage. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of emotionally focused couples therapy (EFCT) on interpersonal forgiveness and cognitive flexibility in couples.

 

Methods: The research design was applied in terms of its practical objective and semi-experimental method, in the form of pre-test, post-test and follow-up. The population of the study consisted of all couples seeking psychological counseling in the city of Semirom, due to marital conflicts in the year 2023. After initial screening (administering the Marital Conflict Questionnaire, clinical/diagnostic interview), 30 couples were selected based on the G*Power analysis and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 8 sessions of 90-minute emotion-focused couple therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Interpersonal Forgiveness Questionnaire by Eshtemzadeh et al. and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory by Dennis & Vander Wal. Ultimately, after considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 24 couples were subjected to repeated-measures analysis of variance.

 

Findings: The findings of the study indicated that Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy using the "Hold Me Tight" technique significantly increased interpersonal reactivity and cognitive flexibility. These effects were found immediately after the intervention. Furthermore, the results remained stable during the follow-up period.

Conclusion: Therefore, the use of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) "Hold Me Tight," is recommended for couples experiencing marital problems and conflicts. Additionally, it is suggested for professionals in the field to utilize this approach in therapy and counseling centers.