The Influence of Systemic Spiritual Family Therapy on Marital Satisfaction and Family Functioning

Nowadays, more than before, the scientists have focused on the family. The aim of this study is to design a pattern of family therapy interventions with a systemic approach that is more consistent with indigenous and Islamic system; thus, a number of religious resources, Islamic softwares, and scientific psychological texts in the fields of family, woman, and man were reviewed. After some diagnostic interviews, the tests of marital satisfaction and the scale of general family function (using Family Assessment Device (FAD)) were conducted among 40 families and on average, 10 sessions (one and a half hours) of systemic spiritual family therapy were held with a focus on the activation of sexual need based role (men’s love and women’s empower). The findings showed that the mean of marital satisfaction meaningfully increased in comparison to the beginning of therapy as well as the pattern of roles, both in the structure and functioning of change and family. The data collected from clinical observations and family member’s self-monitoring also showed that the functioning of positive interactions among family members increased due to the determination of roles. Regarding the determination of woman’s and man’s roles based on Islamic and spiritual frameworks, a pattern of systemic spiritual family therapy was designed. According to theories and experimental findings in the field of family, this pattern is certifiable and using it in consultation with the families referred to counseling centers leads to increasing marital satisfaction and problem-solving of family function meaningfully. Therefore, the pattern of systemic spiritual family therapy can be used in preventing and solving the family problems.