The effectiveness of Transactional Analysis (TA) compared to Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) on verbal contradictions, neglect and abuse of couples

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of transactional analysis and brief strategic family therapy (BSFT) on verbal conflicts, neglect and misconduct of couples. The present study was a quasiexperimental study with two experimental groups, a control group, and a pretest-posttest and a two-month follow-up design. The statistical population included 45 couples referring to the consulting center of Petroleum Engineering and Development Company (PEDEC) in 2017. From this population, 30 couples who obtained the highest score with a cut-off point of 120 in the Marital Conflict Resolution Strategies Inventory (Strauss 1979) were selected and randomly assigned to each of the three groups at 60 individuals. Coronel, Degraff, Newton and Tannisson's (2016) Behavioral Analysis, and Hurigian, Robbins and Sazposnick's (2004) Brief Strategic Family Therapy were taught to experimental groups at eight 90-minute sessions once a week in group form. Data were analyzed using mixed-design analysis of variance with repeated measures. The results of this study indicated that transactional analysis and brief strategic family therapy interventions had an effect on verbal conflict (F= 18.59, P= 0.001), (F= 14.78, P= 0.003), neglect (F= 10.31, P= 0.006), (F= 6.64, P= 0.014) and misconduct (F= 4.24, P= 0.03), (F= 10.52, P= 0.006) and that this effect had remained constant in the follow-up phase. BSFT was more
effective than TA therapy in verbal conflict and there was no difference between the two approaches in neglect and misconduct. Since both methods lead to reduction of verbal conflicts, negligence and misconduct in couples, they can be used as effective intervention techniques to solve conflict and improve relationship between couples.