The Effectiveness of Group-based Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy on Family Function, Incompatible Schemas, and Couple Burnout in Couples

Rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is one of the approaches based on cognitive reconstruction in the treatment of marital maladjustment. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of group-based REBT on family function, Incompatible schemas, and couple burnout in Tabriz city.

This is a semi experimental study in which pretest-posttest design with control group was used. The research population consisted of all couples referring to Tabriz's Green Life Counseling and Psychological Services Center in 2018. Among them, 30 subjects who were classified according to the cutoff criteria were selected randomly in two groups of 15 subjects and tested. The intervention based on REBT training was performed in 12 sessions of 90 minutes, one session per week and a week after the end of the sessions; McMaster's family practice test, Yang's incomplete maladaptive short form and marital maladaptive schemas were performed on the two groups before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA covariance analysis.

Data analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the mean of post test scores of the experimental and control groups in family function and couple burnout (p<0.01), but there was no significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental and control groups in maladaptive schemas (p<0.01).

Considering the positive effect of REBT approach on improving family function and couple burnout, it is recommended to use this educational method in planning mental health measures for maladapted couples.