The effectiveness of Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) and Integrated Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT) on restructuring communication patterns in couples with marital conflict

The Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) and the Integrated Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT)are among the treatments that are focused on negative interactional cycles. The current study was conducted aiming at determining the effectiveness of the EFCT and the IBCT on restructuring communication patterns in couples with marital conflict. The statistical population of the study consisted of all couples referring to Mehravaran clinic in Ahvaz. 6 couples were selected using purposeful sampling based on their scores in the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) regarded as distressed couples. In this study, the non-congruent multiple baseline experimental single case was used. The EFCT and IBCT protocols were carried out in two to four stages of the base line, 16 one-hour intervention sessions were held and, after a two-month follow-up. The subjects completed the Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ). Data were analyzed using visual inspect, reliable change index and the formula of improvement percentage. Findings showed that the rate of the improvement in the variable of communication patterns in the Emotionally-Focused Couple Therapy group at the post-treatment and follow-up stages were 50.66 and 53.27 % and 38.80% and 41.21% for the Couple Integrated Behavioral group.Therefore, the research findings showed that Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy and the Integrated Behavioral Couples Therapy are effective on the restructuring and improvement communication patterns of the couples through changing the negative interactive cycles.