Teaching emotion regulation skills based on cognitive - behavioral approach and its efficacy on marital satisfaction and couple’s happiness

Family is the most important element in society and couples are the basis for forming and the kernel of families. A successful society treats couples and family tranquility as matters of utmost importance. If for any reason dissatisfaction and conflict are caused in marital relationships, it might set the basis for failure and anguish and phenomena like skepticism, emotional abuse, hostility and scolding and lowering the couples’ mental health, but could we increase their marital satisfaction and happiness using the emotion regulation based on cognitive-behavioral approach training package?

The current research was conducted towards the goal of teaching emotion regulation abilities based on cognitive-behavioral approach and its effectiveness on marital satisfaction and couples’ happiness.

This is a semi-experimental research with single group pretest–posttest. The sample group was chosen as available so 66 persons of the couples (with 32.27 years average and standard deviation of 3.71 years) took part in 7 2 hours sessions of anger management workshop. These couples were chosen from parents of students in Tehran city private schools whom were available. This study was done as semi-experimental with single group pretest posttest.  In the workshops, we used the revised version of Fireworks Program (Smith, 2004).  Oxford Happiness Inventory (Argyle, Martin & Crossland, 1989) and Hudson Index of Marital Satisfaction (1992) were used to collect the data.

Results of covariance analysis showed that training has significantly increased emotion regulation abilities, happiness and marital satisfaction. These difference are in such a manner that average of sample group has been increased in Happiness Inventory (p> 0/05) and in Index of Marital Satisfaction which higher score means more marital problems, has decreased (p> 0/05).

This means teaching emotion regulation abilities is a proper way to reduce family conflicts and increase happiness in couples.