Comparison of the effect of group therapy based on family systems theory and short-term object relations couple therapy on the women’s marital adjustment

The purpose of present study was to compare the effect of group therapy based on family systems theory and short-term object relations couple therapy on the women’s marital adjustment.

The research design in this study was pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental method with control group. The statistical population was included female clients of 25-55 years old with marital conflict referring to two Tehran psychological counseling centers. Sampling was done by selecting 36 volunteer women who answered to RDAS, randomly assigned to two experimental and one control groups. One of experimental groups attended 16 sessions group counseling based on family system theory and the other one, group counseling based on short-term object relations couple theory that lasted nearly 90-120 minutes, hold once a week. Collected data was analyzed by using one way analysis of variance.

Research findings indicated both of interventions were effective on the women’s marital adjustment in post-test and follow up test of experimental groups (p<0.05) and there was no significant difference between two experimental groups   (p>0.05).

According to the Research findings, in the process of couple therapy, in addition to applying interpersonal interventions, individual therapy for both spouses is suggested.