Comparison of the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment-Based and Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy on Unadjusted Couples' depression

Unfavorable marital conditions can lead to depression and disrupt married family functions. The aim of this study was to compare the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment therapy and Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy on depression and marital adjustment. In this research, a single case experimental design of multiple asynchronous baseline was used. The statistical population of the study included 20 couples who referred to Sina Family Counseling Center in Dezful in 1397. First, subjects were screened using the entry and exit criteria. Then 6 couples (n=12) were purposefully selected. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups of acceptance and commitment therapy and emotionally focused couple therapy .The protocols of the two couples therapy methods were performed separately in three stages of baseline and 12 sessions of 90 minutes and two-month follow-up. Subjects responded to the Spinner Pair Adjustment Scale and Beck Depression Second Edition. Data were analyzed by visual mapping, stable change index and recovery percentage formula. In the acceptance and commitment therapy group, the percentage of overall recovery after treatment in the variable of depression is 34.70% and in the variable of marital adjustment is 29.06%, In the couple of emotion therapy, the percentage of overall recovery after treatment was 39.39% in the variable of depression and 40.81% in the variable of marital adjustment. The percentage of recovery after treatment in both couples is in the category of low recovery, therefore, both approaches are effective in reducing depression and increasing marital adjustment of couples.