The effectiveness of couple therapy based on emotional intelligence components on reducing marital conflicts and increasing adjustment of divorce applicant couples

Divorce, as a phenomenon that challenges the cohesion of the family, is one of the most important causes of tension and pressure.

The current study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of couple therapy based on emotional intelligence components on reducing marital conflict and increasing adjustment of divorce applicant couples in Khorramabad.

The current study was a quasi-experimental study with a control group among the divorce applicant couples in Khorramabad in 2018. 18 couples (36 people) were voluntarily selected and randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups. The experimental group underwent ten sessions of couple therapy based on emotional intelligence components; nonetheless, the control group did not receive any interventions. Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i), Baratti and Sanai Marital conflict inventory, and Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS) were used in this study. The data analysis was conducted via covariance analysis method through SPSS software.

The results showed the effectiveness of couple therapy based on emotional intelligence components on reducing marital conflicts (f=72.124, Eta=0.976, P=0.0001), increasing adjustment (f=35.741, P=0.001, Eta=0.816) of divorce applicant couples. In other words, the marital compatibility of couples who received couple therapy based on emotional intelligence components to the control group who did not receive any treatment and their marital conflicts also decreased significantly.

The findings of the present study indicated that couple therapy based on emotional intelligence components in the workplace with divorce applicants can be effective in promoting emotional intelligence components as well as increasing awareness and mutual understanding and ultimately lower risk of divorce And marital conflicts.