Comparison of the effect of integrative behavioral couple therapy, narrative couple therapy and couple schema therapy on affective capital and depression among people with coronary artery disease and their spouses

  The aim of this study was to compare the effect of integrative behavioral couple therapy, narrative couple therapy, and couple schema therapy on affective capital and depression among people with coronary artery disease.

Coronary artery disease is one of the heart diseases that can cause problems for couples.

  This was a semi-experimental study with a pretest and posttest design and control group. The statistical population consisted of people with coronary artery disease and their spouses out of which 64 couples were selected by purposive sampling method and randomly assigned to three experimental groups and a control group (16 couples in each group). Affective Capital Questionnaire and Depression Inventory of Beck was used to assess dependent variables in two stages. The three intervention groups were each treated for 8 sessions of 90 minutes and the control group did not receive any treatment. The data were analyzed in SPSS by descriptive and inferential statistics.

  In terms of affective capital, there was a statistically significant difference of integrative behavioral couple therapy, narrative couple therapy and couple schema therapy with the control group (p ≤0.001), and of integrative behavioral couple therapy with narrative couple therapy and couple schema therapy (p ≤0.001). For depression, there was a statistically significant difference of the three intervention groups with the control group, and of integrated behavioral couple therapy and couple schema therapy with couple narrative therapy (p<0.05).

  According to the results, integrative behavioral couple therapy, couple schema therapy and narrative couple therapy are effective in increasing affective capital and reducing depression in people with coronary artery disease and their spouses. It is recommended that these three interventions be used for these patients and their spouses in cardiovascular disease centers.