Comparison of the Effectiveness of Schema-Based Couple Therapy, Emotional Focused Couple Therapy, and Acceptance Commitment Couple Therapy in the Reduction of Marital Stress among Couples on the Brink of Divorce in Military Families

Marital stress has a direct impact on couple relationships and, in the long run, can lead to divorce.

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of schema-based couple therapy, emotional focused couple therapy, and acceptance commitment couple therapy on the reduction of marital stress among couples on the brink of divorce in military families

This quasi-experimental study was conducted based on a pretest-posttest design with a follow-up period. The statistical population of the study included all couples who were referred to one of the counseling centers under the contract with the Armed Forces, and the sample included 60 couples schema-based couple therapy (n=15), emotional focused couple therapy (n=15), acceptance and commitment couple therapy (n=15) and control group (n=15). They were randomly selected via convenience sampling with replacement. The subjects in schema-based couple therapy participated in the study for 10 sessions, emotional focused couple therapy for 10 sessions, and the acceptance commitment couple therapy group participated in the study for 10 sessions. There was not any treatment for the control group. The research questionnaire included Stockholm Marital Stress Questionnaire. The participants completed the questionnaire in three stages, including pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. Finally, the analysis of variance was performed by covariance analysis and repeated measures.

As evidenced by the obtained results, all three methods of couple therapy had significant effects on the reduction of marital stress. Moreover, the highest effectiveness pertained to emotional focused couple therapy with an effect size of 0.859, followed by schema-based couple therapy (0.781) and acceptance therapy (0.758).

The results of the current study can be used in clinical and therapeutic interventions to decrease marital stress, especially for couples on the brink of divorce.