Investigating the effectiveness of emotion- focused couples therapy on marital burnout and sexual intimacy in couples with wives with breast cancer

Breast cancer has a destructive effect on the couple relationship. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of emotion- focused couple therapy (EFCT) on marital burnout and sexual intimacy in couples with a wife suffering from breast cancer.

The research method was interventional. The statistical population of the study consisted of all women suffering from breast cancer in Tabriz and their spouses who visited Al-Zahra Hospital in Tabriz in the period of four months from June to the end of 2023, i.e. 711 people. After administering the 21-question questionnaire on marital burnout by Pines (2003) and the 30-question questionnaire on sexual intimacy by Bagaroozi (2001) to 220 couples who were willing to participate in the present study, 140 couples were one standard deviation above or below the average score in these questionnaires, 16 couples were selected according to the criteria for participation in the study and using the available sampling method and were randomly divided into two intervention groups (8 couples) and control groups (8 couples). The intervention group received EFCT in 10 sessions of 1.5 hours (two and a half months, one session per week) as a group, according to Johnson's treatment plan; however, the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance.

The mean ± SD scores for marital burnout and sexual intimacy were 106.06±5.68 and 72.81±4.41 in the experimental group and 108.25±4.92 and 73.81±4.30 in the control group, respectively (P>0.05). EFCT significantly reduced marital burnout (101.19±5.54) and increased sexual intimacy (78.56±4.08) in couples with spouses with breast cancer compared to the control group (marital burnout: 108.75±4.02 & sexual intimacy: 73.50±4.29) (p<0.001). In the follow-up phase, the effect of EFCT on marital burnout (101.38±5.63) and sexual intimacy (78.44±4.94)  was lasting (p<0.001).

The results of this study suggest that emotion- focused  couples therapy reduced marital boredom and increased sexual intimacy in couples with a spouse suffering from breast cancer.