On the effectiveness of marital relationship enrichment training program on marital satisfaction, lovemaking styles and couples’ communication patterns in addicted people

In the current situation, due to the high prevalence of addiction and drug abuse and its threatening nature and the role of the family in it, the need for various educational programs, including the enrichment of marital relationships in the prevention and treatment of addiction is very important.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the marital life enrichment training program with an excitement-focused approach on marital satisfaction, lovemaking styles and communication patterns among couples in addicted individuals.

This quasi-experimental study was of a pre-test-post-test design. The study population consisted of 80 addicts presenting to Niko Salamat addiction treatment methadone centers in Qorveh city in 2018. The sample size was 28 married addicts who were selected using voluntary sampling method and were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group was trained in nine 90-minute marital relationship enrichment training program but the control group did not receive any training. Sternberg Love Questionnaire (45 questions), Christensen & Salawi Communication Patterns Questionnaire (35 questions) and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (47 questions) were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (covariance analysis) were used to analyze the data.

The findings indicated a significant difference in lovemaking styles, marital satisfaction and communication patterns between the two groups, and that the enrichment of marital relationships training program was effective on marital satisfaction, lovemaking styles and communication pattern of couples in addicted people.

It is concluded that effective communication and warmth and encouragement within the family and various support in the family can be effective in reducing various social harms such as addiction.