Investigating the Effect of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT) on Reducing Emotional Divorce
Keywords:
Emotionally Focused Therapy, Emotional Divorce, Quality of Life Questionnaire, Dyadic Adjustment ScaleAbstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT) on reducing emotional divorce.
Methods and Materials: This was a quasi-experimental study using a pretest-posttest design with a control group. A total of 30 married couples, where one partner showed symptoms of emotional divorce, were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 10 sessions of EFT, while the control group received no intervention. Data collection instruments included the Emotional Divorce Questionnaire, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) by Spanier, and the Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF-36). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and appropriate statistical tests. Ethical principles such as informed consent and confidentiality were observed.
Findings: The results of the t-test indicated that, in the experimental group, marital satisfaction, emotional connection, and marital commitment significantly increased after the intervention, while communication problems decreased. Furthermore, on the Quality of Life scale, the experimental group experienced significant improvements in physical health, psychological well-being, social functioning, daily performance, and general satisfaction, along with notable reductions in pain, anxiety, and depression. Covariance analysis also showed that the intervention had a positive effect on various dimensions of marital adjustment and quality of life. These results indicate the positive and lasting impact of EFT on enhancing marital relationships and overall quality of life.
Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT) has a significant and positive effect on marital adjustment and individuals’ quality of life. The therapeutic intervention led to increased marital satisfaction, commitment, and emotional intimacy in the experimental group, while significantly reducing communication issues.
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