The Effectiveness of Family Therapy Using Reality Therapy on Reducing Marital Conflicts and Increasing Marital Adjustment among Couples Referring to Counseling Centers in District 1 of Tehran
Keywords:
reality therapy, marital conflicts, marital adjustmentAbstract
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of family therapy based on reality therapy in reducing marital conflicts and increasing marital adjustment among couples referring to counseling centers in District 1 of Tehran.
Methods and Materials: This study employed a semi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of couples experiencing marital incompatibility and conflicts who referred to counseling centers in District 1 of Tehran. Thirty couples were purposively selected and randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. The research instruments included the Marital Conflict Questionnaire (MCQ) and the Spanier Marital Adjustment Scale (1976). The experimental group received family therapy sessions based on reality therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance.
Findings: The findings indicated that reality therapy significantly reduced marital conflicts and improved marital adjustment among couples. The mean score of marital conflicts in the experimental group decreased from 152.60 in the pretest to 117.66 in the posttest, whereas no substantial change was observed in the control group. In addition, the mean marital adjustment score in the experimental group increased from 88.33 to 91.66. The covariance analysis results revealed that 45% of the variance in marital conflicts and 52% of the variance in marital adjustment were attributable to the reality therapy intervention (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Reality therapy, through emphasizing responsibility, reducing external control, strengthening mutual respect, and improving communication skills, creates a supportive and secure atmosphere in marital relationships. By increasing feelings of acceptance and psycho-emotional security, this approach contributes to reducing marital conflicts and enhancing marital adjustment. Therefore, family therapy based on reality therapy can be considered an effective intervention in family counseling centers.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Arefe sadat Pourtabatabaei, Mojgan Soufali, Mohammad Timajchi, Asieh Razzaghi, Ali Saberikia (Author)
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