The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program on Distress, Emotion Regulation and Marital Satisfaction in Non-Maritaly Distressed Women

Enhancement of marital satisfaction is an important approach for improvement of family cohesion and community health. The aim of the present research was to study the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction program on psychological distress, emotion regulation and enhancement of marital satisfaction in women. The research method was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest-follow up design with control group. Statistical population included every married woman with more than 18 years of age in Tehran in the year 1396. Research sample was composed of 60 married women with moderate marital satisfaction. They were chosen using convenient sampling technique and were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. Experimental group took apparent in eight 90-minute sessions, mindfulness based Stress Reduction program. Participants answered Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS, Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS, Gratz & Roemer, 2004) and the Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI, Funk & Rogge, 2007) in three stages of pretest, posttest and follow up. Data was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA test. Results demonstrated that mindfulness-based stress reduction program had an influence on improvement of psychological distress (F=8. 65, p<0. 01), emotion regulation (F=31. 39, p<0. 0001) and marital satisfaction (F=19. 92, p<0. 0001) in married women. Accordingly, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program while reducing psychological distress and increasing emotional adjustment skills in women, may have beneficial effects for couple therapy and can be used as one of the methods for promoting marital relationship. Mindfulness training may have beneficial effects for couples' therapy and relationship enhancement.