The effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on the life quality and the desire for divorce in newly married couples

This study examined the effectiveness of "Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy" on increasing the life quality and reducing the desire for divorce in couples. The present research design was semi-experimental type with pre- test, post-test and control group. The statistical population was among the newly married couples referring to "Hekmat counseling center" that 40 couples (40 men and 40 women) were selected available sampling and then were divided randomly into two groups of 20 couples (experimental group and control group). The World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire was developed in 1996 by a group of World Health Organization experts & the standard questionnaire of divorce desire of Rusbult, Johnson & Morrow (1986) were used for gathering the data. In conducting the therapeutic intervention, experimental group were trained 8 sessions (one session per week), by "group method" With the approach of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy; while the control group received no intervention. The data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) in SPSS software. Results indicated that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy was effective in increasing life quality and physical (F=3/59; P-Value<0/05), mental (F=6/13; P-Value<0/05), and environmental health components (F=6/10; P-Value<0/05), but they're not lasting effect. Also, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy was effective in decreasing the desire for divorce (F=6/67; P-Value<0/05), but they're not lasting effect. The study findings can be used in the direction of the clinical and therapeutic interventions to increase the life quality and reduce the desire for couples divorce.