a .mafakheri

Marital satisfaction is one of the variables easily affected by the relationship between couples. Statistics show an increase in divorce due to marital dissatisfaction. Therefore, this study compared the effectiveness of combined therapy with schema therapy on marital satisfaction in heterogeneous and conflicting couples.

The research was a single case study with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design. The statistical population included conflicting couples referred to the Parsa counseling clinic in Bandar-e-Torkmen County in 2021. Among them, six couples (husband and wife) were selected based on the research entry criteria, structured clinical interview, and marital satisfaction questionnaire (Olson et al., 1987) using purposive sampling. The subjects of the two groups of combined therapy and schema therapy received 12 weekly sessions (two sessions, 90 minutes each) separately. Descriptive statistics, Chi-squared test, visual analysis of graph with reliable change index (RCI≥ 1.96), and recovery percentage were used in the results report.

The findings of the research showed that both methods of integrated treatment and schema therapy had made statistically and clinically significant changes in the treatment goals (p<0.05), and the therapeutic effects continued in the follow-up period (RCI≥ 1.96). However, the percentage of recovery in the combined therapy group (PND=38.70 & p=0.018) was higher than in the schema therapy group (PND=27.45 & p=0.024).

Combined therapy was effective in increasing the marital satisfaction of couples; thus, it can be used in medical centers to improve family and marital function.

Women with depression have major problems with psychological health. One of the intervention methods for reducing psychological issues is acceptance and commitment therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based therapy on anxious thoughts and fear of negative evaluation of depressed women. The present study was applied and quasi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. Its statistical population consisted of depressed women referred to psychiatric clinics in Sari in 1398. The samples were 30 people from the mentioned community selected using the available sampling method. They were assigned to acceptance and commitment treatment (15 people) and control (15 people) groups by a simple random method to answer the Anxious Thought Questionnaire (Wells, 1994), Fear of Negative Evaluation Questionnaire (Watson & Friend, (1969), and Depression Inventory (Beck, 1961). The experimental group was trained for 10 sessions once a week for 60 minutes, and the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (analysis of covariance) in SPSS-24 software. The results showed that commitment and acceptance therapy reduced negative, anxious thoughts and fear of evaluation (p<0.001). Eta squared showed the effect of this treatment on anxiety to be 0.38 and fear of negative to be 0.47. Based on the findings, acceptance and commitment therapy is recommended as an effective and complementary psychological intervention in depressed women to reduce anxious thoughts and fear of negative evaluation.