سعید ایثاری

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) on marital commitment, love schemas, and emotional schemas in couples with extramarital affairs. Methods: This research employed a semi-experimental single-case design with a multiple baseline method. The statistical population of this study included all couples with experience of extramarital affairs who referred to family courts and the prevention unit of the welfare organization in Dezful city in the year 2022. A total of 4 couples (8 individuals) were selected through purposeful sampling. The EFCT process was conducted in three baseline stages, across 8 sessions of 90 minutes each, with a two-month follow-up. Participants responded to the Marital Commitment Questionnaire by Adams and Jones (1997), the Love Schema Questionnaire by Yarahmadi-Vaseli et al. (2020), and the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (LES) (2002). Data were analyzed using visual inspection, reliable change index, and percentage improvement formula. Findings: The results indicated that EFCT led to an increase in marital commitment in couples with extramarital affairs (P<0.05), and the effects persisted until the follow-up stage. Additionally, the results showed that EFCT resulted in an increase in adaptive emotional schemas and a decrease in maladaptive emotional schemas in these couples (P<0.05). EFCT had a significant impact on secure love schema, unstable love schema, clingy love schema, avoidant love schema, and unserious love schema (P<0.05), with effects lasting until the follow-up stage. Furthermore, the results indicated that EFCT did not have a significant impact on reducing unserious love schema and uninterested love schema (P>0.05). Conclusion: Therefore, EFCT can be utilized as a sustainable intervention to enhance marital commitment, love schemas, and emotional schemas in healthcare and therapeutic centers for couples with extramarital affairs.

The purpose of this study was the effectiveness of couple therapy based on acceptance and commitment on love schemas and emotional schemas in couples with extramarital relationships with a two-month follow-up period. In this research, a single case semi-experimental design of multiple baseline type was used. The statistical population of this research included all couples with experience of extramarital relations who referred to the family courts and prevention unit of Dezful city welfare department in 2021-22. After the diagnostic interview and specifying the couples who met the entry criteria, 4 couples (8 persons) were selected based on purposive sampling. The protocol of the couples therapy method was implemented in the form of three baseline stages and 8 90-minute sessions and a two-month follow-up. The participants responded to Yarmohammadi Vasil et al.'s Love Schema Questionnaire (2019) and Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (LES). The data were analyzed by visual drawing method, stable change index and recovery percentage formula. The results showed that couple therapy based on acceptance and commitment increased adaptive emotional schemas and decreased maladaptive emotional schemas of couples with extramarital relationships (p<0.05). Couple therapy based on acceptance and commitment has a significant effect on secure love schema, unstable love schema, clingy love schema, avoidant love schema, and non-serious love schema (p<0.05) and its results continued until the follow-up stage. Therefore, couple therapy based on acceptance and commitment as a stable intervention to increase love schemas and emotional schemas can be used in health and treatment centers in couples with extramarital relationships.