Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cognitive-Behavioral and Existential Therapies for Marital Satisfaction in Women: A Comparative Investigation of the Efficacy, Stability and Mechanisms of Changes

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Due to limited of comparative studies on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), as an objective approach, and Existential Therapy (ET), as a subjective approach, on marital relationship, the current study investigates the efficacy of these two types of group psychotherapy on marital satisfaction in women. Hence, the main objects of this study are: comparative study on the efficacy of ET and CBT on marital satisfaction, stability of the intervention after 2 months, and assessing the mechanisms of changes. 16 eligible women who enrolled in the study were randomly assigned to ET or CBT groups. They were requested to fill out the marital satisfaction questionnaire (MSQ) at three stages: pre-treatment, post-treatment and after 2-month follow-up. Repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to analyze the data. The results show that there are statistically significant differences between the pre- and post-treatment and pre-treatment and follow-up in both interventions (p < 0.05), while the comparative investigation of the post treatment and follow-up results in both groups reveals no significant difference (p > 0.05). Finally, although both treatment groups do exert a significant improvement on marital satisfaction (F = 89.423, p < 0.05), but the mechanisms of the changes in subscales, including “Attraction”, “Rapport”, “Attitude” and “Investment”, are different. The follow-up results show that CBT and ET have stable influences on marital satisfaction. Despite the limited number of participants, in both approaches the subscales changes are significant over time. Marital satisfaction in CBT is enhanced by greater improvements in “Rapport” and “Attraction” between the couples, but in ET it occurs more through the enhancement of “Attitude” and “Investment”.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beam, C. R., Marcus, K., Turkheimer, E., & Emery, R. E. (2018). Gender differences in the structure of marital quality. Behavior Genetics, 48(3), 209–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dew, J., & Wilcox, W. B. (2013). Generosity and the maintenance of marital quality. Journal of Marriage and Family., 75(5), 1218–1228.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, N. B., & Baucom, D. H. (2002). Enhanced cognitive–behavioral therapy for couples: A contextual approach (1st ed.). Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ismail, R., Hafezi, M. H., Mohd Nor, R., & Baghini, M. S. (2014). Study of happiness rate and life satisfaction in Malaysia. Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology, 7(7), 1240–1245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khazaei, M., Rostami, R., & Zaryabi, A. (2011). The relationship between sexual dysfunctions and marital satisfaction in Iranian married students. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 783–785.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiani, S., Yaqoob, N., Javed, S., & Siddique, S. K. (2020). Relationship between personality factors and marital satisfaction among working married doctors: Moderating role of gender. Rawal Medical Journal, 45(1), 144–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kõlves, K., Ide, N., & De Leo, D. (2010). Suicidal ideation and behavior in the aftermath of marital separation: Gender differences. Journal of Affective Disorders, 120(1–3), 48–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lantz, J. (1996). Basic concepts in existential psychotherapy with couple and families. Contemporary Family Therapy, 18(4), 635–649.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lantz, J. (2004). Word view concept in existential family therapy. Contemporary Family Therapy, 26(2), 165–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Long, A. C., Downey, L., Engelberg, R. A., Nielsen, E., Ciechanowski, P., & Curtis, J. R. (2017). Understanding response rates to surveys about family members’ psychological symptoms after patients’ critical illness. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 54(1), 96–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luchies, L. B., Finkel, E. J., & Fitzsimons, G. M. (2011). The effects of self-regulatory strength, content, and strategies on close relationships. Journal of Personality, 79(6), 1–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCord Stafford, A., & Burke Draucker, C. (2019). Emerging adult women’s views-of-self in intimate partner relationships that are troubled. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 40(4), 289–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, B. K., Zivnuska, S., & Kacma, M. (2019). Self-perception and life satisfaction. Personality and Individual Differences, 139, 321–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nichols, M. P. (2013). Self in the system: Expanding the limits of family therapy. New York, NY: Rutledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Peetz, J., & Kammrath, L. (2013). Folk understandings of self-regulation in relationships: Recognizing the importance of self-regulatory ability for others, but not the self. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 49, 712–718.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasko, J., Mainerova, B., Jelenova, D., Kamaradova, D., & Sigmundova, Z. (2012). Existential perspectives and cognitive behavioral therapy. Activitas Nervosa Superior Rediviva, 54(1), 3–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salehy Fadardi, J. (1999). The development and validation of “Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire” on a sample of students of Ferdowsi University (in Persian). Psychotherapical Novelties, 4(13–14), 84–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sousa, D., Pestana, A., & Tavares, A. (2019). Self-Awareness, verbalization and new meanings as the heart and soul of significant events in Existential Psychotherapy. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 49, 161–167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, L., Usher, A., & Allenby, K. (2009). A review of optimal group size and modularisation or continuous entry format for program delivery. Research Report. 2010 N° R-215, Ottawa: Research Branch, Correctional Service of Canada.

  • Tlhowe, T. T., Du Plessis, E., & Koen, M. P. (2017). Strengths of families to limit relapse in mentally ill family members. Health Sa Gesondheid, 22, 28–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Deurzen, E., Craig, E., Laengle, A., Schneider, K. J., Tantam, D., & du Plock, S. (Eds.). (2019). The Wiley world handbook of existential therapy. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Deurzen, E., & Iacovou, S. (2013). Existential perspectives on relationship therapy. Hampshire: Palgrave.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Vazhappilly, J. J., & Reyes, M. E. S. (2018). Efficacy of emotion-focused couples communication program for enhancing couples’ communication and marital satisfaction among distressed partners. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 48, 79–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Family Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Velenjak, Tehran, Iran

    Zahra Abdekhodaie

Authors
  1. Zahra Abdekhodaie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zahra Abdekhodaie.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The author reports no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval

Ethical approval for this study was granted by Family Research Institute at Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Abdekhodaie, Z. Cognitive-Behavioral and Existential Therapies for Marital Satisfaction in Women: A Comparative Investigation of the Efficacy, Stability and Mechanisms of Changes. J Contemp Psychother 51, 173–179 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-020-09488-y

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-020-09488-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation