Comparing the Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy and Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Resilience and Marital Adjustment in Women Experiencing Domestic Violence with Self-Harm Behaviors

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Psychology, Ra.C., Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) and trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-TF) on psychological resilience and marital adjustment in women who have experienced domestic violence with self-harming behaviors.
Methods: The study used a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with two experimental and control groups. The research was conducted on married women victims of domestic violence who were referred to welfare centers in Tehran City, Iran, during the fall and winter of 2024. A total of 36 participants were selected using a purposeful sampling method and were randomly assigned to three intervention groups: an EFT group, a CBT-TF group, and a control group. Data were collected using the Spouse Abuse Experience Questionnaire (Alipour et al., 2019), the Self-Harm Inventory (Sansone et al., 1998), the Resilience Scale (Wagnild, 2009), and the Marital Adjustment Scale (Spanier, 1976). Data analysis was conducted utilizing Mixed Variance Analysis along with the Bonferroni Test, employing SPSS 27 software.
Results: The results of a repeated measures analysis showed significant differences between the EFT, CBT-TF, and control groups (P< 0.05). Specifically, EFT and CBT-TF had significant effect on psychological resilience and marital adjustment (P< 0.05). However, the two treatments had no significant difference in increasing resilience and marital adjustment (P< 0.05).
Conclusion: Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) and trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-TF) have proven effective in enhancing resilience and promoting marital adjustment. Therefore, psychotherapists and counselors are encouraged to incorporate these approaches to strengthen resilience and foster interpersonal skills in women affected by domestic violence.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 15 March 2025
  • Revise Date: 31 May 2025
  • Accept Date: 03 June 2025

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