A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Integrative Couple Therapy and Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy on Increasing Emotional and Sexual Intimacy of Couples Traumatized by Infidelity

Abstract

Aim: The present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effectiveness of integrative couple therapy and integrative behavioral couple therapy on increasing the emotional and sexual intimacy of couples affected by infidelity in Shahriar (Andishe city in Iran).
 Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population included couples whose male partner had cheated, and were referred to counseling centers of Andishe city in 2018. Twenty four couples were selected through convenient sampling and randomly assigned into two experimental groups and one control group (8 couples in each group). The subjects in the two experimental groups attended 10 couple therapy sessions, whereas no intervention was carried out for the control group. The subjects responed to the Marital Intimacy Needs Questionnaire (Bagarozzi, 2001).
 Results: The results of analysis of covariance and block analysis of variance showed that integrative behavioral couple therapy and integrative couple therapy had a significant effect on the component of satisfaction with confrontation in the dimension of sexual intimacy )p<0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the two approaches. Integrative behavioral couple therapy was also effective in increasing emotional intimacy in all components, but this effectiveness was not achieved in integrative couple therapy.
 Conclusion: Considering the effectiveness of integrative couple therapy and integrative behavioral couple therapy on the component of satisfaction with confrontation in sexual intimacy, the use of these approaches in promoting sexual intimacy of couples affected by infidelity may be effective. Also, considering the effectiveness of integrative behavioral couple therapy in increasing emotional and sexual intimacy, this approach can be used by couple therapists.