The effect of combined therapy based on acceptance and commitment and schema therapy on values and psychological acceptance in couples applying for divorce

Abstract

Aim: Divorce-seeking couples have many problems in their marital relationships, and one of the effective methods in improving the characteristics related to marital life is through offering a combined-approach educational method. The present study was conducted in order to determine the effect of combined therapy based on acceptance and commitment and schema therapy on values and psychological acceptance in couples applying for divorce.
 Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test/post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included all couples applying for divorce who were referred from Behshahr City Court to counseling centers dedicated to the Divorce Reduction Program, during the second 6 months of 2018. In this clinical trial, 32 people (16 couples applying for divorce) were selected through available sampling method and were randomly divided into two groups of 16 individuals (treatment and control groups). Combined couple therapy intervention based on acceptance and commitment and schema therapy (Liu and McKay, 2012) was implemented in 14 ninety-minute sessions in a group format (treatment group). Research tools included acceptance and action questionnaire (Bond et al., 2011) and personal values questionnaire (Schwartz, 2002). Data analysis was done by multivariate covariance analysis.
 Findings: The results showed that integrated couple therapy based on acceptance and commitment and schema therapy has significantly led to the improvement of acceptance and practice and values in couples applying for divorce in the post-test stage (P<0.05).
 Conclusion: The results of the research show the effectiveness of integrated couple therapy based on acceptance and commitment and schema therapy on values and psychological acceptance in couples applying for divorce.