Comparison of the Effectiveness Schema Therapy and Affective Reconstruction Therapy on Marital Relationship Quality of Infertile Couples

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 M.A Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University Urmia, Urmia, Iran

2 Graduated of general psychology, faculty of psychology and educational sciences, Islamic Azad University Karaj, Alborz, Iran. azadeeeh. 1990@gmail.com.

3 Master of General Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Ardakan, Yazd, Iran. Majedehkhosravi1@gmail.comhttps://orcid.org/

4 Department of Psychology, Nain Branch, Islamic Azad University, Nain, Iran. baratimaryam55@gmail.com. https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-9271-3133

5 Department of clinical psychology, Islamic Azad University of Lahijan, Iran. sotudeh1362@gmail.com https://orcid.org/

6 Ph.D. Candidate in Psychology, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran. Javad-jafary90@yahoo.com. https://orcid.org/

Abstract

his study sets out to examine a comparison of the effectiveness of couple therapy, based on schema therapy and affective reconstruction therapy on marital relationship quality of infertile couples. This quasi-experimental study was conducted based on a pre-test, post-test, control group design with follow-up. The statistical population of this study included all infertile couples referred to the Royan Institute for Biotechnology in Tehran in 2018-2019. The sample consisted of 30 couples who were selected via a purposeful sampling method and were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group (n=5 couples in each group). Subsequently, the first experimental group underwent schema therapy(Young, & Brown, 2005) for 12 sessions, the second experimental group received affective reconstruction therapy (Snyder, & Mitchell, 2008) during 15 sixty-minute sessions(twice a week), while the control group was placed on the waiting list and received their psychological treatment process differently from the two approaches studied in this study. The Marital Relationship Quality was conducted on three groups in all phases of pre-testing and post-testing and follow-up. A multivariate covariance analysis and a one-way covariance analysis were conducted using SPSS24 software. As evidenced by the obtained results, schema therapy and affective reconstruction therapy had a significant effect on the marital relationship quality of infertile couples (P<0.05). According to the obtained results, it seems that the use of both schema therapy and affective reconstruction therapy to improve marital relationship quality of infertile couples is effective and it is recommended to be used as a therapeutic approach.

Keywords


Aghayi, A., Kahrazeni, F., &Farnam, A. (2019). The comparison of the effectiveness of group schema therapy and group emotional-based couple therapy on couples’ maladaptive schemas and life satisfaction. Journal of psychologicalscience18(73), 133-142.
 
Alirezaee, M., Fathiaghdam, G., Ghamari, M., &Bazazian, S. (2020). Comparing the effectiveness of reality therapy and schema therapy on stress symptoms in women with marital conflict. Iranian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing (IJPN) Original Article8(2).).
 
Altiparmak, S., &Derya, Y. A. (2018). The effects of fertility-supporting health training on healthy lifestyle behaviors and infertility self-efficacy in infertile women: A quasi-experimental study. European Journal of Integrative Medicine20, 146-153.
 
Asl, S. T. S., Sadeghi, K., Bakhtiari, M., Ahmadi, S. M., Anamagh, A. N., &Khayatan, T. (2016). Effect of group positive psychotherapy on the improvement of life satisfaction and the quality of life in infertile women. International journal of fertility & sterility10(1), 105.
 
Bach, B., Lockwood, G., & Young, J. E. (2018). A new look at the schema therapy model: organization and role of early maladaptive schemas. Cognitive behaviour therapy47(4), 328-349.
 
Bello, F. A., Adeolu, J. O., Abdulmalik, J. O., Abdus-Salam, R. A., Egbokhare, O. A., Otekunrin, O. A., ... &Adeniyi, A. F. (2021). Reducing anxiety and depression in infertility among Nigerian women: an exploratory psycho-educational intervention trial (RADIANT) study protocol. The Pan African Medical Journal39.
Çambel, B., &AkközÇevik, S. (2022). Prevalence of intimate partner and family violence among women attending infertility clinic and relationship between violence and quality of life. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1-7.
Chazan L and Kushnir T (2019) Losses and gains of psychosocial resources: Effects on stress among women undergoing infertility treatments and participating in social network systems. Psychiatric Quarterly 90: 717–732
CheshmehNoshi, M., Arefi, M., Afshari Nia, K., &Amiri, H. (2021). The Effect of couple therapy based on schema therapy and training of couple communication program on marital conflict resolution styles. Social Determinants of Health7(1), 1-7.
 
Dadkhah, S., Jarareh, J., & Akbari Asbagh, F. (2021). The relationships between self-compassion, positive and negative affect, and marital quality in infertile women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Iranian Rehabilitation Journal19(1), 1-12.
 
Farshidmanesh, F., Davoudi, H., Heidari, H., &ZareBahramabadi, M. (2019). Comparison of the effectiveness of the schema therapy training and mindfulness on intimacy, commitment, and happiness of women with couple burnout. International Archives of Health Sciences6(4), 136-142.
 
Farzinfar, K., Nejat, H., Doustkam, M., &TuzandehJani, H. (2021). Comparison of the Effectiveness of Schema Therapy and Integrated Cognitive-Speech Approach in Emotional Regulation, and Distress Tolerance of Individuals Suffering from Stuttering. Avicenna Journal of Clinical Medicine27(4), 239-252.
 
Gong, J., & Chan, R. C. (2018). Early maladaptive schemas as mediators between childhood maltreatment and later psychological distress among Chinese college students. Psychiatry research259, 493-500.
 
Greil AL, Slauson-Blevins KS, Lowry M, et al. (2019) Concerns about treatment for infertility in a probability-based sample of US women. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology 38: 16–24
 
Grunberg, P., Miner, S., &Zelkowitz, P. (2020). Infertility and perceived stress: the role of identity concerns in treatment-seeking men and women. Human fertility, 1-11.
 
Hemmati, M., &Maddahi, M. E. (2018). Comparison of the effectiveness of couple therapy based on schema therapy with couples therapy based on acceptance and commitment therapy on family resiliency of couples. Journal of Woman and Family Studies6(2), 145-163.
 
Khatamsaz, B., Forouzandeh, E., &Ghaderi, D. (2017). Effectiveness of schema therapy on marital satisfaction and marital relationship quality in married women. International Journal of Educational and Psychological Researches3(1), 11.
 
Khoshkam, S. (2006). The Effect of Couple’s Relationship Training Course in the Improvement of the Relationship and Mental Health of the Isfahan’s Couples (Doctoral dissertation, MA thesis]. Isfahan: Isfahan University).
 
Khosravani, V., Mohammadzadeh, A., Bastan, F. S., Amirinezhad, A., &Amini, M. (2019). Early maladaptive schemas and suicidal risk in inpatients with bipolar disorder. Psychiatry research271, 351-359.
 
LoGiudice JA and Massaro J (2018) The impact of complementary therapies on psychosocial factors in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF): A systematic literature review. Applied Nursing Research 39: 220–228
 
Moeenizadeh, M., &Zarif, H. (2017). The efficacy of well-being therapy for depression in infertile women. International journal of fertility & sterility10(4), 363.
 
Mohammadian, S., Asgari, P., Makvandi, B., &Naderi, F. (2021). Effects of Schema Therapy on Anxiety, Cognitive Avoidance, and Resilience in Couples with Conflicts. Caspian Journal of Health Research6(2), 47-56.
Namagardi, H. D., Farzad, V., &Nooranipoor, R. (2021). Effectiveness of Affective-Reconstructive Couple Therapy on Marital Conventionalization and Global Distress. International Journal of Health Studies8(1), 38-43.
Patel, A., Sharma, P. S. V. N., & Kumar, P. (2020). Psychiatric disorders in women seeking fertility treatments: a clinical investigation in India. International Journal of Fertility & Sterility14(1), 68.
 
Pourshahabadi, F., &Einipour, J. (2020). The Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on Differentiation of Self and Emotional Control among Couples with Marital Maladjustment. International Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences7(2), 18-29.
 
Rad, N. Y., Toozandehjani, H., &Golmakani, Z. B. (2020). Comparing the effectiveness of schema therapy and compassion-focused therapy on forgiveness and ambiguity tolerance in divorce-seeking women. Journal of Fundamentals of Mental Health 22(6):357-367
 
Rajabi, G., Khoshnoud, G., Sodani, M., &Khojastehmehr, R. (2020). The effectiveness of affective-reconstructive couple therapy in increasing the trust and marital satisfaction of couples with remarriage. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology26(1), 114-129.
 
Renzi A, Di Trani M, Solano L, Minutolo E, Tambelli R. Success of assisted reproductive technology treatment and couple relationship: A pilot study on the role of romantic attachment. Health Psychology Open. January 2020.
 
Renzi, A., Di Trani, M., Solano, L., Di Monte, C., &Tambelli, R. (2019, January). Are romantic attachment and couple relational characteristics predictive of assisted reproductive treatment positive outcomes? In Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (Vol. 88, pp. 107-107).
 
Rostami, H., Karimisani, P., Fathi, A., &Karimi, A. (2019). The Effectiveness of Group-based Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy on Family Function, Incompatible Schemas, and Couple Burnout in Couples. Journal of Health and Care21(3), 192-202.
 
Shahhossiani Tajik, S., Sayadi, M., & Taheri, N. (2019). Marital Commitment and Relationship Quality in Fertile Couples and In-fertile. Horizon Med Sci25(3), 184-97.
 
Shreffler, K. M., Greil, A. L., Tiemeyer, S. M., &McQuillan, J. (2020). Is infertility resolution associated with a change in women’s well-being? Human Reproduction35(3), 605-616.
 
Snyder, D. K., & Mitchell, A. E. (2008). Affective-reconstructive couple therapy. Clinical handbook of couple therapy, 353-382.
 
Tanbakouchian, R., Zanganeh, F., &Bayat, M. R. (2021). Compare the Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused and Schema Therapy Approaches on Ambiguity Resilience, and Self-Control of Women with Marital Burnout. Journal of Research in Behavioural Sciences19(1), 1-12.
 
Tao, P., Coates, R., &Maycock, B. (2012). Investigating marital relationship in infertility: a systematic review of quantitative studies. Journal of reproduction & infertility13(2), 71.
 
VahidiFarashah, M., Shafiabadi, A., &KhodabakhshiKoolaei, A. (2022). Effectiveness of positive couple therapy in the empathy and intimacy of infertile couples. Razavi International Journal of Medicine10(1), 64-70.
 
Vazirnia, F., Karimi, J., Goodarzi, K., &Sadeghi, M. (2021). Effects of integrative behavioral couple therapy on infertility self-efficacy, dyadic adjustment, and sexual satisfaction in infertile couples. Journal of Client-Centered Nursing Care7(1), 43-54.
 
Vizheh, M., Pakgohar, M., Rouhi, M., &Veisy, A. (2015). Impact of gender infertility diagnosis on marital relationship in infertile couples: a couple-based study. Sexuality and Disability33(4), 457-468.
 
WHO (World Health Organization) (2020). Infertility. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infertility
 
Young, J. E., & Brown, G. (2005). Young Schema Questionnaire. Short Form, Version 3, from New York: Schema Therapy Institute.