Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
PhD Student, Department of Psychology, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran
2
Department of Psychology, Mahabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mahabad, Iran
3
Department of Psychology, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran
Abstract
Aim: The present study aimed to develop an effective model of marital commitment and determine the effectiveness of a model-based educational program in improving marital satisfaction in couples. Methods: The study was in two sections, correlational and semi-experimental, with a pretest-posttest design and a control group with a three-month follow-up. The statistical population of the correlational section consisted of 746 married people who visited counseling centers in Tehran in 2018 and we selected 350 individuals (196 females and 154 males) based on the Sample Power software by the convenience sampling method. To evaluate the effectiveness of a model-based educational program, we selected 10 couples who scored lower in Enrich's Marital Satisfaction Scale (1989) and randomly assigned them into the experimental group (5 couples), and control group (5 couples). The research tools included the Marital Commitment Inventory by Adams and Jones (1997), Marital Communication Beliefs by Idelson (1982), Family Emotional Involvement and criticism Scale (FEICS) by Shields (1994), and Bagarozi Marital Intimacy Questionnaire (2001) for the correlation section. After drawing the model and developing the model-based package, the experimental group participated in ten 120-minute sessions of a training program based on the marital commitment model. Both groups responded to the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Scale at three stages. We analyzed data using the structural equation method for the correlation section, and the repeated measures analysis of variance for the quasi-experimental section. Results: The results of the correlation section indicated direct and significant relationships between marital intimacy with emotional conflict, received criticism, and communication beliefs, as well as marital commitment with emotional conflict, received criticism, and communication beliefs, and finally between marital intimacy and marital commitment. The results of the second part indicated a significant difference between the performance of the two groups in marital satisfaction (F=35.48, P= 0.001) in the post-test and after three months of follow-up. Conclusion: Given the effect of the commitment model on marital satisfaction, we suggest psychologists and counselors use the training method to improve interaction and teach couples the way of communication and increase their cohesion.
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