Asghar Jafari; Ali Moshtaghi
Abstract
Marriage affects the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral health of young couples. Interpersonal trust and cognitive flexibility play a role in family functioning. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of imago therapy in increasing interpersonal trust and cognitive flexibility ...
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Marriage affects the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral health of young couples. Interpersonal trust and cognitive flexibility play a role in family functioning. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of imago therapy in increasing interpersonal trust and cognitive flexibility in young couples. A quasi-experimental design was used. The statistical population included young couples who referred to Salam Counseling and Psychology Center in Esfahan in 2022. Through purposive sampling method, 16 couples who met the inclusion criteria were selected; they were randomly assigned to the two groups of imago therapy and control (n1=n2=8). Research instruments were Rempel and Holmes’s (2007) Interpersonal Relationship Trust questionnaire and Dennis and Vanderwal’s (2010) Cognitive Flexibility questionnaire, which were administered to the two groups in three stages. In addition, Muro et al.’s (2016) Imago Therapy program was implemented in the experimental group during ten weekly 60-minute sessions. Data were analyzed using mixed model repeated measures ANOVA. Findings showed that imago therapy could increase interpersonal trust and cognitive flexibility in young couples and this effect was sustained in the follow-up phase (P < 0.001). Therefore, it could be concluded that imago therapy was effective in increasing interpersonal trust and cognitive flexibility in young couples. Accordingly, it is suggested that this treatment package be used for the recovery of interpersonal trust and cognitive flexibility of couples.
Hosna Akbari; Reza Ghorban Jahromi; Mohammad Ali Besharat; Ruhollah Shahabi
Abstract
Marital satisfaction has been widely acknowledged as a crucial determinant of marriage stability. One key factor that impacts marital satisfaction is the type of behavioral activation and inhibition system present in an individual. Individual differences in the behavioral brain system play a significant ...
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Marital satisfaction has been widely acknowledged as a crucial determinant of marriage stability. One key factor that impacts marital satisfaction is the type of behavioral activation and inhibition system present in an individual. Individual differences in the behavioral brain system play a significant role in how couples respond to interpersonal problems, resulting in distinct behavioral feedback. If utilized correctly, this system can positively impact the quality of a couple's relationship and promote family stability. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between behavioral activation/inhibition systems and marital satisfaction with the mediation of mentalization. The research was conducted using a correlation method, and the statistical population comprised married individuals residing in Tehran in 2021. Of these, a sample size of 370 was selected using a multi-stage cluster sampling method and administered a demographic questionnaire, the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Behavioral Activation and Inhibition Scale, and the mentalization Questionnaire. The results of the path analysis indicated that the behavioral inhibition system with the mediation of mentalization is effective in marital satisfaction, and the inhibition system has a negative and meaningful relationship with marital satisfaction and mentalization. On the other hand, mentalization had a direct, positive, and significant impact on marital satisfaction. Additionally, the activation system significantly impacted marital satisfaction with the mediation of mentalization. The activation system had a direct, positive, and significant impact on mentalization, but only a positive and direct relationship between the activation system and marital satisfaction could not be established. These findings suggest that the behavioral activation and inhibition system can predict marital satisfaction directly and indirectly through mentalization. Consequently, it is recommended that experts in the field of family examine these structures to promote marital satisfaction among couples.
