Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy on Unfulfilled Belongingness, Self-Disparagement, and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Women with Forced Marriage Experiences
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Objective: Forced marriage is a psychosocial trauma associated with various forms of emotional and cognitive distress. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) in reducing unfulfilled belongingness, self-disparagement, and intolerance of uncertainty in women with forced marriage experiences.
Methods and Materials: A quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group was employed. Twenty women with a history of forced marriage were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 10) and a control group (n = 10). The experimental group received eight sessions of EFT, while the control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were collected using the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ), Self-Disgust Scale (SDS), and Intolerance of Uncertainty Questionnaire (IUQ), and analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and ANCOVA.
Findings: The EFT intervention significantly reduced all three target variables in the experimental group compared to the control group. Post-intervention scores showed significant improvements in unfulfilled belongingness (F = 12.70, p < .001, η² = 0.841), self-disparagement (F = 13.10, p < .001, η² = 0.822), and intolerance of uncertainty (F = 9.40, p < .01, η² = 0.795). The control group did not exhibit significant changes.
Conclusion: Emotion-Focused Therapy is effective in reducing emotional and cognitive vulnerability in women with forced marriage experiences. This intervention may serve as a valuable component of culturally sensitive, trauma-informed care in low-resource or underserved populations.
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