Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on Psychological Distress and Life Engagement in Couples Experiencing Marital Conflict
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Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of schema therapy in reducing psychological distress and enhancing life engagement among couples experiencing marital conflict.
Methods and Materials: A quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and control group was employed. A total of 30 individuals (15 in the intervention group and 15 in the control group), identified as being in marital conflict, were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the study groups. The intervention group received eight 90-minute sessions of schema therapy over a four-week period. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and life engagement was assessed using the Life Engagement Test (LET). Data were analyzed using ANCOVA after controlling for pre-test scores.
Findings: After adjusting for baseline differences, the schema therapy group demonstrated significantly lower psychological distress scores (p<0.01) and higher life engagement scores (p<0.01) compared to the control group. Effect sizes were moderate to large for both outcomes, indicating clinically meaningful change.
Conclusion: Schema therapy appears to be an effective intervention for improving psychological well-being and increasing life engagement among individuals in distressed marital relationships. Future research with larger samples and longitudinal designs is recommended.
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