The Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on Life Enthusiasm and Psychological Distress in Incompatible Couples

https://doi.org/10.61838/ijbmc.v12i4.975
Psychotherapy Marital Therapy Psychological Distress Emotions Interpersonal Relations

Authors

  • Masoumeh Zerang Master of General Psychology, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran. , Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Shiva Kaveh Ahangari Master of General Psychology, Science & Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Saveh, Iran. , Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Fatemeh Saberi
    Saberielnaz74@gmail.com
    Master of General Psychology, Boroujen branch, Islamic Azad University, Boroujen, Iran., Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Zahra Sadat Javdani Iraninezhad Master of Educational Psychology, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran. , Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Pouran Abbasimofrad Master of General Psychology, Payam Noor Ramsar University, Ramsar, Iran. , Iran, Islamic Republic of
Vol. 12 No. 4 (2025): July
Quantitative Study(ies)
March 31, 2025
April 27, 2025

Objective: Marital dissatisfaction and interpersonal conflict are associated with increased psychological distress and reduced engagement in life activities. Schema Therapy (ST), an integrative cognitive-behavioral approach, aims to modify early maladaptive schemas that may underlie dysfunctional emotional and behavioral patterns in close relationships. 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, 15 in the control group), identified as being in marital conflict, were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to study groups. The intervention group received eight 90-minute sessions of schema therapy over four weeks. 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.