مقایسه آموزش مبتنی بر رویکرد هیجان مدار جانسون و مدل گاتمن بر کیفیت زندگی زناشویی و عملکرد خانواده همسر در زوجین

Abstract:

The present study aimed to compare Johnson’s Emotion-Focused Approach and Gottman’s Model on marital quality and spousal family functioning in couples. The statistical population of the study included couples with at least two years of marital experience and a high school diploma or higher, who visited health centers in Qaen from May to July 2025 to receive counseling. A total of 60 individuals (30 couples) participated. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with an unequal control group. Participants were selected purposefully and randomly assigned to three groups (each group comprising 10 women and 10 men). The first group received nine 90-minute sessions of Johnson’s Emotion-Focused Approach training, while the second group received eight 45-minute sessions of Gottman’s Model training. The control group did not receive any intervention. Data collection instruments included the Busby Marital Quality Scale and the Family Functioning Scale regarding the spouse. Questionnaires were completed at pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and the Friedman test in SPSS-27. The results indicated that the Gottman approach was more effective than Johnson’s Emotion-Focused Approach on marital quality (30% vs. 16.7%) and spousal family functioning (86% vs. 74%). The findings suggest that both approaches can improve the quality of couples’ relationships and spousal family functioning and can be applied in counseling centers.





Introduction

The family is recognized as a social institution, yet it encompasses many individual dimensions, with particular emphasis on its nurturing and satisfying role, especially for spouses. One of the important aspects of marital relationships is the quality of the marital bond, which plays a central role in evaluating overall family interactions. Marital quality is a multidimensional concept, encompassing various aspects of couples' interactions, including satisfaction, compatibility, and cohesion.

Marriage is considered one of the most significant decisions in an individual’s life. Studying marital relationships helps clarify the structural framework within which couples' interactions are formed. Furthermore, marriage represents the union of two families; therefore, establishing a positive relationship with the spouse’s family is an important component of marital quality.

Johnson’s Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is a therapeutic approach that has gained attention among therapists in recent years for resolving marital issues. EFT integrates experiential, systemic, and adult attachment theories. Another approach that enhances marital quality and helps couples experience a more satisfying shared life is the Gottman Couples Therapy Model. This model simultaneously focuses on behavioral changes, belief modifications, exploring hidden and unconscious meanings, and adopting a systemic perspective toward the family.

Method

The present study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, control group, and follow-up. The statistical population included couples with at least two years of marital experience and a high school diploma or higher who visited health centers in Qaen from May to July 2025 for counseling.

A total of 30 couples (30 women and 30 men) were selected through convenience sampling and, after matching, were randomly assigned to three groups: 20 participants in the Johnson’s EFT group, 20 participants in the Gottman Model group, and 20 participants in the control group, with each group comprising 10 women and 10 men.

Inclusion criteria:

At least two years of marital experience

Minimum high school education

Physical health

Scoring below 35 on the Marital Quality Questionnaire

Low scores on the Spousal Family Functioning Questionnaire

Voluntary informed consent to participate

Exclusion criteria:

Missing more than two consecutive sessions

Lack of cooperation or failure to complete assigned tasks

Unwillingness of either spouse to continue participation

After obtaining approval and announcing the call for participants, eligible couples were identified at health centers. Informed consent forms were distributed voluntarily, and pre-tests were conducted for all three groups.

The first experimental group attended nine 90-minute weekly sessions of Johnson’s EFT. The second experimental group received eight 45-minute sessions, held twice a week, based on the Gottman Model. The control group received no intervention. Post-tests were administered after the intervention, and a one-month follow-up was conducted to assess the sustainability of effects.

Data from the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages were analyzed using one-way repeated measures ANOVA and the Friedman test in SPSS version 27.

Research Instruments

1. Marital Quality Questionnaire (RDAS):

The Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS), developed by Busby et al. (1995) and revised by Busby, Crane, Larson, and Christensen, was used to assess the quality of marital relationships. The questionnaire consists of 14 items across three subscales: Consensus (6 items), Satisfaction (5 items), and Cohesion (3 items). Higher scores indicate higher marital quality.

2. Spousal Family Relationship Questionnaire:

This scale was developed by Cheraghi in 2014 (1393 Iranian calendar) and includes 87 items with three subscales:

Items 1–34: Individual attachment to the spouse’s family

Items 35–69: Flexible boundary between the spouse and the spouse’s family

Items 70–87: Couple cohesion

All items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). For scoring the systemic-triangular method, some items are reverse-coded, and total scores are calculated. Sample items include:

My spouse’s family loves me as if I were their child.

I feel like a stranger in my spouse’s family.

The reliability of this questionnaire in the present study, assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.68.

Results

Regarding the age distribution of participating couples, in both the Johnson EFT group and the Gottman Model group, the highest percentage of participants (40%) were aged 41–50 years. In the control group, the majority of participants (45%) were aged 31–40 years.

The findings indicated that the effectiveness of training based on the Gottman Model was 30% for marital quality and 86% for spousal family functioning. In comparison, the effectiveness of training based on Johnson’s EFT was 16.7% for marital quality and 74% for spousal family functioning