The Effectiveness of Group Therapy Based on Acceptance and Commitment to Improving Negative Emotions, Marital Cohesion and Quality of Relationship

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the acceptance and commitment (ACT) group therapy on negative emotions (shame and sin), marital cohesion and quality of marital relations among married women. The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test, a post-test, and a control group. The statistical population of this study consists of married women referring to counseling centers in Torbat-E Heydariyeh. A sample of 36 participants was selected through convenience sampling. They were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (each group was 18). The experimental group received the ACT while the control group did not. Data were analyzed by using covariance. The results showed that group therapy based on ACT improvement of negative emotions (shame and sin) increases marital coherence and quality of the marital relationship. Therefore, the ACT intervention did have an effect on negative emotions, marital cohesion and quality of marital relationship.