Enter your email address
Submit
Write your message
Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran. , i_rahimian@semnan.ac.ir
Abstract: (68 Views)
Background: Marital relationships constitute one of the most important contexts for emotion regulation, the development of trust, and the experience of emotional intimacy, and disturbances in these domains play a fundamental role in couples’ conflicts. Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT) and Gottman Couple Therapy are among the most widely used evidence-based approaches for improving marital functioning. However, few studies have examined the comparative and simultaneous effectiveness of these two approaches.
Aims: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Gottman Couple Therapy in improving self-soothing, marital trust, emotional intimacy, and emotional bank account.
Methods: This study employed a single-case experimental design. The study population consisted of couples who referred to the Shohada-e Sadat Counseling Center in Tehran, from whom four couples were selected through convenience sampling and received interventions based on Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Gottman Couple Therapy. Data were collected during the baseline, intervention, and two-month follow-up phases using the Emotional Divorce Scale (Gottman, 1994), Marital Trust Scale (Rempel & Holmes, 1986), Emotional Intimacy Scale (Schaefer & Olson, 1981), Emotional Bank Account Scale (Gottman & Silver, 2017), and a self-soothing index. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26 and included the Reliable Change Index, effect size, percentage of improvement, and mixed regression analysis to examine changes in the level and trend of the dependent variables.
Results: The findings indicated that both Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Gottman Couple Therapy were effective in improving self-soothing, marital trust, emotional intimacy, and emotional bank account among couples. Visual analysis and mixed regression results showed that Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy produced significant short-term improvements across all variables and, except for self-soothing, led to sustained long-term improvements in marital trust, emotional intimacy, and emotional bank account. In contrast, Gottman Couple Therapy was effective in the short term for all variables except self-soothing and demonstrated significant long-term effects only for self-soothing and marital trust. Furthermore, comparisons of effect sizes and overall improvement percentages revealed that Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy was more effective than Gottman Couple Therapy.
Conclusion: Overall, the results suggest that although both therapeutic approaches are effective in enhancing self-soothing, marital trust, emotional intimacy, and emotional bank account, Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy demonstrates greater effectiveness and durability. In addition to its short-term benefits, this approach yields more robust long-term outcomes, particularly in improving trust, intimacy, and emotional bank account, whereas the long-term effects of Gottman Couple Therapy appear to be more limited. Therefore, Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy may be considered a more efficient intervention for achieving deep and sustained improvement in couples’ relationships.
Aims: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Gottman Couple Therapy in improving self-soothing, marital trust, emotional intimacy, and emotional bank account.
Methods: This study employed a single-case experimental design. The study population consisted of couples who referred to the Shohada-e Sadat Counseling Center in Tehran, from whom four couples were selected through convenience sampling and received interventions based on Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Gottman Couple Therapy. Data were collected during the baseline, intervention, and two-month follow-up phases using the Emotional Divorce Scale (Gottman, 1994), Marital Trust Scale (Rempel & Holmes, 1986), Emotional Intimacy Scale (Schaefer & Olson, 1981), Emotional Bank Account Scale (Gottman & Silver, 2017), and a self-soothing index. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26 and included the Reliable Change Index, effect size, percentage of improvement, and mixed regression analysis to examine changes in the level and trend of the dependent variables.
Results: The findings indicated that both Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Gottman Couple Therapy were effective in improving self-soothing, marital trust, emotional intimacy, and emotional bank account among couples. Visual analysis and mixed regression results showed that Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy produced significant short-term improvements across all variables and, except for self-soothing, led to sustained long-term improvements in marital trust, emotional intimacy, and emotional bank account. In contrast, Gottman Couple Therapy was effective in the short term for all variables except self-soothing and demonstrated significant long-term effects only for self-soothing and marital trust. Furthermore, comparisons of effect sizes and overall improvement percentages revealed that Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy was more effective than Gottman Couple Therapy.
Conclusion: Overall, the results suggest that although both therapeutic approaches are effective in enhancing self-soothing, marital trust, emotional intimacy, and emotional bank account, Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy demonstrates greater effectiveness and durability. In addition to its short-term benefits, this approach yields more robust long-term outcomes, particularly in improving trust, intimacy, and emotional bank account, whereas the long-term effects of Gottman Couple Therapy appear to be more limited. Therefore, Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy may be considered a more efficient intervention for achieving deep and sustained improvement in couples’ relationships.
Article number: 6
Keywords: Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy, Gottman Couple Therapy, Self-Soothing, Marital Trust, Emotional Intimacy, Emotional Bank Account.
References
1. باوزین فاطمه، ویسکرمی حسنعلی. (1397). اثربخشی تکنیکهای تن آرامی بر کاهش استرس و کاهش نگرانیهای جنسی، نگرانیهای ارتباطی، و نگرانیهای اجتماعی در زنان نابارور. نشریه پژوهش پرستاری ایران، ۱۳ (۲) :۱۰-۱۶. doi:http://ijnr.ir/article-1-2012-fa.html
2. پیامانی، سپیده؛ علیپور، احمد؛ مرادی دولیسکانی، مرتضی و صفاری نیا، مجید . (1403). مقایسه اثربخشی مدل گاتمن و آموزش تنظیم هیجان مدار بر الگوهای ارتباطی و صمیمت زناشویی زنان متأهل در معرض طلاق شهر تهران. دستآوردهای روانشناختی، https://doi.org/10.22055/psy.2025.48080.3319
3. سازمان ثبتاسناد کشور. ازدواج و طلاقهای ثبـت شـده و نـسبت ازدواج بـه طلاق در سالهای ۸۵-۹۴. برگرفته از ۲۵/۳/۹۹ از: https://www.tasnimnews.com
4. زرگرباشی، راحله و فرهنگی، عبدالحسن (1397). بررسی ویژگی های روانسنجی مقیاس اعتماد در روابط زناشویی و رابطه آن با مقیاس قصه عشق با تحلیل عامل تاییدی. فصلنامه روانسنجی، 7(25)، 140-134.https://sanad.iau.ir/fa/Article/1112114?FullText=FullText
5. خجسته مهر، رضا؛ احمدی قوزلوجه، احمد؛ سودانی، منصور و شیرالی نیا، خدیجه (1394). اثربخشی مشاوره زناشویی تلفیقی کوتاه مدت بر صمیمیت عاطفی و کیفیت زناشویی زوجین. روانشناسی معاصر، 10(2)، 40-29. https://bjcp.ir/article-1-896-fa.html
6. عابدی نقندر، منا، مرغزاری، مجتبی، و طالقانی، علیرضا (1401). تأثیر درمان هیجان مدار بر انعطاف پذیری کنشی و اضطراب مرگ بیماران عروق کرونر قلب. فصلنامه اید ه های نوین روانشناسی، 15-1 (16-12). http://jnip.ir/article-1-703-fa.html
7. مهرآبادی، هانیه؛ کیمیایی، سیدعلی و کارشکی، حسین (1404). بررسی اثربخشی زوج درمانی گاتمن بر سبک های حل تعارض، خشونت زناشویی و تاب آوری خانوادگی زوج ها در دوران پاندمی ویروس کووید-19. سبک زندگی اسلامی، 9(2)، 153-165. https://www.islamiilife.com/article_228765.html
8. وطن خواه کورنده حمیدرضا، چاه ور زهرا و آزاد یکتا مهرناز. (1403). بررسی اثربخشی زوج درمانی گاتمن بر صمیمیت زناشویی پرستاران شهر تهران در نیمه دوم سال، مجله پزشک و پرستار در رزم، 13(46)، 36-43. https://npwjm.ajaums.ac.ir/browse.php?mag_id=55&slc_lang=fa&sid=1
9. Abedi Naqandar, M., Morghazari, M., & Taleghani, A. (2022). The effect of Emotionally Focused Therapy on functional flexibility and death anxiety in patients with coronary heart disease. Journal of New Ideas in Psychology, 15(1), 12–16. http://jnip.ir/article-1-703-fa.html (in persian).
10. Afsharzada, M. S., & Fahiz, M. F.(2025). Effectiveness of Internet-Based Gottman Marriage Enrichment Program on the Differentiation and Attachment Styles of Afghan Couples with Marital Conflicts. Available at SSRN 5175133. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5175133
11. Apostolou, M., & Wang, Y. (2020). The challenges of keeping an intimate relationship: An evolutionary examination. Evolutionary Psychology, 18(3), 1474704920953526. DOI: 10.1177/1474704920953526
12. Badri Benam, N., & Smkhani Akbarinejhad, H. (2025). The Effectiveness of Compassion-Based Couple Therapy on Marital Conflicts and Emotional Intimacy of Couples of Spouses with Breast Cancer. Iranian Journal of Breast Diseases, 18(3), 138-153. doi:10.61882/ijbd.18.3.8
13. Bavazin F, Vieskarami H.(2018). The Effect of Relaxation Techniques on the Reduction of Stress, Sexual Anxiety, Communication Concerns, and Social Concerns in Females with Infertility. IJNR; 13 (2) :10-16 http://ijnr.ir/article-1-2012-fa.html (in persian).
14. Garanzini, S., Yee, A., Gottman, J., Gottman, J., Cole, C., Preciado, M., & Jasculca, C. (2017). Results of Gottman method couples therapy with gay and lesbian couples. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 43(4), 674–684. https ://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12276
15. Girma Shifaw, Z. (2022). Marital Communication as Moderators of the Relationship between MaritalConflict Resolution and Marital Satisfaction. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01926187.2022.2089404
16. Gottman, J. (2020). The Four Horsemen: Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling.
17. Gottman, J. M. (1993). A theory of marital dissolution and stability. Journal of family psychology, 7(1), 57.
18. Gottman, J. M. (1994). Why marriage succeed or fail: What you can learn from the break through research to make your marriage last. New York: Simon & Schuster. Gottman, J. M., & Gottman, J. S. (2013). Difficulties with clients in Gottman method couples therapy.
19. Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N., (2017). The seven principles for making marriage work. New York: Random Hous
20. Gottman, J. M., Cole, C., & Cole, D. L. (2019). Gottman method couples therapy. In Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy (pp. 1319-1328). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
21. Gottman, Jm., Julie Schwartz, Gottman. (2015). Relaxation HOW TO SELF-SOOTHE & CREATE CALM Learn the Simple Methods for Self-Soothing and Reducing Stress. Seattle, WA 98122 .Distributed under license by The Gottman Institute.
22. Gurman, A. S. (2017). Clinical handbook of couple therapy. New York: The Guilford Press.
23. Jiang, H., Wang, L., Zhang, Q., Liu, D. X., Ding, J., Lei, Z., ... & Pan, F. (2015). Family functioning, marital satisfaction and social support in hemodialysis patients and their spouses. Stress and Health, 31(2), 166-174. DOI: 10.1002/smi.2541
24. Johnson, S. M. (2012). The practice of emotionally focused couple therapy: Creating connection. Routledge.
25. Jansen, P., Rahe, M., & Siebertz, M. (2026). Self-love and love in a romantic relationship are partly related. Discover Psychology, 6(1), 25. DOI: 10.1007/s44202-025-00536-z
26. Khojasteh Mehr, R., Ahmadi Ghozlojeh, A., Sodani, M., & Shirali Nia, K. (2016). Effectiveness of brief integrative couples counseling on emotional intimacy and marital quality of couples. Contemporary Psychology, 10(2), 29-40. https://bjcp.ir/article-1-896-fa.html (in persian).
27. Lebow, J., & Snyder, D. K. (2022). Couple therapy in the 2020s: Current status and emerging developments. Family Process, 61(4), 1359-1385.doi: 10.1111/famp.12824
28. Lindeman, S. K., Thuen, F., & Zahl‐Olsen, R. (2025). Participants' Experiences With the In‐Person and Online Gottman Seven Principles Program for Couples Enhancement: A Qualitative Study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 46(4), e70024.DOI: 10.1002/anzf.70024
29. Mehrabadi Haniyeh, Kimiaee Seyed, Ali Kareshki Hossein. (2025). Examining the effectiveness of Gottman model Couple Therapy on conflict resolution styles, marital violence and family resilience in Covid-19 Pandemic era. Journal of Islamic Lifestyle Centered on Health, 9(2), 153-165. https://www.islamiilife.com/article_228765.html (in persian).
30. Mirzazade, Z., Molazade, J., Hadianfard, H., & Taghavi, M. (2025). The effect of emotionally focused couple therapy (EFCT) on shame and intimacy in couples: a randomized controlled trial (RCT). BMC psychology, 13(1), 1111. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-03415-3
31. Mirzadeh, K. F., Rezaei, A., & Najafi, M. (2019). Construction and validation of emotional divorce scale in Iranian population. PCP, 7(1): 53-62. DOI: 10.32598/jpcp.7.1.53
32. Movahedrad, F., Seyed Alitabar, S. H., Mohammadi, A., & Hoseinifard, V. (2023). The Effectiveness of Strength-Based Counseling on the Tendency Toward Marital Infidelity and Self-Compassion of Conflicted Couples. Journal of Assessment and Research in Applied Counseling, 11-22. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.jarac.5.2.2
33. Naber, Andrew., Stephanie. Payne., Webber, Sheila. (2018). Academy of Management, "Relative Influence of Trustee and Trustor Individual Differences on Peer Trust, Vancouver. (August 2018).
34. National Organization for Civil Registration. (2020). Registered marriages and divorces and the marriage-to-divorce ratio in the years 2006–2015. Retrieved March 15, 2020, from https://www.tasnimnews.com
35. Rempel, J. K., Ross, M., & Holmes, J. G. (2001). Trust and communicated attributions in close relationships. Journal of personality and social psychology, 81(1), 57. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.81.1.57
36. Samadi, P., Alipour, Z., Salehi, K., Kohan, S., & Hashemi, M. (2021). The keys to a good and lasting marriage: Exploration of Iranian couple's experiences. Journal of education and health promotion, 10(1), 474.doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_1438_20
37. Schaefer, M. T., & Olson, D. H. (1981). Assessing intimacy: The pair inventory. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 7(1), 47-60. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.17520606.1981.tb01351.x
38. Shokrolahi, M. S., Hashem, S. E., Mehrabizadeh Honarmand, M., Zargar, Y., & Naaimi, A. (2023). Effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy on anxiety sensitivity and pain catastrophizing in patients with chronic pain and alexithymia. ijpn, 11(3), 46-56.
39. Timmons, A. C., Han, S. C., Chaspari, T., Kim, Y., Narayanan, S., Duong, J. B., ... & Margolin, G. (2023). Relationship satisfaction, feelings of closeness and annoyance, and linkage in electrodermal activity. Emotion, 23(7), 1815.doi: 10.1037/emo0001201
40. Tobore, T. O. (2020). Towards a comprehensive theory of love: The quadruple theory. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 862. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00862
41. Wiebe, S. A., & Johnson, S. M. (2016). A review of the research in emotionally focused therapy for couples. Family process, 55(3), 390-407.DOI: 10.1111/famp.12229
42. Vallet, H Constant, E., Nandarino, J. L., Christophe, V. (2016). Personal assessment of intimacy in relationships: Validity and measurement invariance across gender. Revue Euroeenne psychlogie appliquee, 66: 109-116.
43. Vatankhahkorande H, Chahru Z, Azad Yekta M.(2025). Investigating the Effectiveness of Gottman Couples Therapy on Marital Intimacy Among Nurses in Tehran in the Second Half of 2024. NPWJM; 13 (46):5 http://npwjm.ajaums.ac.ir/article-1-1081-fa.html (in persian).
44. Wang, X., & Zhao, K. (2023). Partner Phubbing and Marital Satisfaction: The Mediating Roles ofMarital Interaction and Marital Conflict. Social Science Computer Review, 41(4), 1126-1139. https://doi.org/10.1177/08944393211072231
45. Woolley, S. R., & Koren, R. (2025). Using the Woolley Motivation Typology to Heal Infidelity With Emotionally Focused Therapy. European Journal of Mental Health, 20, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.5708/EJMH.20.2025.0035
46. Zargarbashi, R., & Farhangi, A. (2018). Psychometric properties of the Marital Trust Scale and its relationship with the Love Story Scale using confirmatory factor analysis. Quarterly Journal of Psychometrics, 7(25), 134–140. https://sanad.iau.ir/fa/Article/1112114?FullText=FullText (in persian).
47. Zhao, J., Sohn, A., & Tadros, E. (2025). Disability and infidelity with a cross-cultural couple: An emotionally focused therapy case study. Person-Centered & Experiential Psychotherapies, 24(2), 130-152. https://doi.org/10.1080/14779757.2024.2402694
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License. |
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)